Resale buying decisions
Buying a resale to renovate on Costa Blanca South: checks before you commit
An attractive asking price is only the start. Check that the changes you need are technically possible, properly documented and realistically budgeted.
At a glance
- Define the work you need before deciding whether a cheaper home offers good value.
- Check technical feasibility, community requirements and municipal paperwork separately.
- Review previous alterations as well as the changes you want to make.
- Compare itemised total budgets and realistic schedules, not only a price per square metre.
Can you buy a Costa Blanca South home and change its layout later? Possibly, but check the proposed work before basing your purchase on it. Technical feasibility, community requirements and the municipal procedure are separate questions. A seller’s suggestion or contractor’s verbal estimate cannot answer all three. Use this checklist when comparing homes in Torrevieja, San Miguel de Salinas and Orihuela Costa.
1. Describe the change, not just the desired look
Separate decoration from moving services, removing walls, changing windows or enclosing outdoor space. Ask an independent architect or architectural technologist to assess the specific proposal. A wall’s appearance does not establish whether it carries loads; a second bathroom also needs a workable drainage and ventilation solution.
On a viewing, photograph the current layout with permission and mark your essential changes on a plan. Check access for materials and waste removal. For an apartment in Torrevieja or Orihuela Costa, consider shared pipes and lift access. For a house in San Miguel de Salinas, include any proposed terrace, pool or exterior changes in the assessment.
2. Establish what belongs to the community
Spain’s Horizontal Property Law, article 7, limits alterations that affect building safety, structure, exterior configuration or another owner’s rights, and requires prior notice to the community representative for the works it permits. It does not give an unrestricted right to change common elements. [1]
Obtain the community statutes, relevant minutes and written clarification about your proposal. Windows, outdoor A/C equipment, terrace enclosures and shared services deserve particular attention. Have your adviser establish whether notice or a community resolution is required and which voting rule applies. Municipal paperwork does not replace a required community agreement.
3. Confirm the municipal route for the actual work
Valencian planning legislation distinguishes works requiring a licence from those handled through a declaración responsable, with conditions and supporting documents. The appropriate route depends on the scope and property; neither “interior work” nor “minor renovation” is a universal exemption. Ask a competent technician and the municipality to confirm the requirements before starting. [2]
Torrevieja publishes an electronic works-declaration procedure under “Urbanismo y vivienda”. That is a filing route, not proof that every proposal qualifies. For Orihuela Costa or San Miguel de Salinas, confirm the applicable process with the relevant council rather than reusing a Torrevieja form. Ask about any separate permission for a skip or scaffolding on public space. [3]
4. Check the property’s existing alterations
Compare the home you see with the available plans and documents. Ask the seller for the paperwork relating to previous enclosures, extensions or layout changes. An alteration being visible in a photograph, tax record or neighbouring property does not by itself establish its legal status.
Let your solicitor and technician investigate unexplained differences before you commit. If your purchase depends on a particular change, discuss how that dependency should be addressed in the contract. Do not assume a previous owner’s work can automatically be retained, expanded or repeated.
5. Price the complete project and the time without a usable home
Request written quotations against the same scope: preparation, materials, labour, professional fees, applicable taxes, municipal charges, waste removal and making good. Identify exclusions, provisional allowances and payment stages. Ask how hidden defects and changes will be priced; agree a contingency appropriate to the inspection findings rather than relying on an invented universal percentage.
Include temporary accommodation, storage and the time needed for documents and approvals in your comparison. A renovation does not guarantee a particular resale value or rental return. Verdi Estate can help coordinate a search and access for assessments; independent professionals should confirm feasibility and legal requirements before you buy on the strength of renovation potential.
Questions about buying to renovate
Does renovating inside mean no paperwork is needed?
No. The route depends on the actual scope, building and applicable rules. Confirm municipal requirements and community obligations separately before starting.
Can I copy a neighbour’s enclosed terrace?
Not on that evidence alone. Check your property’s documents, community position and planning requirements; a similar enclosure does not establish permission for yours.
Is a low purchase price enough to justify a renovation?
Compare purchase costs, a technically assessed work budget, professional and administrative costs, contingency and the time without a usable home. Expected future value remains uncertain.
Sources and further reading
- BOE — Ley 49/1960 sobre propiedad horizontal, artículo 7 (texto consolidado)
- BOE — Decreto Legislativo 1/2021, TRLOTUP, artículos 232, 233 y 241 (texto consolidado)
- Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja — Declaración Responsable de obra: trámite electrónico
Sources checked on 27 October 2026. This is general buyer guidance, not a technical approval or individual legal advice. The required procedure, documents and permissions depend on the specific property and proposed work.