Building a House in Central Portugal

Having a property designed and built specific to your needs is one way to ensure you get the home of your dreams in Central Portugal.

There are many advantages to designing and building your own place in the sun here in Central Portugal.

It can be more cost effective than purchasing an existing villa or house. You benefit from having the property designed specific to your needs and the finish tailored to your requirements.

However anyone contemplating building a property in Portugal should be aware the planning process is not a speedy affair. Unlike the United Kingdom, where a planning application can be submitted and approved in eight weeks, in some cases planning applications in Portugal can take up to two years' to be approved depending upon their location and the proposed size of build.

One thing is for certain, t

here is no shortage of building plots for sale in Central Portugal  However, caution should be taken when considering purchasing land in Portugal as there are many confusing laws governing the use of land.

As in the United Kingdom, land in Portugal is divided into categories and priced accordingly. There are five different classifications of land types in Portugal - Reserve Ecological, Rustic, Agro-Florestal, Urban and Commercial. This classification directly affects the use of the land and the overall selling price. For example a rustic plot measuring 1,500 square metres can be purchased for as little as 5,000€, whereas the same sized plot with an Urban classification could cost up to 250,000€ or more.

If you intend to construct a permanent structure it is highly unlikely you will be given planning approval from the local council if the land is classified as Reserve Ecological or Rustic and some times this also applies to Agro-Florestal land.

This may all seem very confusing, however there are systems in place to enable you to verify whether or not a planning application will be considered prior to purchase.

This process is called PIP and does incur charges, which vary from council to council, but it is an invaluable resource and well worth doing.

Once you have ascertained the plot of land you wish to purchase is viable for construction and the size of building that can be erected, then you can - once you have purchased the land - proceed with designing your dream home in Portugal.

You may already have a design in mind to construct in Portugal and may think it could be cheaper to employ a technical artist to convert your ideas into an acceptable application. However while this may save some money it is advisable to use an architect to compile the planning application (Projecto).

Architects (arquitectos) in Portugal study for up to seven years and are up to date with all the latest changes to planning rules and will be able to guide you through the whole process.

However unlike the United Kingdom where an architect will also compile the structural engineering side of the planning application, in Portugal this part of the process is carried out by an engineer (engenheiro).

While you are waiting for your planning application to be approved from the local Câmara it is wise to use this time to source reliable, licensed builders and get estimates (orçamentos) for the total build cost.

Generally speaking most builders use a proven formula to quickly work out the total build cost of a property and this can range from 450-600€ per square metre of construction. However to ensure an accurate quote from builders, provide copies of the architectural and engineering reports.

Reputable builders will give detailed estimates for each stage or phase of the build as well as a projected time of build. Always get at least three builders to give estimates and ask to see examples of their work. It is also a good idea, if possible, to speak to some of their previous clients.

Once you have chosen the builder to construct your dream home it is a good idea to have a contract drawn up by your lawyer detailing the cost of the build, the length of build with a start and finish date of construction. This contract will give you peace of mind and recourse should any problems occur with the builder.

If you are not going to be in Portugal for the duration of the build it maybe worthwhile investing money in employing a Project Manager to oversee the day to day running of the construction and to keep you informed of any problems that may occur.

When both parts of your planning application have been approved by the Câmara the next stage is to purchase a Licenca do Obras The length of time you have specified for the total build begins when this Licença is purchased and stamped. Should the build take longer it is possible to apply for extensions from the Câmara. If for any reason you do not wish to purchase the Licença immediately the planning approval will remain valid for up to two years, this also can be extended.

New build properties in Portugal are quite quick to construct and the usual amount of time a builder will take constructing an average three bedroom detached house is around six to nine months, though this can vary and in some cases is weather dependent.

When the build is complete the Câmara will inspect the property, though sometimes this is only from the outside. They will double check the Livro de Obras (Book of Works) which is kept by the engineer. If they are happy everything is in order the Câmara will provide a technical file  and a Habitation licence for the property.

However if there have been some changes to room layouts during the build, retrospective plans must be given to the council along with an engineering report to show everything has been constructed according to the law.

For more information on buying property or building property in Central Portugal, please visit our website

www.gekkoportugal.com

or to see some sample properties please visit or estate agents website

www.chavetejo.com

* All information provided here is given in good faith and is correct at the time of writing