Renovation in Mallorca

There is no honest flat figure - the spectrum runs from freshening up an apartment to stripping a village house back to its shell. The main cost drivers are the depth of the work (redecorating versus new plumbing, wiring and structural changes), the condition of the existing fabric, your choice of materials and the island logistics, since much of the material arrives by ferry. Access matters too: narrow old-town lanes or a remote finca push up set-up and labour costs. A reliable price only exists as a written quotation with an itemised schedule of works after a site visit - insist on exactly that.

In most cases, yes. Smaller, non-structural works are typically handled through a simplified minor-works licence (obra menor), while anything touching the structure, façade, roof or layout counts as obra mayor and requires an architect's project and a full building licence. The town hall of the municipality is always the competent authority, and processing times vary considerably from one town to the next. A reputable firm sorts out the permit question before work starts - anyone offering to simply begin without one is the wrong partner.

As a rough guide: a bathroom refit is a matter of weeks, a full renovation with new services runs to months, and a gutted finca or townhouse can take a year or more. Add the permit phase, deliveries to the island and the fact that good firms are heavily booked in season. A realistic written schedule with milestones is worth more than the fastest promise - reputable companies will tell you honestly what is achievable.

Judge by verifiable facts rather than glossy promises: a written quotation with a detailed schedule of works, reference projects you can actually visit, a registered company with a real business address and liability insurance, and a straight answer to who will run your site day to day. Be wary of large up-front payments - stage payments tied to progress are the norm. If you can, speak to previous clients about whether deadlines and variations were handled fairly.

Older island buildings come with a familiar set of issues: damp during the mild but humid winters, salt-laden air near the coast that attacks metalwork and fittings, very hard tap water that scales up new installations, and wiring that was never designed for modern air conditioning or induction hobs. Check the legal status of the building before you start as well - unregistered extensions are not unusual in older properties and should be clarified before the works begin. Budget for these island factors from the outset and you will renovate once, properly.