"Land in the town seeks resident." It could be an ad for any depopulated town in Spain, but it is a reality you may face after inheriting those lands from your second aunt or with that bargain-priced land you have acquired.
And now that you have your land, what is next? Build the house? Not so fast! Before embarking on the project, there are some aspects you should consider. In this guide, we will share all about it to avoid getting lost when building your house.
Find out if the land is buildable
Not all land has the same usage. The administration determines what you can do with each of them and whether or not you can build your house there.
How do you know if a piece of land is buildable or not? The Urban Planning Department of the City Council to which the land belongs has the answer. Here is where you can check the urban situation of the land or estate to see if it is a developable plot. Furthermore, you can also check how many floors are buildable and any other possible additional requirements.
And if the land is not buildable, what are the options? In this case, you can give the land the use specified by the regulations or ask the City Council to initiate the procedures to convert its usage into buildable land. In any case, remember that this matter will no longer be in your hands.
Make your budget
Before embarking on construction, it is essential to calculate the amount you can afford and review your budget. How much you can and want to spend.
The costs of a self-built house are different from those of a pre-built house:
· Expenses related to architects, permits, etc.
· Costs related to the choice of materials and components can influence future savings, especially within energy efficiency. They will depend on aspects such as the quality and number of floors.
· Fees and taxes, ranging from the Construction, Installations, and Works Taxes of the City Council to building permits, in addition to the preparation of the project by architects.
· Extra costs for accessories hence a pool, garage, fencing of the land, etc.
You can find simulators on the internet to help you estimate this budget. Once you have it, will you find a suitable mortgage? Surely you will, so you can rest assured. There are mortgages for self-builders with land on the market. These types of mortgages will finance the cost of the work, delivering the loan in partial payments as the work progresses.
Let's get started: this is the process for making your dream home a reality
With the financial side closed and well tied up, it is time to turn that idea into a reality. In other words, to build your house. This time it does not matter if you build your house from scratch or have a prefabricated house in mind. There are procedures that you will need to attend to in any case.
These are the steps to follow:
· Hire an architect to prepare the general execution project, besides the general study of safety and health.
With these documents, you will have to process the visa at the College of Architects.
Moreover, it will also be necessary to have a material execution budget or PEM, which adds up the cost of materials and labour, but not the rest of the technical fees or taxes.
· Apply for the building permit at the City Council. This permit will allow you to start the construction.
· Request the visas, which are the ones you have already seen.
· Hire the management of the works and works execution management. The former must be an architect, and the latter can be a building surveyor.
Finally, with the permit and paperwork in order, let the construction begin! Now is when you build your house.
Completed construction, now what?
Your house is now ready, but before moving in, you must complete the following procedures: Certificate of Completion of Works and First Occupancy License or Habitation Certificate.
The town hall issues this license and certifies that the dwelling meets the safety and health conditions required to be inhabited. Once you have it, you can hire the supplies for the house.
Finally, include the property in the Land Registry and the Cadastre. Once you do that, you will have completed all the procedures to create a house on your land!
