Renovation in Marbella: get quotes and plan it with real numbers
Free quote service · Marbella
Reformas Marbella is a free quote service for renovation work in Marbella. We are not a building company. You tell us about your project, we check it has what a builder needs to price it, and we pass it to a renovation company that works locally. They contact you to arrange a visit. The quote, the contract and the works are always between you and the company you choose.
Most of the people who ask us for quotes own a second home here and live abroad. So this site also explains, with official sources, what a renovation in Marbella costs, which licence you need and how to manage the works from a distance.
How it works
- Tell us about the works. Type of property (apartment, townhouse, villa or shop), area, approximate size, what you want to change and when you’d like to start.
- We review your request and ask you by email if something important is missing (for example, whether the works affect the structure or the façade).
- A local builder contacts you to arrange a visit, in person or with someone you trust if you are abroad.
What a renovation costs in Marbella
The most reliable reference is the one the Town Hall itself uses to calculate building taxes: the 2026 average construction values published by the Málaga Architects’ Association (COAMálaga). For a full renovation, the municipal rules apply a factor of 0.75 to them.
| Property (medium quality) | Full renovation, execution cost |
|---|---|
| Apartment in a detached block (urbanización) | about €767/m² |
| Apartment in a terraced street block | about €716/m² |
| Townhouse | about €828/m² |
| Detached villa | about €1,006/m² |
These are execution costs («PEM» in a Spanish quote): they exclude the builder’s overheads and profit, VAT and professional fees. For high-end finishes, COAMálaga estimates values can be up to 50% higher, which is common in Marbella villas. See the full breakdown, with worked examples for an apartment and a villa, in renovation costs in Marbella.
On top of that, you pay the Town Hall a licence fee of 0.719% and a construction tax (ICIO) of 4% of the execution cost (Marbella tax ordinances 2026). VAT is 10% for renovating a home that a private individual uses privately (not as a rental business), if the home is at least two years old and the materials supplied by the builder don’t exceed 40% of the price; otherwise, 21%.
Which licence you need
Under Andalusia’s planning law (Law 7/2021, «LISTA»), most renovations of existing homes that don’t change the footprint, height or built area only need a declaración responsable (a sworn statement filed with the Town Hall): works can start the day it is filed with the complete documents. If the works affect the structure, the façade or the volume, you need a technical project and a building licence, and the Town Hall has up to three months to decide.
Renovating from abroad
- NIE: you will need a Spanish foreigner’s tax number to sign and pay the licence and taxes in your name.
- A representative: you can authorise someone (your builder’s technician, a lawyer or a trusted person) to deal with the Town Hall on your behalf (Law 39/2015, art. 5).
- Your community of owners: in an apartment, you must notify the community before works start, and you need its approval for anything affecting common elements such as the façade or terraces (Horizontal Property Law, art. 7.1).
- Stage payments: pay against work completed, with photos or a video call at each stage, never most of the price upfront.
- Keep every invoice: the cost of improvements increases the acquisition value of your property when you sell, which can lower your capital gains tax (Personal Income Tax Law 35/2006, art. 35).
How to check a builder
Ask for a quote broken down by item with measurements and brands, the company’s tax ID, its civil liability insurance and its registration in the REA (the official register of construction companies, compulsory for contractors under Law 32/2006). See our list of verified builders in Marbella (in Spanish).
Sources
- COAMálaga, 2026 average construction values.
- Marbella Town Hall, 2026 tax ordinances.
- Law 7/2021 (LISTA), arts. 138 and 140 · Law 39/2015, art. 5 · Law 49/1960, art. 7.1 · Law 35/2006, art. 35 · Law 37/1992 (VAT), art. 91.
Planning a renovation in Marbella?
Tell us about the works and we'll put you in touch with a local builder.