Builder - can you recommend one?

[Ladylee]

Hello

I understand that you would have to reply to me as a PM, but if anyone can help - please do so. We are based in the UK at the moment so it is hard to make contacts.
We have an small, old cortijo, which has been badly extended. We cannot enlarge this, we just need to knock it down and rebuild.
It is in the area of Velez Malage.
If anyone can recommend a builder that could help us, I would be grateful. We have seen a few, but only one has come back to us with a price, so we have nothing to compare it with.
We are due to come to Spain next month and it would be great if we could touch base with some builders.

[gerryh]

As a matter of interest, do you have the correct permissions, licences etc to demolish and rebuild?

Cheers
Gerry

[Jool]

Yes, if you don´t then you need to make this a condition of your contract with the builder that they obtain these and take full responsibility for obtaining them BEFORE any work starts...... you also must ensure there is a clause stating the builder is working legally, abides by health and safety, takes full responsibility for workers on site and do ask to see their CIF number etc.

I know it sounds over the top but if you don´t then you, as the property owner, are liable for everything, including the fines for anyone working illegally

[Marina]

I'll send you a PM of a couple of guys that we have used. They are registered, insured and very good.

[hillybilly]

As what you are proposing is a Major Works and requires a Major Works Licence you will need a proyecto submitted by an Architect so my advice (esp as you are in the UK) is to engage the services of an Architect now and get them to draw up the plans, specification and Bill of Quantities and ask them to go out to tender to builders on your behalf. That way you will be sure that all the builders are singing off the same hymn sheet!

[Marina]

The builders I recommended work with an architect who is also very good.

[peteroldracer]

I firmly second hillybilly's remarks. Maybe you should be asking about good reliable architects, as these are not only key to your success, but rarer than rocking horse manure, in my experience!
If you can find an architect who is happy with your choice of builder, and a builder who is happy to have his work overseen by that architect, it would be a good start.
I can certainly advise you not to deal with one guy with an office in Rincon de la Victoria.

[geegee]

In terms of architects I would also add that it is essential they have a good relationship with your ayuntamiento. Speaking to the technicians at the building department of the ayuntamiento often elicits informal recommendations - they would much rather have an architect they know and trust, especially if it involves demolition of an existing structure. Every ayuntamiento seems to have a different idea of how to interpret it, but the presumption of the complex law governing property development (LOUA) is very much against demolition if your cortijo is on rural (Suelo non Urbanizable) land, which I assume it is? However, if there is enough legally registered structure you are normally entitled to reform it. If it falls within the town's urbanizable limits things are much easier.

You definitely need a good local representative to help you navigate through the tricky planning process - I know of a good architectual practice there who speak excellent English and have all the right contacts, so might be worth an initial conversation with them - PM if you want the details. I would futher suggest making initial enquiries at the ayuntamiento to check you can, in principle, do what you want to do before going to the expense of commissioning the proyecto de actuacion - this could be done by an architect, a gestor, a local builder or just someone on the ground who speaks good Spanish.

Sorry don't mean to scare you - you may have all the permissions in hand (in which case you will have already done your proyecto) but you do have to be very careful to ensure what you do does not fall foul of the LOUA, and that, once built, the new or reformed property can be granted an occupation licence and be fully registered on your escritura.

[julian]

geegee , although I agree that things should be done with licences and correctly, I think your advice sounds as if if Ladylee was wanting to get a licence and build an entire urbanisation,obviously you have to go through the right procedure, but it is equally important not to over complicate things, things are complicated enough without making them moreso!

[Ladylee]

Hi
Thank you all for your sound advice. We do have a local architect and a project. The licence application and project is with the Town Hall (has been since April 2008).
Although the architect seems very good - he cannot get the Town Hall staff to move themselves. As we have learnt, nothing moves fast in Spain, so we are still waiting for the licence, but would love to get a builder in place so that we can start as soon as we have the permission.

Thank you to those who have recommended builders.

[geegee]

Julian, thats a wee bit unfair, all the respondees here including me are only trying to help, its the plannng process itself that is complicated and rarely understood even by the technicians at the ayuntamiento . We all have tales of folks who found out to their great cost that what they thought was legal turned out not to be and there is no guarantee that even if you have a building licence you comply with the law.

Anyway, ladylee, you are ahead of us all, so apologies for preaching to the converted. Good luck with getting more quotes. My architect handled the whole tender process for me, but he did have a mammoth struggle getting formal quotes and we only managed to get two from out of the five builders who were allegedly champing at the bit to get the contract, so you are not alone in your struggle!

[metalmonkey]

As far as I know a licence to build from the Town Hall is useless it has to be from the Junta de Andalucia.

and the plans that the architect draws up have to be stamped by the College of Architects, no one wants to over complicate things and I think you've been given very goos advice but where I am in Iznajar the rules have really tightened up. On our first day of building we had the Guardia Civil visit to look at our licence plus a number of local folks. We still get regular visits to check on what we're doing so I would not do anything other than follow the rules...times have changed