Before signing with a builder for a villa renovation, check that the quote is itemised with exclusions listed, that the sequence puts envelope and services first, who carries out electrics and gas, what guarantee and insurance cover the work, how unforeseen items are approved, what paperwork the scope needs, how access and the community are handled, and how the handover works. Clear answers to these questions are a better guide than any sales pitch.
About the quote
- Is the quote itemised? Each task on its own line, with description, unit and quantity.
- What is excluded? Furniture, appliances, technical projects, licence fees, specialist work.
- Are materials included? Which ones, and to what specification?
- Are access, protection and debris removal included? These are often the missing lines.
Our article what drives villa renovation cost explains why these lines matter.
About the work
- What is the sequence? Envelope and services should come before finishes.
- Who carries out electrics and gas? They must be done by authorised installers; ask whether they are in-house or authorised partner installers and how they are coordinated.
- Which trades are subcontracted, and who coordinates them?
- What will you check at the visit? Roof, façades, windows, services, damp and cracks, not just the rooms you want changed.
- When would you recommend a technician? A builder who never does is a risk.
About risk and responsibility
- What guarantee do you give, and is it in writing?
- Do you have public liability insurance? (seguro de responsabilidad civil)
- How are unforeseen items handled? The answer you want: shown with photos, quoted separately, approved before work continues.
About paperwork, community and handover
- What paperwork does this scope usually need? Who files it? Our guide on permits for façade, roof and window works explains the background.
- How will access, storage, the skip and working hours be agreed with me and the community?
- What happens at handover? A walk-round against the quote, a list of outstanding items, a final clean and any installer documentation required.
Red flags to watch for
- A quote with a few lines and a round total.
- Pressure to decide immediately or pay a large sum before anything is planned.
- Claims that no paperwork is ever needed.
- Reluctance to say who will do the electrics.
- Structural cracks or rising damp described as cosmetic.
- Promises of energy savings with exact figures and no survey.
- No fixed address, no written contract and payment requested only in cash.
- Unwillingness to put any answer from this checklist in writing.
How we answer these questions
Our quotes are itemised with exclusions listed. We put the envelope and services first. Electrics and gas are carried out by authorised partner installers coordinated by us. We work with a guarantee, whose terms are in the quote, and public liability insurance. Unforeseen items are shown, quoted separately and approved by you. We tell you what paperwork your scope usually needs but do not file it. We finish with a clean and a walk-round. More detail is in how we work on a villa, and our services start on the villa renovation page and the house renovation page.
How should you use the answers?
Put the answers from each contractor side by side, together with their quotes. Look for consistency: a builder whose quote lists access, protection and debris removal, who explains the sequence and who tells you when a technician is needed is showing you how the job will be run. Vague answers on installers, insurance or unforeseen items are worth following up in writing before you sign. Price matters, but it is only comparable once the scope behind each price is the same.
Keep the written answers with the contract. If questions arise during the work, they are the reference for what was agreed, and they make conversations simpler for everyone involved.
What to have ready before you ask
Builders give better answers when they have better information. Before contacting anyone, prepare photos of every façade, the roof if visible, every room, the fuse board and any damp or cracks; the approximate built area; a short brief of what you want the house to do; any dates that matter; and any community rules you already know. Send the same pack to every contractor, so their answers and quotes are based on the same information. You can send it to us by email or WhatsApp for a first estimate, and use the same pack again when you compare the visits and the final quotes side by side.
Bauman Raymond Attila · Reforma Villas Costa del Sol · Avenida Antonio Belón 3, Marbella. Last reviewed: 05/11/2026.
