We repair the roofs of villas and houses on the Costa del Sol: pitched tile roofs, flat roof terraces, eaves, gutters, skylights and parapets. Every job starts with tracing the leak to its source. Local defects are repaired; where the waterproofing has reached the end of its life we propose renewing it, and where there are signs of structural damage we recommend a technician first. The quote is itemised, including access and safety.
What kinds of roof do coastal villas have?
Most houses on the Costa del Sol combine two types. Pitched roofs are covered with clay tiles laid on a concrete slab or, in older and village houses, on timber structures. Flat roofs — azoteas — are often used as terraces, with a waterproof membrane under a tiled floor, and they drain through outlets and gutters to downpipes. Around them sit the details that cause most trouble: parapets, eaves, valleys, chimneys, skylights and the junctions where a roof meets a wall.
Each type fails in its own way. Tile roofs tend to leak where tiles slip, crack or were never properly bedded, and at valleys and abutments. Flat roofs tend to leak where the membrane is punctured, aged or poorly turned up at the edges, or where outlets are blocked and water ponds.
How do you trace a leak?
Water travels. It can enter at a cracked tile, run down the slab or along a beam and appear on a ceiling a few metres away. Tracing it combines several steps: a look at the inside stain and its pattern, an inspection of the roof surface above and around it, checks of outlets, gutters and parapets, and, where safe and useful, controlled water tests on one area at a time.
We explain what we found and what we think is happening, with photos. Our guide on roofs and leaks lists the usual causes, and our article on the best and worst ways to fix a roof leak explains why quick sealant patches so often fail.
What repairs do you carry out?
- Tile roofs: replacing broken or slipped tiles, rebedding ridges and hips, repairing valleys and abutments, renewing eaves tiles.
- Flat roofs and terraces: local membrane repairs, or lifting the floor finish and renewing the waterproofing when it has failed across the surface.
- Edges and parapets: upstands, copings and joints that let water behind the membrane.
- Drainage: outlets, gutters and downpipes cleared, repaired or replaced.
- Skylights and chimneys: flashings and seals renewed.
- Inside: damaged ceilings and plaster made good once the roof is dry.
Insulation can often be improved at the same time when a roof is opened up. We explain the options during the visit.
When should a roof be renewed rather than repaired?
A repair makes sense when the defect is local and the rest of the roof is sound. Renewal makes sense when leaks keep appearing in different places, the membrane is brittle or cracked over large areas, tiles are failing across the roof, or the substrate below has deteriorated. Patching an exhausted roof every winter is usually the more expensive route in the end, because each leak also damages what is underneath.
We give you both options where both are reasonable, priced as separate lines, and tell you which we would choose for our own house and why.
When does a roof need a technician?
Some signs point beyond waterproofing: sagging lines in a pitched roof, cracked or deflecting beams, rotten timber at beam ends, cracks in the slab, or water damage that has reached the structure. In those cases an architect or building surveyor (arquitecto or aparejador) should assess the roof before repairs are designed. We then carry out the work to their specification. We do not repair structural elements on our own judgement.
Old corrugated fibre-cement sheets, common on outbuildings and some older roofs, may contain asbestos. They must be removed by a registered firm; see retiradauralitamalaga.eu.
Does roof work need permission?
Usually some form of notification. Under Andalusia’s planning law (LISTA), many minor works go through a declaración responsable. As an example from Málaga province, Nerja’s municipal form for minor works without a project includes roof-terrace flooring, waterproofing and replacing roof tiles. Installations on the roof follow the local planning rules, and other municipalities use their own forms (requirements in your town: to be verified). Changing the shape or height of a roof is a different matter and needs a technician. See our guide on permits for façade, roof and window works.
How do you work safely on a roof?
Roof work is work at height, and access and edge protection are part of the job, not extras. Depending on the roof we use scaffolding, edge protection or other suitable access, and we protect terraces, plants and pools below. Access and safety measures appear as their own lines in the quote, so you can see that they are included and compare like with like.
What is the best time to repair a roof?
The dry months are the most comfortable for roof work, and a roof repaired before the autumn rains protects everything below it through the winter. That said, an active leak should not wait for a season: temporary protection can be put in place quickly while the permanent repair is planned. If you are away during the rains, ask whoever looks after the house to check ceilings under the roof after the first heavy storms and send photos; leaks found early cost far less to put right.
How is roof work quoted?
Photos of the stains inside, the roof surface, outlets, gutters and parapets, plus the approximate roof area, allow a first estimate by email or WhatsApp. The itemised quote follows an inspection: access and safety, each repair type by quantity, membrane or tile work, drainage, and interior making good, with exclusions listed. We do not publish prices; factors are explained on presupuestoreforma.eu.
Official sources
Bauman Raymond Attila · Reforma Villas Costa del Sol · Avenida Antonio Belón 3, Marbella. Last reviewed: 05/11/2026.
