Building Renovation – How to Move Forward

Urgency: Prices Are Rising Fast

Prices will rise 13% this December and 21% by next December. Acting now is essential to keep this project affordable.

This Is Doable – With Everyone’s Help

The work can be done, but it requires everyone’s cooperation and agreement.

The condition of the building will only get worse over time, and costs will continue to rise dramatically.

Estimated Cost Increases for 2026 & 2027

As the saying goes: «Fail to plan, plan to fail.»

Why we need a plan: We have 77 apartments. A clear, written, voted-on plan will help us stay organised and on track.

What the plan covers: Exactly what work we will do (remove damaged render, treat damp, apply new render, paint), a realistic timeline with target dates for each phase, a per-owner cost breakdown, a contingency fund for surprises, and clear rules for decision-making.

What happens with a plan: We stay in control. We set deadlines, work with professionals effectively, secure grants and loans, and complete the work in a 3-month window during mild weather.

We need to determine which Blocks, Portals and Apartments have been damaged and to what extent. Damage can be categorised in 4 ways and added to our database. I did 13 in a day – it is very doable and essential.

Javier at ACV has done a massive amount of work on this. We have an excellent list of the damage and what needs doing – we just need a little more effort from everyone to get us across the finish line.

We need a tool to do the job properly and at the lowest possible cost. This tool detects exactly where moisture comes from, where it’s going, and how bad it is. Without this, we would be guessing and would need to refurbish everything, wasting hundreds of thousands of euros. I have bought this one that does the job!

Damp and black mould are often caused by hidden moisture behind walls, floors, or ceilings—visible only after significant damage occurs. The HIKMICRO D01 thermal camera detects temperature differences across surfaces. Wet or damp areas are cooler than dry surroundings due to evaporative cooling, and the camera displays these cold spots as distinct colour variations (e.g., blue or purple). By scanning walls, ceilings, or corners, you can identify the exact origin of moisture ingress—such as a leaking pipe, rising damp, condensation cold bridge, or failed sealant—without drilling or destroying finishes.

Please use the quick and easy form here to report your problems (or lack of problems). Your help will save everyone a lot of money.

Please make this a priority – the sooner we get this done, the sooner we get the repairs completed. Please also ask your friends and neighbours to help.

If you cannot fill in the forms, please email me images or tell me you have no problems at: david@guadlaupehills.eu

Don’t forget to include your address: Block, Portal, Apartment (e.g., B2 P1 2Q)

If you have no damage, you must tell us – this is critical for bringing the cost down for all of us. Everyone is affected because costs are split between all owners.

ACV, Manuel and I have extensive knowledge of these problems and our building. I have also spent considerable time inspecting the building, so we already have the information needed to create the request for quotes. We should not pay an outsider to replicate work we have already done.

Grants could half the costs or more. While working out what we need to do to refurbish the building, we also need to consider what we need to do to win the grants. As these are government grants, they are not instant – we need to start now. AI can help significantly here.

Here are some examples:

DANGER – Government-backed loans for community facade rehabilitation are available, and ACV is confident they can arrange one for us.

Right now, BBVA, UCI, and Santander have loans available on favourable terms, including up to 12-year repayment periods and interest rates around 5-6%. Securing these loans requires formal approval from the community (typically a 3/5 majority vote), followed by an architect-signed rehabilitation project and energy certificate – a process that can take 3-6 months from start to funding approval.

We need to vote, hire an architect, and submit loan applications this spring to have funds ready for an autumn start.

We are building a database of potential contractors and technical specialists. You can help by sending me details of any company you think might be suitable – just the name is fine, but more information is better.

We must agree on a plan and budget before we go out for any more quotes. Builders are busy and will appreciate a clear, organised approach.

If you see a building like ours where painters did an excellent job (such as the white and grey building opposite the Sabi sign near La Casita that everyone mentions as a great example), please get some details so we can find out who did it.

1) To Do the Work

We need contractors who specialise in trabajos verticales (rope access/abseiling) with experience in removing damaged render, treating damp, applying new render, and painting on residential building facades. They should be based in the Campo de Gibraltar area (Algeciras, La Línea, Los Barrios) for more competitive pricing.

2) To Specify, Manage and Oversee the Work

We need an architect or project manager who specialises in facade rehabilitation for residential buildings with damp problems and falling render. Their role is to inspect the building, write the technical project specifications, handle the permit application with the Manilva town hall, and help us find and manage the rope access contractors. They should be based in the Campo de Gibraltar area.

Consider Obra Mayor (Not Obra Menor)

Obra mayor requires a full architect-designed project and takes longer, but it is legally required for facade work and is necessary to qualify for government grants that can cover 40-80% of costs.

Obra mayor requires a full architect-designed project and takes longer, but it is legally required for facade work and is necessary to qualify for government grants that can cover 40-80% of costs. Doing work as Obra Menor could actually end up costing more as we may lose grant payments as a result.

AI is instant, accurate, and free. It saves time and helps reduce professional costs. No project of this scale in 2026 should overlook the benefits of AI.

1. Estimate the Project Cost with AI

The day I received the architect’s report, I used AI to estimate the cost of the work. The estimate was €1.1 million – valuable information for understanding the project’s scope.

2. Evaluate Quotes Against Requirements

AI can check whether quotes match specifications – done in minutes.

3. Model & Price Alternative Solutions

AI can model unlimited different scenarios, including different materials, abseiling vs cherrypickers, different towers, colours, finishes, and seasonal pricing.

4. Find Available Grants & Model Estimated Savings

AI can suggest applicable grants, research requirements, tell us what we need to do to qualify, where to apply, and even help write the application.

5. Find Suppliers

AI can help identify suppliers offering out-of-season discounts and alternative materials or methods that reduce cost without compromising quality.

6. Find and Evaluate Potential Suppliers

AI can help find and do initial research on potential suppliers, write initial approaches, RFQs, and follow-ups.

We need professionals with experience and most importantly the project manager must be a qualified professional who lives here and has native Spanish

Our problems are damp, mould, cracks, and water damage. We need an architect who knows how to fix these problems – for example, an Arquitecto Técnico Forense or a specialist in rehabilitación (restoration) and impermeabilización (waterproofing).

This is just obvious. If they don’t want to visit we won’t accept their quote

Request Quotes from companies that specialise in Damp and Water Damaged Buildings

«Impermeabilización de paramentos verticales» (waterproofing of vertical walls) and «Sellado e impermeabilización de miradores» (sealing and waterproofing of viewpoints/balconies)

Refurbishment companies should be specialists in Damp and Water Damaged buildings of our size.

«Impermeabilización de paramentos verticales» (waterproofing of vertical walls) and «Sellado e impermeabilización de miradores» (sealing and waterproofing of viewpoints/balconies)

Lets not make the same mistake again. I think the Warranty is too strict and can’t be accepted or would cost too much to deliver. (we need to look at insurance backed options) If we don’t already know (I hope we do) Let’s find out!

Therer are many easy wins, for example we need to save money on the gardening (while improving quality) and allocate this to the buildings instead we can start now with the new maintenance contract BUT we MUST Not allow the Gardener to do BUILDING work.

I have Spoken to local agents and the changes proposed should easily increase the values of our properties by 10-15% more than covering the cost of the project and making it easier to sell your property. Something that is almost impossible at the moment.

Changing the colour will transform our urbanization from drab, stained, and dated to vibrant and modern, able to compete with any of the more expensive properties around the park. Prices should increase by 10–15%, apartments will be easier to sell and rent, and—critically—we will meet the energy-saving targets needed to qualify for grants of  40% or even more. (This may require a boost from a small solar farm, which has the added benefit of eliminating the community’s annual €6,000 electricity bill.)

Additionally, we will each individually save on energy costs, as there will be less need for air conditioning in the summer.

We are looking west towards the Campo de Gibraltar area (Algeciras, La Línea, Los Barrios) rather than east towards Marbella, Estepona, or Málaga because labour and contractor prices are significantly cheaper there. The Costa del Sol east of Manilva (Marbella, Puerto Banús, Estepona) is a high-value tourist and luxury property market, which drives up construction and rehabilitation costs. By looking west into the Campo de Gibraltar area — a working port and industrial zone — we can find the same skilled rope access workers and render specialists for much lower prices, helping us stay within our budget.

Doing the facade work out of season (generally November to February) can save up to 10-20% on labour costs since contractors are less busy and more willing to negotiate, and we will also likely get faster start dates and more attention from the project manager. However, there are downsides: cold temperatures below 5°C can prevent render and paint from curing properly, rain causes delays (especially November), shorter daylight hours mean fewer working hours per day, Christmas holidays shut down most sites for two weeks, and lower winter sun can make it harder to inspect the finished work.

For Manilva specifically, October and November are milder than mid-winter, but November is wet. For a three-month project, starting in mid-to-late October is workable but needs careful management of dates with built-in weather contingency days. On balance, winter work is worth pursuing for the cost savings, but aim for January-February (avoiding the Christmas break) or accept that an October start requires flexibility for rain delays.

Abseilers (rope access technicians) are significantly cheaper than cherry pickers for facade work because they require no heavy machinery, no road closures, no delivery fees, no fuel costs, and no hired plant operator, plus they can work continuously across the entire building face without needing to be repositioned on the ground every few meters. Cherry pickers also struggle with uneven ground, balconies, and tight urban streets common in Spanish apartment blocks, whereas abseilers can access any part of the facade from the roof in one setup. For a 77-apartment building, the cost difference is substantial: rope access typically costs 50-70% less than mechanical access for the same scope of render removal, damp treatment, repainting, and small repairs.

There are a lot of barriers but there must we ways we can all help, As an owner you have to right to have your opinion considered and not JUST at the annual AGM, this is a LIVE project.

We need your buy-in. Each one of us will need to make compromises. We are 77 individuals with different views, budgets and opinions, we can’t all have our own bespoke solution. BUT we can get something 100 times better than what we have. If we cannot reach agreement QUICKLY then the project fails and we are left with nothing, this is REALLY SERIOUS

In this project, everyone’s views and opinions will carry equal weight, and we will incorporate everyones wishes where we possibly can.

Realisticaly this project may take 2 years, it’s even possible it will never happen. We should help badly affected owners out now. We are proposing to pay for many 100’s of extra unlallocated hours of maintenance time from the new company (because we had to guaranatee them enough work).

Lets use these hours to fix the urgent problems for these owners, plug the leaks (easy to find with our new Thermo Building Inspection System) and help with cleaning and basic repairs!

Surely that better than trimming that hedge, these neighbours are in trouble NOW!!!!!!!!!!