If you want to live at calm place and to be far from the madding crowd, you could buy a plot of land or parcela on Costa del Sol and have an individual architect designed villa built to your own design and specifications or to a standard design provided by a proven and recommended builder in the region of Andalusia, Spain.
However, building a house is nott recommended for not brave people. Spanish bureaucracy and the often different ways of doing business can make building your own villa in Spain a nightmare and it’s fraught with problems. Furthermore, there are many excellent construction companies who will build an individually designed house or villa on your plot of land in Costa del Sol or will sell you a plot and build a villa chosen from a range of standard model designs proposed on the market in Andalusia, Spain.
What to check before buying a plot for construction of villa on Costa del Sol?
When you are looking at a particular region inAndalusia, you should check first the medium-term infrastructure plans for that area, with the respective authorities. It’s worth remembering that the road and rail infrastructure in Spain needs upgrading in many areas and many new road and railway projects are on the go. This could mean that, although a quiet rural plot may seem far from anywhere today and perfect for your villa on Costa del Sol, there could be plans for a new motorway in Andalusia, which passing along the boundaries within the next five to ten years.
Also you should check plans for airports as well and find out where flight paths will run and will connect you with your house in Spain. Unfortunately many long-term plans are unavailable to the public or they may change, but information about infrastructure development for the next ten years is usually available on internet.
You must take the same care when buying land as you would when buying a house. The most important point is to ensure the plot has been approved for building (land classified as a finca urbana can usually be built on) and as well as the plot is large enough and suitable for the villa you plan to build on Costa del Sol, Spain. You could perform that by obtaining a certificate – certificado de situación urbanística, from the local town hall. It may also be possible to build on agricultural land (finca rústica), but there are strict limits on plot and building sizes, the minimum plot that can be built on is usually 3,000m2 and may be as high as 10,000m2 or even 15,000m2 as in some regions in Spain. There are also limitations on the type of building allowed in some regions. If the plot is part of an urbanisation, the contract must state that the plan has been approved and give the date and authority. You can obtain this information – informe urbanístico, from the local town hall.
What to pay attention as well before construction of villa on Costa del Sol?
First be aware of Spanish building regulations an laws.
Never assume that you will be able to build the same sort of villa as your neighbours, as regulations vary according to the situation, the time and the type of plot or regulations may have changed since the property was built. Some plots are unsuitable for house, as they are too steep or require prohibitively expensive foundations. It’s prudent to consult an architect who will be able to tell you whether the plot is suitable for construction of villa and if you will need costly retaining walls or additional foundations. You should also have a land survey, which costs from €2500 to €5000, before you commit yourself to a plot for villa on Costa del Sol. A survey can also check the boundaries – rural plots commonly have more or less land than officially stated and water rights. Also check that there are not any restrictions such as high-tension electricity lines, water pipes or rights of way that may restrict building. It’s advisable to consider the access to a plot if this isn’t along a surfaced road.
Before you buy land, particularly in rural areas of Andalusia, you should take comprehensive report from a professional such as lawye, architect or trusted builder who should thoroughly investigate the conditions and regulations affecting the plot or land, which you want to buy in Spain. Never believe an owner or estate agent keen to sell you a plot who says there will be “no problem” getting planning permission. All too often, foreign buyers have found themselves the proud owners of a rustic plot they cannot build on anything.Try if it is possible, always to make obtaining building approval a condition of the purchase of land.
The cost of providing services to a property in a remote rural area of Andalusia may be prohibitively expensive and the plot must have a reliable water supply. If you don’t have mains water and must rely on other sources such as wells, you should make sure that the supply is adequate for your needs. Bear in mind that drought is common in most of southern parts of Spain like Andalusia where it doesn’t usually rain from the end of May to September. Always get confirmation in writing from the local town hall that land can be built on and has been approved for road access as well.
Second main thing to do is ensuring a building licence in Spain
Before buying plot for building, ensure that the purchase contract is dependent on obtaining the necessary building licence as well – licencia de obra. Obtain a receipt showing that the plot is correctly presented in the property register – registro de la propiedad and check for yourself that the correct planning permission has been obtained. Plese don’t simply leave it to the builder even it to be trusted. If planning permission is flawed you may need to pay extra to improve the local infrastructure or the property may even have to be demolished. Note also that it can take a long time to obtain planning permission for construction of villa in Costa del Sol, Andalusia.
Most builders offer package deals that include the land and the cost of building a villa on Costa del Sol. However, it isn’t always advisable to buy the building plot from the builder who’s going to build your house and you should shop around and compare separate land and villa building costs. If you do decide to buy a package deal from a builder, you must insist on separate contracts for the land and the building and obtain the title deed for the land before signing a building contract for the house. If you’re having a home built on an existing urbanisation, you must ensure that the urbanisation has been approved, as some are illegal in Andalusia.