Is it normal that not only an in-house crew works on site?
Yes, in high-end renovation it is the norm. Stone, lacquer, glass, joinery and smart-home work are done by narrow specialist workshops, and keeping them on staff makes no sense. What matters is something else: who chose them, who answers for them and whether you can find out who has come to the site.
Spanish law expressly regulates subcontracting in construction, and the contractor remains responsible to the client for the whole chain. So the question is not "are there subcontractors" but "how is the chain organised and what are you entitled to see".
What does the typical structure of a premium renovation look like?
A general building crew runs the main works and coordination, and specialists arrive for their stage: services, stone, plaster and decorative coatings, joinery, lacquer, glass, lighting. Each stage needs its own workshop and equipment.
The general crew does demolition, partitions, screeds, waterproofing and tiling. Electricians, plumbers and climate specialists work with authorised installers who issue certificates for their systems. Stone is cut and fitted in a workshop to drawings and then fixed by an installation crew. Plaster, Venetian finishes and microcement are applied by decorative-coating specialists. Doors, panels and built-in furniture come from a joinery workshop and lacquer is applied in a booth. Glass, mirrors and metalwork come from their own makers. Lighting and automation are commissioned by a separate company.
When many organisations come to site, the role of a single person responsible grows: they call specialists in sequence, accept the work and watch the fit.
What does the law say about subcontracting in construction?
Law 32/2006 limits the chain of subcontracting and requires records. The contractor may subcontract and the subcontractor may use a second subcontractor, but a third subcontractor may not subcontract further. All participants keep a Libro de Subcontratación and are listed in the register of accredited companies.
Several things follow from the law. Contractor and subcontractor must have their own productive organisation and training in occupational safety (article 4). They must be entered in the Registro de Empresas Acreditadas (article 6), whose data is public. The Libro de Subcontratación must be on site at all times, recording chronologically every subcontract: who, at what level, for what scope. Access to the book is given to the client (promotor), the technical direction, the safety coordinator and labour authorities (article 8). An extra level is possible only on the technical direction's decision in justified cases of specialisation (article 5).
In practice the book is kept on major works with several companies. For a small renovation of one flat, check with the contractor how they apply it.
How do I find out exactly who lays the stone and makes the joinery?
Ask for a written list: type of work, name of the company or craftsperson, person responsible and timing. A good contractor names them before signing and shows where they work.
Also ask to see the subcontracting record on site and check it against the public register of accredited companies. Good practice for stone and joinery: visit the workshop where the material is worked, meet the installers and see photos of finished pieces before installation. For stone this is especially useful: slab reservation and vein matching are visible in the workshop.
If you live abroad, order a weekly report with photos and a list of the organisations present on site. It takes half an hour and shows what is happening.
Which documents should I ask the contractor and subcontractors for?
The basic set: proof of registration in the register, certificates of being up to date with taxes and social security, liability insurance, a safety plan and occupational-safety training records. For services, the installer's documents.
A contractor who works regularly provides them without argument. Certificates of being up to date with Seguridad Social and tax are valid on the date of the request and expire, so they are renewed during the works. Liability insurance is covered in our article on the contractor. Electrical and gas installers issue their certificates on completion, as described in the articles on the electrical certificate and the gas certificate.
On safety, a site with several companies needs a health and safety coordinator. That comes from Royal Decree 1627/1997: if more than one company, or a company and self-employed workers, work on site, the client appoints that coordinator before work starts (article 3). The coordinator approves each contractor's safety plan and keeps the incident book.
Who is responsible if a subcontractor makes a mistake?
The contractor you signed with answers to you, and that covers the work of all their subcontractors. Accounts between them should not affect your contract.
That is worth writing down: the contractor answers for the work of all executants, corrects defects at their own cost and response time is set in days. If the defect comes from a design decision, responsibility is shared differently, as we explain in the article on guarantees.
Hidden problems: badly fixed stone is visible at once, but waterproofing that does not seal shows months later. That is why in premium renovation stages are accepted before being closed: a record, photos, the responsible person's signature. After that, fixing costs several times more.
How does BCN YARD organise crews and subcontractors?
We have our own crew and trusted subcontractors, and one person responsible for the site runs the whole chain. You know who is on site and what each is responsible for, payments follow stages under the contract and we give the exact price after the visit and measurements. Write to us in Spanish or Russian and we reply within an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal that an in-house crew is not the only one working?
Yes, in premium renovation it is usual. Stone, lacquer, glass, joinery and lighting are done by specialist workshops. What matters is that the contractor names them before the contract, answers for them and shows you who has come to site. Law 32/2006 regulates the subcontracting chain.
How do I find out who lays the stone?
Request a written list of executants by type of work and check it against the Registro de Empresas Acreditadas. Visit the workshop where stone is worked and meet the installers. If you live abroad, set up a weekly report with a list of the companies present.
What documents does the law require for subcontracting?
Law 32/2006 requires participants to be in the register of accredited companies, to have their own organisation and safety training and a Libro de Subcontratación on site. A third subcontractor may not subcontract further. In practice the owner also asks for certificates of being up to date and insurance.
Who is responsible if a subcontractor makes a mistake?
The contractor under your contract answers to you, including all their subcontractors. Write into the contract that they correct defects at their own cost within named periods. Accept stages before they are closed: afterwards fixing costs several times more. Set reaction times in days.