Excluding VAT and as a guide, a light refresh costs €170 to €280 per m², a mid-range renovation €260 to €470 per m² and a full renovation €500 to €750 per m². On urban land, a responsible declaration (declaración responsable) is enough if the renovation does not change the plot coverage, the height, the buildable floor area or the number of homes (article 138.1.b of the LISTA, Andalusia's planning act, Ley 7/2021). If it changes any of them, you need a building licence (licencia de obra, article 137). A technical report (memoria técnica) costs from €300 + VAT and a renovation design from €1,400 + VAT.
Price per square metre by scope
What changes the price most is how much you touch. There are three levels, with a reference for a 90 m² flat:
| Scope | What it includes | € per m² excl. VAT | 90 m² flat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light refresh | Painting, new flooring over the old and new electrical fittings | €170 to €280 | €15,300 to €25,200 |
| Mid-range renovation | The above, plus a complete bathroom and kitchen, some new wall and floor coverings and smoothed walls | €260 to €470 | €23,400 to €42,300 |
| Full renovation | New partitions to change the layout, new plumbing and electrics, windows, floors, doors and air conditioning | €500 to €750 | €45,000 to €67,500 |
These are indicative ranges for comparing quotes, not a fixed price. For your own case, use the renovation calculator.
Where the figures come from:
- Full renovation: the full flat renovation quotes that one price portal records in Roquetas de Mar run from €544 to €791 per m², with an average of €664. Another portal gives €450 to €700 per m² for the whole of Spain, with an average of €550. A third, which says its prices exclude VAT, gives €600 to €900 per m².
- Light refresh: there is only one reference, a partial renovation of about €200 per m² (€15,000 to €25,000 for 90 m², with furniture).
- Mid-range renovation: there is no published figure. We estimate it by adding a kitchen (€5,500 to €12,000) and a bathroom (€2,500 to €5,500) to the light refresh, spread over 90 m².
Portals do not always make clear whether their prices include VAT, so treat them as a reference for comparing. Always ask for a quote that shows VAT separately.
Which cost items weigh most in the budget
This is the breakdown of a sample budget for a 100 m² renovation, published in 2026:
| Item | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Masonry and building work | €8,400 | 19% |
| Interior wooden joinery | €5,500 | 12% |
| Ceramic tiling | €5,300 | 12% |
| Lighting and electrical work | €5,100 | 11% |
| Painting and decorating | €4,900 | 11% |
| Exterior metal joinery | €4,500 | 10% |
| Plumbing and heating | €4,200 | 9% |
| Demolition | €3,300 | 7% |
| Bathroom and kitchen fittings | €3,200 | 7% |
| Preliminary work | €300 | 1% |
| Total | €44,700 | 100% |
Masonry, interior and exterior joinery and ceramic tiling add up to 53% of the total. The sample budget says it includes VAT, so look at the share of each item rather than the amount.
Kitchen and bathroom are priced separately, because they depend a lot on the fittings you choose. One portal puts a kitchen at €5,500 to €12,000 and a bathroom at €2,500 to €5,500.
Responsible declaration or licence: what the town hall asks for
In Andalusia, the procedure depends on what the work changes. The law divides it like this:
- Responsible declaration (declaración responsable): works on existing buildings on urban land that keep the plot coverage and the height and do not increase the buildable floor area or the number of homes (article 138.1.b). Also minor works that do not need a design (article 138.1.a).
- Building licence (licencia de obra): all other works (article 137.1). That includes extending, adding a floor or splitting a home in two, because they change the plot coverage, the height, the buildable floor area or the number of homes. It also includes renovating on rural land, except works that improve energy efficiency or integrate renewables (article 138.1.c).
- House with an AFO (asimilado a fuera de ordenación): the law only provides for licences for compatible changes of use and for conservation and refurbishment works (article 174).
A responsible declaration lets you start from the day you submit it, with complete documentation (article 138.5). It comes with the technical design or the descriptive and graphic report that the law requires (article 138.3).
The town hall decides on a licence within three months of the documentation being complete (article 140). The law provides for approval by silence, except in the cases covered by state legislation, and rights contrary to planning rules can never be acquired by silence.
The borderline cases are explained in the guide on building licence or responsible declaration.
Fees, ICIO and VAT: what comes on top of the works
- ICIO: the municipal construction tax (impuesto sobre construcciones, instalaciones y obras). It is calculated on the real cost of the works, excluding VAT, professional fees and the builder's profit. Each town hall sets its own rate, up to a maximum of 4% (article 102 of the consolidated text of the Ley Reguladora de las Haciendas Locales, the local finance act).
- Licence fee: it is set by each town hall's tax ordinance. Check it before you budget.
- VAT: 10% applies to renovation and repair works on a home if three conditions are met (article 91 of the Ley del IVA, the VAT act). The client is an individual who uses the home. The home was completed more than two years ago. The materials supplied by the builder do not exceed 40% of the taxable amount. If they are not met, VAT is 21%.
Example with a 3% rate, which is only an assumption: a renovation with a real cost of €60,000 pays €1,800 in ICIO.
When you need an architect and what their fees are
The law requires a design when the renovation alters the architectural configuration of the building (article 2.2.b of the Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación, the national building act). That includes complete interventions and those that change the use. It also includes partial ones that substantially alter the overall exterior composition, the volume or the structural system.
For a simpler renovation, the responsible declaration asks for a descriptive and graphic report. Changing finishes, the kitchen or the bathroom without touching the structure, the façade or the layout may not need an architect. It depends on your town hall's ordinance.
| Work | From | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Technical report (memoria técnica) for a responsible declaration | €300 + VAT | 1 week |
| Renovation design | €1,400 + VAT (usually €1,800 to €4,500) | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Site supervision (dirección de obra) on renovations | €900 + VAT | During the works |
Published prices in Almería for a home renovation design range from €500 to €8,000, with an average of €2,000.
At Poniente Arquitectura we do the renovation design with a fixed quote in writing within 24 hours. If you want to see the result before the works start, a 3D image costs from €250 per view.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to renovate a 90 m² flat in Almería?
Excluding VAT and as a guide, a light refresh comes to €15,300 to €25,200. A mid-range renovation comes to €23,400 to €42,300 and a full renovation to €45,000 to €67,500. These are indicative ranges that depend on the quality you choose.
Do I need a licence to renovate my flat?
It depends on what you change. If the flat is on urban land and the works keep the plot coverage, the height, the buildable floor area and the number of homes, a responsible declaration is enough (article 138.1.b of the LISTA). If not, you need a licence.
How long does the town hall take to grant a renovation licence?
Three months from the moment the documentation is complete (article 140 of the LISTA). With a responsible declaration you can start as soon as you submit it with the complete documentation.
Do I need an architect to renovate the kitchen and bathroom?
If you do not touch the structure, the façade or the layout, a design is not usually needed. Depending on the town hall, you submit a technical report, from €300 + VAT, or a responsible declaration is enough.
What VAT does a home renovation carry?
10% on renovation and repair works if you are an individual who uses the home and it was completed more than two years ago. The builder's materials must also not exceed 40% of the taxable amount. Otherwise, 21%.
Sources
- Ley 7/2021 (LISTA), consolidated text in the BOE
- LISTA, article 137: acts subject to licence (Iberley)
- LISTA, article 138: responsible declaration (Iberley)
- LISTA, article 140: time limit and silence for licences (Iberley)
- LISTA, article 174: effects of the AFO (Iberley)
- Ley 38/1999 on building regulation (Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación), consolidated text in the BOE
- Consolidated text of the Ley Reguladora de las Haciendas Locales (local finance act), articles 100 and 102: ICIO (fiscal-impuestos.com)
- ICIO: which items are excluded from the taxable base, article 102 (derecholocal.es)
- OCU: 10% reduced VAT on home renovations (article 91 of the Ley del IVA)
- Cronoshare: price of a full flat renovation in Roquetas de Mar
- Habitissimo: price of a full flat renovation (updated 16 September 2026)
- Trustlocal: how much it costs to renovate a house (updated 3 September 2026, prices excluding VAT)
- Cronoshare: how much it costs to renovate a house, with a breakdown by item (25 March 2026)
- Certicalia: price of a home renovation design in Almería
This guide is for information; every case needs a check of the local rules.