Apartment renovation in Spain: €600 to €1,000 per m² and the carpentry bill
A full renovation is estimated at €600-1,000/m²: an 80 m² flat comes to €64,000. The breakdown of carpentry and made-to-measure wardrobes sends the bill soaring.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
A full renovation costs between €600 and €1,000 per square metre
Between €600 and €1,000 per square metre. That is the range being discussed in the thread for a full renovation of a home in Spain, VAT included and with mid-range finishes, and it climbs in Madrid or Barcelona, or as soon as good windows and air conditioning are added. In practical terms: an 80-square-metre flat easily runs to €50,000-80,000. At €800 per square metre, the bill comes to €64,000. And that is where the friction begins.
The figure stings because the budget is not spread out the way one imagines. A full bathroom, between €6,000 and €12,000. A kitchen with mid-range units and appliances, between €8,000 and €15,000. Painting the whole flat, between €1,500 and €3,000. The rest is swallowed up by installations, flooring and carpentry, which is where the breakdown stops adding up in the client's eyes.
The €10,700 carpentry bill that sparks outrage
A specific quote for 80 square metres includes a €10,700 line item for carpentry. One participant's reaction is immediate: laminate flooring and skirting boards do not justify that figure, and 80 square metres of laminate with some trim in the bedrooms should not exceed €4,000 even at a stretch. The back-of-the-envelope calculation clashes with the fine print.
The fine print has a name: doors and made-to-measure wardrobes. That is where the margin opens wide. There are €100 doors and €1,000 doors, and a made-to-measure wardrobe rarely comes in under €1,000, according to another participant. Other people's experience confirms it: a wardrobe for a corner of a hallway cost €1,000 a decade ago, and it turned out perfect. The lingering question is whether it makes sense to order made-to-measure wardrobes in a new home when you could buy off-the-shelf ones. A waste of money, or not.
The distrust premium: three quotes and a permit
The advice that keeps coming up is to get at least three itemised quotes, with the brand and model of every material, and not to accept a lump sum that later fills up with surprises. On top of that comes the works permit or responsible declaration, the paperwork nobody wants but which prevents bigger headaches.
The underlying problem is not just the price. It is the asymmetry, as one participant describes it. The person hiring does not know, the person doing the work does, and in a market with little real competition there is plenty of room to stretch the budget: delaying the start by a few months, demanding a hefty deposit, asking for a thousand more. The law, moreover, is convoluted and protects the one who knows the trade better. The temptation to supervise the work like a hawk is real, even if it burns bridges.
Is it a rip-off or the price of getting it done right?
Some argue that turning an abandoned flat into a liveable one, with all the finishes in good condition, justifies the outlay; the risk is not paying, but the botched job afterwards. On the other side, the reading is different: the trades are enjoying their golden age, with inflated prices and clients who pay because they can. Some hope the cycle turns like it did in 2008-2012 and things tighten up again. Meanwhile, the question remains unanswered: how much of that budget is work, and how much is margin?
Between €600 and €1,000 per square metre. That is the range being discussed in the thread for a full renovation of a home in Spain, VAT included and with mid-range finishes, and it climbs in Madrid or Barcelona, or as soon as good windows and air conditioning are added. In practical terms: an 80-square-metre flat easily runs to €50,000-80,000. At €800 per square metre, the bill comes to €64,000. And that is where the friction begins.
The figure stings because the budget is not spread out the way one imagines. A full bathroom, between €6,000 and €12,000. A kitchen with mid-range units and appliances, between €8,000 and €15,000. Painting the whole flat, between €1,500 and €3,000. The rest is swallowed up by installations, flooring and carpentry, which is where the breakdown stops adding up in the client's eyes.
The €10,700 carpentry bill that sparks outrage
A specific quote for 80 square metres includes a €10,700 line item for carpentry. One participant's reaction is immediate: laminate flooring and skirting boards do not justify that figure, and 80 square metres of laminate with some trim in the bedrooms should not exceed €4,000 even at a stretch. The back-of-the-envelope calculation clashes with the fine print.
The fine print has a name: doors and made-to-measure wardrobes. That is where the margin opens wide. There are €100 doors and €1,000 doors, and a made-to-measure wardrobe rarely comes in under €1,000, according to another participant. Other people's experience confirms it: a wardrobe for a corner of a hallway cost €1,000 a decade ago, and it turned out perfect. The lingering question is whether it makes sense to order made-to-measure wardrobes in a new home when you could buy off-the-shelf ones. A waste of money, or not.
The distrust premium: three quotes and a permit
The advice that keeps coming up is to get at least three itemised quotes, with the brand and model of every material, and not to accept a lump sum that later fills up with surprises. On top of that comes the works permit or responsible declaration, the paperwork nobody wants but which prevents bigger headaches.
The underlying problem is not just the price. It is the asymmetry, as one participant describes it. The person hiring does not know, the person doing the work does, and in a market with little real competition there is plenty of room to stretch the budget: delaying the start by a few months, demanding a hefty deposit, asking for a thousand more. The law, moreover, is convoluted and protects the one who knows the trade better. The temptation to supervise the work like a hawk is real, even if it burns bridges.
Is it a rip-off or the price of getting it done right?
Some argue that turning an abandoned flat into a liveable one, with all the finishes in good condition, justifies the outlay; the risk is not paying, but the botched job afterwards. On the other side, the reading is different: the trades are enjoying their golden age, with inflated prices and clients who pay because they can. Some hope the cycle turns like it did in 2008-2012 and things tighten up again. Meanwhile, the question remains unanswered: how much of that budget is work, and how much is margin?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (15 replies).
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