If you are thinking of renovating your home, you should know that you cannot do it without applying for certain permits. Depending on the type and magnitude of the work, you will need some or other permits that will authorize you to make the modifications you are dreaming of. These procedures are essential to execute the reform in compliance with current regulations, ensuring the safety of the entire work team and, ultimately, ensure the stability and status of the entire building. Building permits are requested at the Town Hall and have a cost that varies according to the locality. In addition, in some cases you will also have to request permission from the community of owners if the work affects common elements of the building. Below, we explain the types of permits that exist and when you should apply for them.
Types of building permits
Works subject to Building Permit
This is the most complex type of license and must be applied for when an existing property is to be reformed involving an increase in volume or building surface, modification of the façade or structural elements. In these cases, when the permit is requested at the Town Hall, a technical project must be attached and signed by a competent technician.
Work may not begin until the building permit is obtained.
Currently, the average time it takes for a building permit to be granted in our country is between 6 and 12 months, depending on the municipality.
Although the legislation recommends a maximum period of 3 months, almost no municipality complies with this.
The expected licensing time plus the time required for the drafting of the project can become a determining factor when choosing which intervention to carry out.
Works subject to prior communication
The prior communication of works is a document by means of which the interested parties inform the City Council of the commencement of the works.
The effect of this communication is from the same moment of its presentation, but only when the required documentation is complete. These effects are those established in the regulations related to the administrative procedures of each municipality.
In general, we can find 2 groups of works subject to prior communication:
Prior communication with technician
These are works that, due to their characteristics, require a technical project signed by a competent technician. The main works subject to prior communication with a technician are renovation works that modify the interior layout and, therefore, the conditions of habitability.
Prior communication without technician
These are works that, due to their characteristics, do not require a technical project signed by a competent technician. The main works subject to prior communication with a technician are:
- Renovation of kitchens and bathrooms that do not modify the distribution of the dwelling.
- Works consisting of plastering, plastering, tiling, flooring, tiling, painting, modification of installations or similar works in dwellings in which the distribution of the dwelling is not modified.
- Replacement of doors and windows.
These permits are of a lesser magnitude. Here the structure of the building and the distribution of the house will not be affected. As in the works subject to License, the requirements and the necessary documentation to request this permit will be governed by the city councils of each locality.
Cost by type of construction permit
The cost of construction permits is regulated by each municipality in its tax ordinances.
However, two types of fees are generally paid:
- Urban development tax
- Approximately 1% of the material execution budget*.
- ICIO (Tax on construction and works)
- Approximately 1% of the material execution budget*.
* The material execution budget (PEM) is the real and effective cost of the works where the contractor’s profit and taxes are not taken into account.
In addition, there are times when you must ask permission from the community of neighbors to do some remodeling. When do you have to do it? The consent of the neighbors, approved by the majority of the meeting, is required when the work affects a common element of the building (structure, facade, roof) and belongs to the community of owners. Even so, even if your works do not affect the common areas of the building, you must inform your neighbors about the works and what they will entail.
As you can see, doing construction work at home is not as simple as it seems and requires compliance with a series of legal and administrative requirements. For this reason, it is important to have the advice and help of qualified professionals who can guide you on the permits you need and help you to process them correctly. At VadeCasa I+ we take care of everything, so that you don’t have to worry about anything. If you want to start with your project, do not hesitate in contacting us through our websiteor by calling us at 877 60 40 06 or writing to us at the following e-mail address vadecasa@vadecasa.cat . I si quieres hacernos una visita y hablarlo en persona, do not hesitate to visit our office in Tarragona. We will be happy to assist you and offer you a customized quote, without obligation!
