Mitzyboy

Original plans for our villa were for two levels, the first one was fully completed before we moved in, but we are now going to complete the second level, i.e. electrics, a couple of dividing walls, rendering, floor tiles etc.

I assumed that this would be OK because it is all in the original plans and all I would need to do was declare the extra living area to the town hall for tax purposes.

But someone just told me on another forum that they had to apply for a building licence for their internal alterations.

Anyone had any experience of this?

gallerie9

Yes
You need a licence to tile your bathroom, it cost us 4.60 to raise a small wall, but it is only internal I cant see it being too much.
We have noticed in our village work internally is done after 2 I wonder why ??

Mitzyboy

After 2 what?
This is really wierd then ...... no one around here seems to think its necessary. I had a wall raised by 3 ft the other day (not facing the road) and presumably that would have needed a licence also.
I'm mystified as to why you would need a licence to tile a bathroom

MnM

Hi Mitzyboy,

What does your escritura say regarding the m2 of your villa? If the original plans included the 2nd level and the m2 on the escritura regarding living space is the same, then you don't have any problems really, unless the building license for the original plans has expired and you have major work to do on that level, then you need to get the building license renewed.

Regarding tiling bathrooms and floors in general, there is no need for a license (at least in the Costa Blanca North). But if you want to put your mind at ease, just ask at your Town Hall. We have renovated alot of old properties and there has never been a problem with interior building works, unless you are moving or removing supporting beams or creating underbuilds.

There is also a Society of foreign property owners in spain that you can contact and request free advice, but I don't have the website at hand at the moment. I will try and get it to you tomorrow if possible

jdr

gallerie9 is right, any building work including walls, carports, patios etc in the garden requires a licence "obra menor” , even retiling.
As yours was included in the plans you may get away with it though.

Big Pete

You need a licence to lay a patio ?
You need a licence to do up the inside ?

Is this for real ? They are licence mad arent they ?

Tell me are the licences easy to get , do you just go somewhere and get them stamped or hows it work it seems a heck of a palarva to me ?

Whats a licence cost ?

MnM

Ooooooooooppppsssss found the site, but it is only for Calpe Sorry!

Mitzyboy

The Escritura covers the both floors in square meterage mentioned separately, although it describes the floor below as "underbuild".

jdr

Not sure but a small fee plus a % of the works cost, paid at the townhall.
Or take a chance and if someone denounces you pay the fine + fee + %, and hope they dont make you demolish it.

MnM

Well, then you won't have a problem doing your top floor, as long as you don't "add" any extra rooms or stray from the original plans.

It would be a good idea to get your underbuild legalised as living area though because should you want to sell in the future, estate agents can't mention it as living space and the banks won't consider it as such either.

MnM

Hi Pete,

Usually the licenses are obtained by the builder that is commissioned to do the work.

Did I mention the special license about burning weeds in the summertime?

Big Pete

Thanks for that jdr,

Think i shall work outside at night quietly , so nobody knows .. then daytime do the inside so nobody knows .

if i get caught i shall blame the wife . tell them she did it while i was away etc..

spain

sad but true - we had to apply for permission to tile our bathroom - I think in most areas now you have to have a license for most work

Mitzyboy

Well clearly there are two distinct trains of thought here ... oh and Pete's as well.

Guess I'll have to ask the abogado for guidance.

pete_l

Yup, I've just been granted my license to lay a patio. The cost is based
on the cost of the work (+materials) and mine came to 22.50. (3% of the
total cost.)
Just how strict the enforcement is depends on the area you're in. Some
get a bit upset if unlicensed work is done, other areas are more laid back.
Last time I got some outside work done, the polica came sniffing around
and wanted to see the license, which was tacked up by the work-site.

So far as doing internal work goes, well what the eye don't see ....