Chapter
Buying a property to renovate in Spain
Quick answer
A renovation is bought in three steps: check what the property legally is, check what the work needs in permits, and build a budget from written quotes. VAT on works can be reduced when conditions are met. Do not close until you know what is allowed.
Applies toBuyers considering a home that needs repairs, modernisation or a full restoration.
On this page: 15 sections
§ 1Start with the building
A property that needs work is a gamble on two unknowns: how bad the problems are and how much the authorities will let you change. Reduce both before you buy. Order a survey from a qualified technician, and ask the town hall what the property is and what works it allows. This page belongs to the section on property types.
§ 2The survey
A survey should cover structure, roof, damp, drains, electrics, plumbing and any asbestos or other hazards. It should say what is urgent and what can wait. Ask the technician to give rough cost bands only if they can justify them, and ask builders for written quotes for the scope. Renovation cost explains how to build the budget.
§ 3Permits
Works need municipal permission of some kind, and the type depends on the scale of work and the place. Renovation permits explains the main permits and the questions to ask. Structural works, changes of use and extensions need more than repainting does. Do not start before you have what you need.
§ 4Legal status
A building without a licence, or with parts that are not in the registry, can be hard to renovate and hard to finance. The legal process section explains illegal and irregular properties and the checks. For ruins, restoring a ruin explains the steps of a restoration, and The page on buying a ruin, in the rural property chapter, explains the purchase.
§ 5Choosing the team
Choose an architect or technician, and a builder, with experience of the kind of building you have. The land and self-build chapter explains how to engage them. Ask for references, the contract, the insurance and the payment stages. Do not pay large sums in advance.
§ 6Money
Budget for the purchase, the taxes, the works, the fees and a reserve. Banks lend less on properties that need work, and they may require the works to be done before releasing the funds. The mortgages section explains the loan. VAT on works can be reduced, as the page on costs explains.
§ 7New guarantees
Under the building law, parties to the work answer for defects for set periods. Ask your builder and architect how their liability works in the contract, and ask what insurance covers it.
§ 8Other kinds of home
For a ready-made house, read the rules on villas or buying an apartment in Spain.
For a townhouse, read townhouses explained.
For a plot to build on, read what to know about land and self-build.
For rural property, read country houses and rural property in detail, and for coastal homes, read the rules on beachfront and golf.
§ 9Before you sign
Get the town hall’s answers, the survey and at least two quotes. Then decide the price.
§ 10Energy and comfort
Older homes lose heat and let in damp. A renovation is a chance to improve insulation, windows, heating and ventilation, and the energy certificate shows where the home stands. Ask the technician which improvements pay for themselves and which only add comfort.
§ 11Living on site
Living in a house during works is hard. Dust, noise, water cuts and delays make it worse. Plan where you will stay, how long, and who will receive deliveries and inspections.
§ 12Questions for the seller
Ask what works the seller has done, which were permitted, and which problems they know about. Ask for the licences, the plans and the invoices. Ask whether any neighbours or the community have complained. Compare the answers with the survey and the papers before you make an offer.
§ 13Offer and conditions
Reflect the cost and risk of works in the price, and ask your lawyer to put conditions in the private contract, such as a favourable answer from the town hall or a satisfactory survey. The legal process section explains conditions and deposits.
§ 14Keep records
Keep the survey, the permits, the contracts and the invoices together. They protect you if a defect appears and they support the registry and any later sale.
§ 15Back to the section
The rules on types of property explains the kinds of home a foreigner can buy and what each needs checked.
FAQRelated questions
Should I buy first and ask about permits later?
No. Permission and the legal status of the building decide what you can do, so ask before you buy. Make the purchase conditional on the answer if you can, and keep the town hall’s reply in writing.
How do I budget for works?
Use written quotes from builders for a defined scope, plus a reserve for surprises. We print no average cost, because the range is wide. Ask more than one firm to quote the same list of works.
Is VAT lower on renovation?
It can be, when conditions are met, for example that the building is a dwelling and finished at least two years earlier, and that the client is an individual. Ask your adviser, and see the page on renovation costs.
Sources
- Agencia Tributaria: ¿Qué tipo se aplica a las obras en viviendas? Obras de renovación o reparación (official source, opens in a new window), Reduced VAT rate for renovation and repair of dwellingsLast checked 18 October 2026
- Boletín Oficial del Estado: Ley 38/1999 de Ordenación de la Edificación (official source, opens in a new window), Articles 17 and 19; disposiciones adicionales primera y segundaLast checked 17 October 2026
- Boletín Oficial del Estado: Texto refundido de la Ley de Suelo y Rehabilitación Urbana (RDLeg 7/2015) (official source, opens in a new window), Arts. 15, 17 and 21: duty to conserve; rural and urbanised landLast checked 17 October 2026
Legal note. How the process works in general. It is not legal advice, and it never replaces an independent Spanish lawyer acting for you.