House Renovation Studio
Valencia

“Before any purchase, it is essential to know, in advance, the cost to maintain your future Home“

We are a Technical Architect and Building Engineer Studio with more than 20 years of experience in the Construction and Project Management field. Technical Architects and Building Engineers can wear many hats–Building, Property and Structural Surveyor; Project Manager; Financial Manager of Construction, Quality Control Supervisor; Appraisal Surveyor; Health and Safety Coordinator; Technical Inspector; Director of Materials and Manufacturing; sustainability and energy efficiency assessment, Building Rehabilitation, adaptation of commercial premises, etc.

 The Studio can also assist you with the different phases of a Project… from management to Interior Design to execution of the plan:

1. Design process and detailed plan drawings: We can prepare detailed drawings and finalize the design plans, showing actual sizes and shapes for rooms and different spaces. Construction specifications will be outlined, listing the major materials to be used. When you approve the design drawings, our Studio will work with you to find contractors to give you cost estimates.
2. House Renovation Project Management
3. House Renovation Council License Approval 
4. Construction documents: One of the most important elements of Our Studio’s services is construction documents. Our Studio will develop detailed drawings and material specifications. The contractor will use both to estimate construction costs and to build the project.
5. Budgeting and cost analysis.
6. Hiring a contractor: You have several options when it comes to hiring a contractor—you can ask Our Studio to make recommendations or choose a contractor on your own. Our Studio can assist you in selecting contractors by reviewing bids and estimates based on the construction documents.
7. Building Renovation process control: We can schedule and control the different phases of the construction project from design to completion while keeping you informed during the entire process.  Whatever situation arises  we will give you the possible scenarios and recommend a solution.
8. Licenses and Project monitoring for commercial activities

One of our primary and most useful services is a  Property & Building Survey Report which evaluates the potential defects and construction problems found in a house, foundation and structure, before the purchase. This report allows you to identify problems with your future investment and also to provide solutions. Unbiased Survey Reports, are the perfect “weapon” for investors to use to help  negotiate the future price of your property in order to ascertain a fair value. 

Bear in mind that in Spain (in almost 100% of the cases) for Government Entities, Notaries, Lawyers, Official Institutes, Insurance Companies, Land Registries, and creators of Title Deeds, you will be required to furnish Official Technical Survey Reports, Technical Inspections, Official Energy Efficiency Certificates or other types of Survey Reports related to your house purchase.

 The law in Spain is very simple & clear: Only qualified technicians and members of the Official Technical Colleges will be able to fulfill these Official or Government Survey needs related to your future home, as required by the City Council or other Main Organizations.

You will be able to find more information about our Services on our website. Below is a summary of our main tasks, which are focused on making your real estate investment in Spain easier and safer not only before,  but also after your Home Purchase.

1. Technical inspections related to the Architecture field: A technical inspection is used to verify compliance with technical specifications. The inspection can be carried out visually or specific instrumentation may be necessary to determine if the structure or part of the house/building complies with the corresponding technical specifications according to the architectural standards of Spanish legislation.
2. Property/Building Survey Reports.
3. Homebuyers Surveys (also known as a pre-purchase survey).
4. Verbal Survey Reports(Online reports): These Surveys are not accompanied by a written report. This is a visual property inspection with the future buyer followed by a discussion about the different building/house issues found during the inspection. This kind of survey can also be accomplished with an online conversation. The advantage to this report is that it is relatively cheaper than the first one. The disadvantage is the lack of an accompanying written report.
5. Rustic Land Inspections:If you are buying land or property in the country, such as a farmhouse, it is essential to find out if it is placed in an area where urbanization is allowed (in this case it is called a “finca urbana”, or “suelo urbano” ) or where urbanization and residential developments are not allowed (“finca rústica” or “suelo rústico”). In both cases there are exceptions that we must know about before making an offer.
6. Commercial Property Inspections.

Popular properties sought after are apartments in the Valencian Community, where prices start between €105,000 – €120,000 and have 80 m² of useable space. In the province of Valencia, potential buyers seek a larger surface area of at least 90 m². Meanwhile, in Castellón and Alicante, the price starts between €90,000-€105,000 and the space required is 70 m². Within the Valéncia Comunidad these prices could reach amounts up to €300.000 – €700.000 (and, with special features much more), depending on the location of the property  and number of square meters within the apartment or house.

These prices can clearly decrease if the property is held by a bank or is available at public auction. If the property needs a complete refurbishment, it will also greatly reduce the offering price. According to experts, demand depends heavily on the area and is for properties with 3 or 4 bedrooms.

The condition of the property will be decisive, since the greater the need to renovate, the lower the selling price.

One of our primary and most useful services is a  Property & Building Survey Report which evaluates the potential defects and construction problems found in a house, foundation and structure, before the purchase. This report allows you to identify problems with your future investment and also to provide solutions. Unbiased Survey Reports, are the perfect “weapon” for investors to use to help  negotiate the future price of your property in order to ascertain a fair value. 

You may need an architect or engineer to sign off on your plans. Also, either you or the architect will need to check with your local building department and ensure that the design for the project complies with the Local and National Building Law.

In Spain, the responsibilities and duties of  Building & Property Managers are governed by the Building Engineer University Degrees and are influenced by the connection to the construction industry. These managers are watched over and strongly protected by the Government through the General Council of Building Engineers (also known as “Technical Architects”).

They all should be in possession of a minimum four year Official University Degree and enrolled as a Member of the Building Engineers Association (CAATIE). Building Engineers should carry the appropriate Surveyors & Engineers Civil Liability Insurance in order to protect their Professional Standing.

You may need an architect or engineer to sign off on your plans. Also to check with your local building department and ensure that our new design and project complies with the Local and National Building Law.

How to Increase Home Value?

• Add Beauty. Okay, the first thing you can do to increase house value is to make your home more attractive. Add curb appeal. You have only a few seconds to make a good first impression.  The first impression for potential buyers occurs when they drive up to your house or stand in front of  the façade of your apartment building.
• Add More Space. Bigger homes tend to sell for more money with a good & functional indoor layout. If you cannot add space to your apartment make the most of the space that you have by maximizing every square centimeter!
• Add Energy Efficiency, insulation and, if possible, sound  reduction if you own an apartment.
• Add Updated Systems and Appliances that are energy efficient
• Add Technology. Security and climate control systems that can be controlled by mobile apps on your telephone are a good start!

Most of the time we use “remodeling” and “renovation” interchangeably. However, for “design and build” professionals, the words REMODEL and RENOVATE have two very different meanings.

Let’s start with the definition of the words.. According to the dictionary these are the definitions:

• REMODEL means “to change the structure or form of something.”
• RENOVATE means “restore to a good state of repair.”

• Changing The Use of Space

A remodel will include changing the use of a space. A remodel is altering the structure and style of a space and completely transforming it. When you are changing the layout of a room by reconfiguring the floor plan, you’re remodeling.

• Improving Functionality

In a kitchen remodel, for instance, you may decide to combine the kitchen with the living room and create an open concept kitchen layout. Or perhaps you’d like to install a kitchen island to create more functional space for cooking.

• Breathing New Life into A Room

If you’ve started gutting, adding, or removing walls, raising ceilings, or expanding the square footage of your home you’ve crossed over into remodelling territory. Whatever it is, remodelling breathes new life into a room, giving the space a whole new look and feel.

• The Act of Renewing

Renovation includes re-painting, re-facing cabinets, installing new light fixtures, or adding other finishes and fixtures.

• Update & Upgrade

The original purpose isn’t to drastically alter, but rather, to update to a new standard. Renovating a room in your home, if it’s the kitchen, will make the space attractive, and add value to the home.

• Cosmetic Improvements

Remember that a renovation simply means you’re updating an existing structure with cosmetic changes, not significant alterations to the existing structure. For example, replacing your old windows with new ones is a renovation project.

Updating the look of your home is a great way to add functionality, comfort, and value to your property. However, one of the most common questions homeowners ask our renovation team is about timelines. This is often a difficult thing to answer, as each project has a unique set of needs that affects the overall rate of completion.

It is important to keep in mind a few basic guidelines when determining how long your project should take. Here’s what you need to know about your home renovation process and various rule-of-thumb timelines:

• Cosmetic Type: a few days up to 3 months. Examples include interior or exterior painting, new appliances, new countertops, basic flooring replacement.
• Medium Type: Several weeks up to six months. Examples include full kitchen remodel; adding new spaces to the living room; adding a new garage to the side of the house; changing the current house layout into a completely new one.
• Major Type: Six months up to one year: foundation repair, structural repair, house lifting, second story addition.

The variable and direct costs of the project are detailed below and should be considered broad estimates:

• In the case of wanting a comprehensive reform budget with medium-good quality materials, the price per square meter is in between €650 and €800* + 21% taxes.
• If we have greater purchasing power and we want to carry out a mid-high-level reform, we would be talking about €1.000* + 21% taxes per square meter (and possibly more). In this case we are talking about a project with high quality materials.
• With any project, it is important to have a master plan completed, an analysis about what is needed and the type of materials we are using. These prices will always depend on the final master plan layout, finishes, wood selection, floor tile quality, window quali, etc. 

• • *Kitchen appliances, and Management fee not included in the price per square meter.  

• The costs for project management will vary according to the size of the remodel/renovation. These costs usually include monitoring the work from start to finish. It also includes obtaining building licences and permits from town hall. In addition, it includes preparation prior to the start of the project, financial review of the project, the drawing of plans and layout for the new space, plans of the original layout, the choosing of the quality and quantity of materials.  Regular updates and progress reports will be provided to the owner/developer via the best method of communication chosen so that owners do not have to be on site all the time.

For your convenience, we will develop a programme that specifies step by step the different phases in which the renovation project will be implemented. The renovation process will be very smooth, as long as you employ a person (Project Manager= Technical Architect) who can deal with all issues, the different phases and details, whilst keeping you informed so that ‘you are always the person making the final decision..

One of the phases is called the pre-work stage, whereby the owner and Project Manager work together to establish what will be the technical needs, property layout and material needs of the renovation.

In this phase the Project Manager will draw the current plans of the property and then create the new floor plan according to what the owner and the engineer agree.

The Project Manager is responsible for explaining and organizing the work to the builder, according to the renovation plans drawn up between the owner and the Project Manager in order to obtain the different quotes involved in the renovation process.  The Project Manager  will also be responsible for obtaining all work permits from the town hall and/or any government agencies that are required.

All the legal processing of licences and permits granted by public bodies such as the town hall, departments, etc. are the responsibility of the Project Manager. This also includes the payment of fees to the town hall with regards to all works and which, by law, must be paid by the owner.

Any representation needed at the town hall will be handled by the Project Manager for greater ease of resolution of any technical or administrative issues which tend to accompany renovation works of this type. YOU (the owner) can relax knowing problems are being resolved and you are being kept informed without the need to be involved.

The whole construction process is totally controlled by the client through a supervised contract drawn-up by bilingual professionals with experience in national and foreign labour markets. This means that lawyers with experience in this sector will assure that the client is aware at all times of the process and payment schedule, thus safely controlling the rights and obligations of the parties involved in the renovation process.

It is the responsibility of the Project Manager /Architect to determine the extent of any damages, who provides the guarantee and/or who will take responsibility for them once the work is finished (and prior to any legal action). It is very important for the owner/developer to know that on completion and payment for the project they are backed by a post-works guarantee.

According to the law any construction company must possess a Civil Liability Insurance policy which covers any type of damages or inconveniences caused during the whole renovation process.

It is very important that the owner/developer of the property knows that, at all times and after the last payment for the work has been made, it will be backed by the guarantee of the post-sale work. The Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación del 38/1999 del 5 de Noviembre, states:

La Ley 38/1999, de 5 de noviembre, de Ordenación de la Edificación. (applicable to new constructions of new floors or that makes a substantial modification to the building or makes structural reforms to the building) as shown in Chapter 4 Article 19, the following steps, during which the agents who participate in the construction of the building must be responsible for possible defects:

• Ten years for the repair of damaged materials caused by quality or construction defects which affect foundations, pillars, beams, architecture, load-bearing walls or other structural elements which compromise directly the mechanical resistance and stability of the building. An architectural or engineers report is essential.
• Three years for the repair of damages caused by components, parts or facilities that cause the failure to fulfil the requirements of occupation of said construction. This includes sanitation , moisture and facilities where there have always been a correct and normal use and maintenance of the building.
• One year for the repair of damaged materials that affect the finishing or completion of the building such as lining, cladding, facing, covering, coating, overlay, sheathing, flooring etc. In other words all those aesthetic defects that can be seen by the eye where there has always been a correct and normal use and maintenance of the building.