How a renovation works
Eight questions to ask a builder before you sign
· 3 min read
Before signing off a renovation, ask who will carry out the work (in-house crew or subcontractors), whether the price is fixed and how unforeseen issues are handled, what delivery date appears in the contract, how payment works, whether they carry public liability insurance, who handles the permit, what guarantee they give and whether you can see one of their projects. None of these questions is aggressive: a serious company answers them without getting defensive.
1. Who will be inside my home?
The answer matters because it determines who answers if something goes wrong. With an in-house crew there is a single point of responsibility. With chained subcontractors, one trade's delay drags the next along and each points at the other. Subcontracting is not bad in itself — some installations legally require a certified company — but you need to know who runs the site.
2. Is the price fixed? And what if something turns up?
Look for a two-part answer: yes, the price is fixed; and unforeseen issues — things that cannot be seen during the visit — are quoted separately, in writing, and you decide. If the answer is vague or includes “it depends what we find”, you do not have a price: you have an estimate.
3. What delivery date goes in the contract?
An approximate duration (“about eight weeks”) is not a commitment. A specific date written into the contract is. Ask too what happens if it is missed: you do not need a harsh penalty clause, but the conversation should not be uncomfortable.
4. How is payment structured?
By milestones tied to real progress: part at the start, part halfway and the rest on delivery. Be wary of anyone asking for the full amount up front or more than half before starting. Staged payment is your only leverage during the works.
5. Do you carry public liability insurance?
It covers damage the works may cause to your property or your neighbour's: a leak seeping into the flat below is more common than it sounds. Ask for the policy number; a company that has one gives it without hesitation.
6. Who handles the permit?
If the answer is “you do that yourself”, at least make sure the municipal fee and tax appear in the quote, because you will pay them either way. The norm is for the company to handle it and include it.
7. What guarantee does the work carry?
Spanish law sets one year for finishing defects and three for those affecting habitability, such as installations or damp. A company knowing this and saying it without hesitation already tells you something useful about who you are dealing with.
8. Can I see one of your projects?
A finished one, or better still one in progress. Seeing a job midway says far more than a catalogue of after photos: how tidy it is, how the common areas are protected, whether there is dust all over the landing. If they cannot show you any, ask why.
And one you do not need to ask
“Can you do me a better price?” before comparing what each quote includes. Lowering the price without changing the scope can only come from one place: the quality of what you will not see. Compare item by item first; if you then want to adjust, adjust the scope, not the price blindly.