When you have finished the purchase of the plot the next step is to get an architect to design and make drawings of the property. The drawings need to get approved by the board of architects (colegio de arcitectos), and are needed to present the application for the building license.

It is necessary to provide detailed information and drawings of the property to be able to get the building permit, which you have to apply for at the local town hall.
In the past, it was accepted practice to build without obtaining the necessary license in advance. A fine would subsequently be imposed which was a relatively low sum. Today this practise has changed as fines are very expensive and the government is paralysing many constructions or even knocking them down.

The architect will normally take about 6-8 weeks to get the design ready for submission to the authorities. The project is first submitted to the Board of Architects for their approval. Once approved the project is submitted to the Town Hall, along with the health and safety project and certificate from the College of Aparejadores. The license (if all the paper work is in order) will normally be ready in about 4 to 6 weeks.

When you have the licenses you will be ready to start the construction, during the construction it can be highly recommended having an independent technical architect (aparejador) hired by you and not the constructor to make sure that the constructor complies with the construction standards given by the architect.

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When the property is finished it is important that you make sure that the builder obtains the certifica te of completion of the building and the certificate of firs! t occupa ncy which is given by the town hall as otherwise you will not be able to get a contracts for light, water and phone.

The next step will be to get the new property registered at the Spanish Property Registry, as the title deed only contains the registration of the plot. To be able to register the new property in the title deed it is necessary to make a declaration of new work (declaración de obra nueva) and to provide the full certification of the construction including the building license, the certificate of building completion and the certificate of first occupancy.

Getting a mortgage to buy land and construct a property is a bit more difficult than getting a mortgage for a second hand property. The reason for this is that the bank will not have any security apart from the value of the plot until the construction is finished and the re al value of the property is estimated. Before granting a loan to construct a property the bank will take into consideration all the possible problems that can occur like not getting the necessary license which can result in that the property not being finished, possibility of delays and the name and reputation of the constructor. A good way to approach the bank is to have all the papers in order including licenses to build, the architects design approved by the town hall and the contract with the builder. If you are interested in further information about mortgage loans or other financial issues of constructing in Spain contact www.EuropeanMortgages.com or FREEPHONE 0800 092 0800.