Technical

We have now just completed the purchase, though it has taken much longer than expected in order to obtain all the legal rights.
The estate agent was quite good convincing us that we could reform quite easily and inexpensively and that he will give us help and advice.
Now we have the reality!
Anyway we've done it now, what an absolute buzz, if we find it goes #### up now, i wouldn't have changed a thing.
If anyone knows of sympathetic neighbours who can accommodate (1) us while we do some of the ground work. (2) Store some small tools until we make the place secure, we would be gratefully, of course, any general advice would also be appreciated too.
Kind regards

A very nervous pair.

poollounger

I nearly bought a rural property for restoring. A tip I was given was to use an architect from the Ayuntamiento who often freelance to draw up any plans needed. He is then often the person who in his 'other role' who passes them!! Good luck. And remember anything built that then stands for 5 years is supposedly legal.. or so I have been told.

countryboy

Hello Technical,

Welcom to Spain, You dont say where you are in Spain and as its a very large pice of land it might help if we knew where you are so that whoever is near you could help you out in your quest.

I live in Sax about 45 k's West of Alicante, so I might be able to help if you are in my area.

David SR

Technical

Hi David,
Thanks for replying, I did put on the title that the Finca is in Sayalonga, it's about 15 minutes drive inland from the coast at Torrox, not too far from Nerga.
I will have look for Sax on the map, have you had or done some reforming yourself?

Technical

Thanks for your input, as you did not use the service, do you actually know of anyone who has?
I think the suggestion that if you build now and wait 5 years is wrong, on our last trip over, it was well publicised that the Spanish government are clamping down on illegal builds and some properties had actually been give the order by the council to be demolished due to planning not being given.
By all accounts this is why any reform works now has to be passed by an architect who is registered with the authorities.
Thanks again for your input, if you have anything to add, I would be grateful.

Glenn

jdr

I think the 5 yr rule used to exist, cos they made their money out of the fine you paid to legalise it.
Notice all the police helicoptors and planes in the sky taking photos also police visits to builders merchants, they are not silly.
There has been so much rustico land built on with the OK of local mayors (Marbella for one springs to mind) that something had to be done.
The trouble is the paperwork is legal till the mayor gets nicked, what happens then, I dont know.
Antonio Banderos`s (Spains no1 son) house, not sure if he escaped the demolition order or not.

countryboy

Hi Tec,
I have reformed the inside of my house, I went to my local councl (town Hall) and got the plans of my area and house, I also visited the architect who is resident on the top floor and asked him about the rules and reg's he told me that I could not extend my building but could reform the inside and repair the roof in the orignal style, but to supply the plans first.

After I drew the plans out and photocopied them I submitted them to the architect and Land registry in Viellena, I was keepet hanging around for about three months, untill the full council had heald their meeting to either pass or deny the project. They passed the plans.

I started the renovation in late Feb this year Keeping all the recipts for matireals and skips, paint, plaster, windows, doors, etc, then with the help of the architect, we sorted out the cost of permission, my total cost of metariels was 1800 euros, I did most of the labour only employing the window maker to fix the windows in place.

My permissions cost 480 euros, then a payment to the Land registry of 70 euros to alter the deeds of the house, and now I am fully leagle.

If you would like to have some idea of the paperwork then you could look at "MY LOCAL councils rules and reg's" found on this link..

Councils Rules and Reg's

"PLEASE REMBER THAN YOUR COUNCIL MAY DIFFER"

Technical

Thanks for adding your bit, when we were there in September, there was a back log for planning applications because everyone who had built legally were then throwing back dated applications in to stop being prosecuted and certainly the council in Sayalonga had stopped all applications until they had cleared this backlog, it sounds quite believable that the architects bumped up their fees taking advantage of the demand.
many thanks again,it's good to get other peoples views.
Glenn

Technical

Thanks Country boy,
Thats good information for me, i plan to do similar to you except that I want to extend slightly, it was agreed when i bought the Finca that it was 50 Sq m, in fact it was sonly 35sq m.
Because of this I now need to submit full blown architects drawings, this would be OK if we were living there, but as we are not, I'm struggling to move forward.
Thanks also for copying me with the council documents,do you know if i can translate them easily,my Spanish is not up to this level yet.
Perhaps I need to study harder!!
Many thanks again
Glenn