Carrying out renovation work on your home or building may not be as easy as it seems. This is because some projects can only go ahead with permission from the local council.
I want to carry out some work on my house, namely knocking down interior walls to enlarge the living room. Can you tell me if I need to obtain permission from the local council and what procedures I need to follow?
Currently, in accordance with the urban renovation project, many projects are exempt from formalities that were previously mandatory. Therefore, you do not need authorization to knock down an interior wall, provided that the work is carried out responsibly so as not to compromise the structure of the building.
We have listed some common situations involving home renovations, which you should check to ensure that all rules are followed:
- Modifying the facade of a building, for example, by enlarging it, requires a municipal license. If the condominium wants to paint the building a different color from the original, the municipality must also authorize it. Painting the same color does not require any formalities.
- As long as the demolition does not compromise the stability of the unit or the building (does not affect pillars, beams, slabs, or supporting walls), nor does it involve changing the height of the house or its floors, or the shape of the facades or roof, it is not necessary to notify the city council. We advise you to always consult a technician. In the case of a building, a notice of construction work must be posted.
Painting the interior of the house and changing the kitchen tiles. For this type of work, you do not need to notify the local council, unless your house is listed or in the process of being listed (if it is a building of municipal interest, for example). In this case, you will need a council license.
Repairing the roof or installing solar panels. If, at the end of the work, the roof is in the same condition as when the building was constructed and the photovoltaic panels do not exceed the building's roof area or exceed its height by one meter, no formalities are required.
Enclosing a balcony. In many municipalities, a municipal license is required, but in others, it is sufficient to notify the local council in advance. Check with your local authority. In the case of a condominium building, and since the architectural line of the building may be affected, the condominium must authorize the work by a two-thirds majority. The same applies to the installation of protections on balconies.
Source: Idealista News.