What permit do I need to renovate a house?

What kind of home improvements require permits

Carrying out a home renovation can be a complicated process, but the end result is well worth it. If you are wondering what permit you need to renovate a house, keep reading this article by Klic Arquitectos in Málaga. 

What permit do I need to renovate a house?

To work out what permit you need to renovate a house, you first need to decide whether you are going to carry out major or minor works. Painting or changing the furniture in a house does not require any permit.

Below, we look at which renovations require a licence and which do not. Even so, you should always check with your local Town Hall about the works you plan to carry out.

Renovations that require a licence

First of all, a building permit is what you need whether you are renovating your everyday home or carrying out a luxury renovation.

To apply, you need to go to the Town Hall, where the local authority will decide on what terms these permits are required and set out the conditions you must meet for them to be granted. It also sets the fees to be paid and the penalties you face if you do not obtain the necessary paperwork.

These works differ from renovations that do not need a licence because they require professional supervision.

Types of licensed renovation: major and minor works

Major works

Major works are those that increase the floor area, volume or height of the property. For example: enclosing a terrace to enlarge the living room, works affecting the common elements of a building, such as roofs, or works that alter the structure of a home, such as knocking down a partition wall.

Another characteristic of these works is that they require registered professionals, such as architects or building engineers, and have a budget of more than €20,000.

To find out what permit you need to renovate a house, go to your local Town Hall and explain the renovation you plan to carry out. Once they know what you want to do, they will tell you what you need.

Minor works

Minor works, on the other hand, are those considered more common or everyday: they are smaller in scale and affect the structure or the façade of the building.

They require supervision by a professional and include jobs such as painting, tiling, replacing kitchen or living-room units, renewing radiators and so on.

As with major works, if you want to know what permit you need to renovate a house, you should go to your local Town Hall.

Renovations that do not require a licence

This depends on the autonomous community (region) you are in, so you should notify your local council, which will explain what type of licence you need.

Penalties for building work without a licence

Carrying out a renovation without a licence can lead to anything from a fine to the demolition of the work.

Where the Town Hall reports an infringement, and depending on each municipality’s regulations, the fine can range from €600 to €6,000: roughly 2% of the value of the renovation.

In addition, once the fine has been paid, the work must be legalised and the corresponding licence fees paid within a set period.

That’s all on what permit you need to renovate a house. If you have any questions, don’t forget that you can contact us: we carry out luxury renovations of the highest quality.

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Klic Arquitectos interviewed by DecoMarbella

Discover more about Klic Arquitectos

Juan Goñi and Ruth Buján, founders of Klic Arquitectos, talk about their project and their vision of architecture in this interview published in the specialized magazine DecoMarbella.

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