Building permits in Barcelona: a basic guide for renovation and refurbishment

Which types of permit can come up?

In Barcelona, processing a building project can be resolved, depending on the case, as a notification or as a licence. Which route applies depends on the scope of the work, its technical impact and the municipal criteria in force.

Broadly, these are the figures that can come up:

• Prior notification. For certain smaller works, where it may be enough to notify the administration before starting, depending on the case.
• Building licence. For larger works, or those with more impact on the building, where prior authorisation from the council is usually required.
• Technical project. When the work affects structure, façade, roof or habitability, a project and the supervision of a competent technician are often required.

The exact thresholds and conditions are set by Barcelona City Council and can change over time. That is why it is worth always checking the official procedure before planning a project.

Small works and renovations with technical impact

Not every renovation has the same scope. A simple interior change is not the same as a renovation that touches sensitive parts of the building.

Works that affect the following tend to have more technical impact — and so are more likely to need review or processing:

• the structure (load-bearing walls, beams, floor decks);
• the façade or the building's shared elements;
• the roof;
• the services (electrics, water, gas, ventilation);
• the layout, accessibility or habitability conditions.

Even when a project seems small, depending on the type of work and the municipality it may be necessary to check which procedure applies. To be safe, it is better to verify from the outset than to assume that no permit is needed.

Bathroom and kitchen renovations

Bathroom and kitchen renovations are among the most common. Even though they are everyday works, depending on their scope they can involve changes to services, waterproofing or layout.

When the renovation is limited to finishes and to swapping elements without touching services or layout, the scope tends to be smaller. When, instead, soil pipes are moved, the electrical or plumbing installation is redone, or the layout changes, it is worth checking which procedure applies for your case.

Refurbishment, façades, roofs and communities

Works affecting the building envelope or the shared elements usually require more technical coordination and, often, processing. That is the case with renovation, façades and roofs.

In apartment buildings, these works are usually decisions for the owners' association and may involve a technician, a project and, depending on the case, grants or inspections. The requirements depend on the scope and on municipal criteria.

New build, foundations and structure

Building a house, laying new foundations or working on the reinforced-concrete structure are larger works that usually require a project and technical supervision. The same goes for a turnkey house, where the construction side has to be coordinated with the technicians who sign the project.

In these cases, processing usually goes through the licence route, with the corresponding technical documentation. The final decision on the permit always rests with the administration.

What role can OBRA.cat play?

OBRA.cat is a construction company. We do not replace the architect, the surveyor, the property administrator or the council, but we can coordinate with them. On a project, we can:

• help define the construction scope of the work;
• review photos or drawings to understand the case better;
• coordinate with the architect or technician when the project requires it;
• prepare a quote and a written scope once the requirements are clear;
• carry out the work to the agreed contract and scope.

What we do not do is promise that a permit will be approved, or take on what belongs to a technician or the administration. If you like, you can tell us about your case and we will guide you on the next construction step.

Documents and information worth preparing

To guide you better from the start, it usually helps to have to hand:

• photos or videos of the space or the building;
• the address and municipality of the work;
• a rough description of what you want to do;
• the existing drawings, if you have them;
• whether an architect, technician or administrator is already involved;
• the community context, if the work affects shared elements.

No sensitive documents or unnecessary data are needed for a first orientation.

The official source and the final decision

This guide is for orientation and is not legal advice. The requirements can change and depend on the municipality and the exact scope of the work. The official information and the final decision rest with Barcelona City Council or the competent administration.

If the work involves a first occupation or a major refurbishment, the habitability certificate from the Generalitat de Catalunya may also apply. Always check the official procedure before starting.