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What do I need to know before building a property in Fuerteventura?

14 Jun, 2024

Building a property in Fuerteventura is as complicated as in your home country, but you are now abroad and might not speak the language, so the following information might be very interesting for you.

How do I know if a piece of land is suitable for my construction project? 

Before you purchase a piece of land you must find out if the plot is suitable to build on. There are different types of land, affected by different urban planning regulations. Your plot can be urban land or rustic land, and they have a different building regulation which must be considered.

If you start constructing on a non-regulated plot, without a valid building permission, you risk losing all the funds invested, the house to be demolished and on top of this you will receive a fine. Play it safe!

How important is the choice of my architect? 

A good collaboration with your architect is essential! First of all, your architect will drawn the project for your house, the so-called “Proyecto Básico”. Besides designing your house, he is also responsible for supervising the whole building process, he (or she) must be able to deal with the builders, with the other technicians and the rest of the people involved in the construction process.

Choose a local architect! In Fuerteventura you can find fantastic architects, well experienced and able to communicate in your language. Having an architect who knows his way around with the local town hall is definitely recommended.

How difficult is it to obtain the building permit? 

Once the so-called Basic Project has been validated, you can submit the paperwork with the local town hall and apply for a building licence “licencia de obra y construcción”. The delay for obtaining the building permit is estimated at 6 to 12 months, but assisted by a good local architect this shouldn’t be difficult at all.

You are not allowed to start building your house until the local Town Hall grants you the licence.  Although some preparatory works may be authorised before the licence is granted, like for example the movement of land, or preparing some connections to the main supplies, etc….

 What are the next steps once I obtain the building permit?

Once you obtain the building licence, the architect will prepare the Execution Project “Proyecto de execución”. This execution project covers all the construction details in a more accurate manner, and it will be the guide that the construction company must follow during the construction process.

How much does it cost to build a house in Fuerteventura?

With the above mentioned execution project you can start contacting construction companies and apply for quotations. The better the Execution Project is, the more accurate the quotation from the building company will be.  Make sure to apply for more than 1 quotation, and avoid general, not well-defined quotations. All different items of the building project should be included.

Keep in mind that the construction cost also depends on the house itself, the quality of the materials, the surface, … The architect, who will be your closest friend during the building process, may give you some guidance.

The total cost  for building a house is not only the cost for constructing the house, but also the urbanization works must be considered, landscaping the garden, the required tax payments, etc

How long does it take to build a house in Fuerteventura?

If it is a single house, after the licence is granted, 10-14 months will be an acceptable period if there are no big incidents.

Is it useful to let me assist by a lawyer during the construction process?

The application of the building permit, the contracts to be signed with the building company, the architect and the rest of the people contracted must be rigorous and defend your rights, so do not forget to take legal advice before any step is taken.

Also, during the building process some incidents or conflicts may arise, so having an expert legal opinion close to you will grant you a peace of mind.

Make sure to sign a proper contract with the construction company you choose to work with, which clearly indicates the specific terms of the intermediate payments and the time schedule which you agreed on to finalise the different phases of the construction project. So yes, having a lawyer by your side will give you peace of mind.

What needs to be done once the construction of the house has been finalised?

Once the construction works are finalised, it is essential to declare your house in the terms of law. You should sign a public title of finalised construction “Obra Nueva Terminada” in front of a notary in Fuerteventura.

Quite a lot of documents are required for signing this notarial deed, like the Final Work Certificate confirming the complete execution of the works and also “certificado final de obra” or the first occupation certificate to be obtained with the local town hall.  Gathering all these documents might be a bit overwhelming, but you could ask your lawyer to assist you.

Once this notarial title deed of the finalised construction has been signed, there is another tax payment required, more specifically 0,75% on the declared value of the construction. Once the tax payment has been taken care off, your title should be submitted with the Land Registry Office for the registration of the house.

Now your home exists in terms of a general legal knowledge. You are officially owner of a piece of land with a fully legal construction on it. Congratulations!

How to build a house in Fuerteventura without being in Fuerteventura?

You may rely on your architect to be the one reporting to you while the building is in process. Also, you may hire a project manager who can be your eyes in Fuerteventura.

At LAJARES LAW OFFICES we are ready to assume the supervision of the building process and to report in your language while you are abroad. We have contacts with the most experienced architects and building companies providing a safe and reliable service, having fantastic professionals who may help you during the building process of your dream home. As lawyers and as experts in property law and construction law, it is in our nature to defend you from any legal violation.

 

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