Over the next few weeks I shall be highlighting some of the most common issues experienced by buyers of residential homes in the Costa del Sol, Andalusia, Spain.

Importance of a Building Survey

Unfortunately, I still find that the majority of house buyers do not have a building survey carried out prior to purchase. The reason for this I can only speculate is that the majority of buyers purchase without the need for a mortgage and so there is not a requirement to do so by a third party.

The properties are often purchased during the summer months when many of the main issues are not immediately apparent.

The poor build quality is primally due to the building regulations not being adhered to by the Town Halls and the Architects not visiting the construction site during the building process, (a surprisingly common practise).

Whilst the College of Architects has tried to improve the practice of Architects on more recently built homes, properties older than 10 years will have a surprisingly long list of defects associated with poor construction.

Over the next few weeks I shall be highlighting the most common building and construction problems found that are not always apparent during a casual viewing but may prove costly and wreck your budget if they are not costed and known about prior to purchase.