MTR Arquitectura & Urbanismo
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Existing property

Renovation & full refurbishment

For owners who want to extend, renovate or legalise a property they already own on the Costa del Sol, with the same team handling both the design and the site supervision.

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Living room with a pitched ceiling, an archway, stone floor and steel-framed windows opening onto a garden with olive trees

What's included

  • Survey of the current condition: accurate as-built drawings, not the original permit drawings
  • Renovation or extension project, with layout options for you to compare
  • Legalisation of previous unregistered construction or extensions, where applicable
  • Processing of a minor or major works permit (licencia de obra menor/mayor) depending on the real scope
  • Site management and trade coordination through to handover
  • Final completion certificate to update the land registry and cadastre (catastro)

Is it for you?

  • Owners who want to add floor space or change the layout of their current home
  • Anyone who has bought a resale property and needs to adapt it before moving in
  • Owners with old unpermitted construction who want to regularise their situation
Before you start

If you're not sure whether your renovation needs a permit, or whether something in your property isn't fully in order, it's worth checking before any work starts: building without a permit can end in a stop-work order.

How we work

  1. Survey and diagnosis

    Site visit, accurate as-built drawings, and a check for any prior planning irregularities.

  2. Project

    Layout proposal and scope of works, with a ballpark budget before we apply for the permit.

  3. Permit

    Processing of a minor or major works permit as needed, plus legalisation if required.

  4. Construction

    Site management with regular visits and progress reports, keeping the time the property is unlivable to a minimum.

  5. Handover

    Final completion certificate and paperwork to update the land registry and cadastre.

Related projects

Refurbished cortijo façade in the Serranía de Ronda, with a stone plinth, slatted timber door and olive tree
SERRANÍA DE RONDA

Full refurbishment
Section through a hillside house in Benahavís, with the extension outlined by a dashed line
BENAHAVÍS

Hillside building extension
Section through a house in Benalmádena, with the vertical extension outlined with a dashed line
BENALMÁDENA

Vertical building extension

We have more renovation projects under way; if you would like references, just ask.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a minor and a major works permit?
A minor works permit (licencia de obra menor) covers work that doesn't affect the structure or built floor area, such as changing finishes or installations. A major works permit (licencia de obra mayor) is needed when there's an increase in floor area, structural changes, or a change to the façade. The real scope of your renovation determines which one applies, and we assess this on the first visit.
Can I renovate without a permit?
No, and doing so exposes the property to a stop-work order or problems when you come to sell it. Even minor works usually require, at a minimum, a formal declaration to the town hall (declaración responsable).
What if the property has unlegalised extensions from previous owners?
It's more common than you'd think, especially with resale property. Before renovating, we check what's actually built against what's registered in the cadastre and land registry, and assess whether it can be legalised under current regulations before moving forward.
Can I find out whether my home can be regularised?
Yes. We assess whether it meets the requirements for a legalisation application or, if it can't be legalised, whether it can be recognised as asimilado a fuera de ordenación (AFO). AFO applies to buildings that don't comply with planning rules but where the period for the town hall to take action has expired: it allows them to be registered and connected to utilities, with restrictions on future works. We tell you which route applies in your case and the steps to follow.

Tell us what you want to change

With a description of the property and the scope you have in mind, we can give you an initial process and timeline.

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