Renovation and construction in the Garraf

Housing from Sitges to Sant Pere de Ribes

The Garraf is varied. Sitges' old town has traditional multi-storey houses and late-19th-century indiano mansions, with sea-view apartments along the front. Vilanova i la Geltrú has a historic centre, ordinary apartment blocks and a seafront district. Sant Pere de Ribes, Canyelles and Olivella are full of residential estates with detached houses on their own plots.

So the briefs vary too: restoring an old house while keeping its facade and details, completely reworking a flat's layout, bringing a house from the 80s or 90s up to modern standards, or building a new home on the client's own land.

Older houses in Sitges and Vilanova

An old house has load-bearing stone or brick walls, timber beams and a roof that has been patched more than once. Rising damp at the base of the walls is common, and so are outdated services throughout. Before committing to a timeline or price we check the structure and, if needed, bring in an engineer.

Inside, these houses often cry out to be opened up: removing later partitions, exposing the beams, bringing light into the inner rooms. It can be done, but every wall we plan to touch is checked first to see whether it carries load.

Historic centres may have specific rules for facades, windows and roofs. Exactly which ones depends on the building and the town hall. We find out in advance so the design accounts for them from day one.

Houses with plots, and the sea air

On residential estates, much of the work is around the house rather than inside it: the pool with new waterproofing and equipment, terraces, retaining walls, drainage, facade and roof. Many owners add solar panels and an air-source heat pump during the rebuild, and we price those options separately.

Closer to the sea, salt and humidity come into play. For railings, fixings and outdoor equipment we use materials that hold up in that climate, and we tackle indoor damp with ventilation and waterproofing rather than cosmetic fixes.

If the house is let over the summer, or you arrive for the season yourself, we plan backwards from the date it has to be ready and tell you up front what is realistic.

Permits

The Garraf covers several municipalities, each with its own rules. Which permit your work needs is decided by the relevant town hall, based on the scope. On residential estates, planning rules also apply: setbacks, height and buildable area.

We check all of this before quoting. If the project needs an architect, we bring one in and handle the paperwork together so the work can start on time.

What it costs

Guide prices, excluding VAT: Basic from €1,000/m², Standard from €2,000/m², Luxury from €3,000/m². In an old house, the structure drives the price most; in a house with a plot, it is the pool, facade and roof.

The exact figure comes from an itemised quote after the site visit and measurements, with every task and every material on its own line.

How we work in the Garraf

We reply to enquiries within an hour and arrange a visit. We look at the property, take measurements and prepare the design and an itemised quote.

Our own crew does the work, with trusted subcontractors on specialist trades. One project lead is responsible for the job and is your contact, in Russian or Spanish. Payment is staged under the contract, with the payment schedule agreed before work starts.

If you are still house-hunting, we can visit a property before you buy and assess how much work it really needs. That is especially useful for old houses in the historic centres, where what matters is hidden inside the walls and floors.