Steps to build a house in Menorca and budget guidance

If you have already found a plot for sale, we recommend you read this guide which includes the steps to follow to build a house in Menorca.

When considering your future home entails building it from scratch and to your taste, we recommend you work together with a team of professionals. Here we explain the process from start to finish.

Finding an adequate building plot or land for sale is, of course, the first step. The plots available along the coast line and in residential areas are subject to a number of regulations which determine the maximum m2 allowed for building, size of the house, number of floors, percentage of occupancy, etc. Whether you are thinking of a house situated in Mahón, Cala Llonga, the town of Es Castell, Calan Porter, somewhere on the south coast or even Ciutadella, we recommend you check the regulations as they may vary from town to town and from area to area.

The second step is the drafting of a Construction Project by an architect. This can be a “Basic” or an “Executive” project (Proyecto Básico; Proyecto Ejecutivo). The first one, as its name indicates, is a basic project which mainly includes the distribution and façade of the house. So this is when you need to decide whether the ground floor will be open plan or will the dining room or living room be independent from the kitchen, whether the house will comprise three bedrooms, how many independent or en suite bathrooms, etc.

The Executive project includes the basic details in addition to all measurements as well as all details concerning the construction, quality and materials used. To obtain the building permit, the Basic project is enough, but to begin constructing the Executive project must have been approved beforehand.

Once the Project has been drafted (average time needed is 2 months) you can request the Building Permit (Licencia de Obra) to the Town Hall. To obtain the permit the average waiting time can be from three to six months, depending on the town and the time of the year it is submitted.

Once you have obtained the Building consent, construction can begin. In Spain, you must contract a building engineer, whose task is to ensure the architect’s plans are executed correctly and that the construction complies with local legislation.

Once the architect has completed the Construction Project, you can move onto step three, which consists in requesting a builder’s quote (or more than one) who will, in time, contract his partners, i.e. carpenter, electrician, painters… Contracting an interior designer or a project manager is something to consider but it is not obligatory.

With the building permit and the builder’s quote confirmed, you can go onto step four and start to build. The estimated time needed for the project we present in this document is of approximately 9 months. Nevertheless, it must be taken into account that during the summer months heavy machinery is banned - we do our best to not inconvenience holiday-makers!

During the construction process weekly meetings are held with the technicians, builder and owner, to ensure the plans are scrupulously executed and the quality quoted is maintained. If the owners do not live on the island, a photographic report is sent on a weekly basis to show the progress made. Conference calls are also possible.

Once the construction work is finished, the architect will present the Completion Certificate (Documento de Final de Obra) with which you can proceed to request the Municipal Construction Inspection (aimed at verifying that the house built corresponds exactly to the arquitect’s project). Once the inspection is passed, the Town Hall will provide you with the First Occupancy Licence (Licencia de Primera Ocupación).

So, as you can see the process is relatively easy. All you need to do now is furnish it and, fifth and last step: ENJOY IT!

Budget estimation

Everything starts as somenone’s daydream….a farm house, a frontline beautiful villa with a large garden…daydreaming can be fun, but I am sure what you really need to know is how much it will cost and if your desired project is within budget. In order to help you not get lost in translation, we will make life easier for you and explain with simple and direct terminology.

First of all, you should be aware that our calculations are based on standard qualities, the plans above drawn up by local architect Minerva Sánchez Bisbal, as well as the virtual photos or renders. The property we present in this document is of a total surface of 235 m2. Therefore, please be aware that the final costs will depend on the qualities and finishes you decide on.

Needless to say, on top of the cost of building the house, you will have to add the corresponding taxes and the cost of purchasing the plot of land. You will see that, after each price we have added, in brackets, the percentage over the global price that each construction phase represents:

1. The first phase consists of land movements and works that generally involve preparing the land. In addition, installation of the drainage systems, plumbing connections, foundations and the structure (reinforced concrete beams or support elements).
   149.500 € (30%)
2. Building the exterior walls, the internal partition walls, the ceiling as well as isolating and waterproofing the structure. Masonry works to help the tradesmen.
   149.500 € (30%).
3. To plaster the walls and prepare them for the first coat of paint.
   65.000 € (12%)
4. To choose the roof finishings, either using tiles or other more alternative options.
   20.800 € (3%)
5. Plumbing and electricity, and kitchen and bathroom appliances.
   20.800 € (10%)
6. Exterior and interior carpentry – double glazing and aluminum frames.
   46.800 € (9%)
7. Finally, you can chose to include or not an air conditioning/heating system.
   15.860 € (3%)
8. Or the much wished swimming pool with terrace areas for the sunny days!
   52.000 €
9. Cost of the topographical survey, geotechnical study, the architect’s fees, the building engineers’ fees, and the building permit are not to be forgotten:
   • Architect’s fees: 39.170 €
   • Technical arquitect/surveyor’s fees: 14.690 €
   • Municipal taxes:
     • Application: between 300 € and 1.100 €
     • ICIO (Construction, Installation and Works Tax): 1% of budget
     • Building permit: 4% of budget

In conclusion, the cost/m2 will be around 2.200 € (does not include the garden, but does include the exterior finishings such as paving and boundary walls).

We hope this has helped you to get a better idea of approximate costs.

This is all for now – it’s not such a big deal after all, is it?

¡Go for it and make your dream come true!