Our Most Recent Full Reform Project
Full Property Reform in Tocon, Granada
Starting in October 2007, our most recent full property reform project took place in the village of Tocon. The Project was finally completed in August 2008, with many challenges to overcome along the way. The end result however is a beautiful property that our client will enjoy for many years to come.
The property required total reformation as highlighted below.
Removal of existing roof and replacement with new roof.
Having removed the original "chapa" roof and timber beams, it became clear that the construction of the property below would not take the weight of a concrete beam and pod roof construction, as is commonly used.
As with any project, potential changes to plans need to be made along the way, this proving to be the case with the type of roof construction we would need to employ. The solution in this project was to use a lighter timber roof construction.
As the rear of the property was considerably lower than the front, we also needed to raise the height of the central and rear supporting walls to provide an even pitch to the roof front and back. The gable end also needed to be re-built, as the existing brickwork was neither structurally sound or sufficient for the new roof.
As the new roof construction began to take shape, a waterproof membrane was applied over the main timbers, prior to fixing the battening and laying the new roof tiles. Breather tiles allowed for airflow throughout the roof cavity.
As with the rear yards of many village properties, the existing construction consisted of animal pens and storage, along with plenty of wild undergrowth and weeds. All of which needed to be cleared and tidied prior to laying new drainage and new surfaces.
Once done, we could then lay the base for the new extention to link the two linked outbuildings. The original animal pen was reformed to provide a covered patio area, whilst the two linked outbuildings would provide a utility room and a downstairs shower room.
Interoir reform works, full rewire and new plumbing
As with the structure and exterior of the property, the interior required a great deal of attention and unearthed quite a few problem areas along the way. Most notably that the majority of the upper floors required reinforcing, a chimney needed removing and another building in an alternate location, internal walls removed and rebuilt.
Prior to installing windows and doors, new lintels were required, as there were none featured in the previous construction. This ensured that all the window and door openings would be structurally secure. At the front of the property, the clients chose solid Iroko hardwood windows and front door in traditional styles, whilst at the rear, white aluminium double glazing was installed.
Given that the existing plumbing and electrics were next to none existant, this also had to be full catered for. The existing power supply was insufficient and needed to be upgraded to supply modern appliances and services. Martin McNally, an English electrician who is fully registered and qualified in Spain, was able to take care of all the electrical requirements, including the application with the powere company for the supply upgrade, along with all the work required.
The plumbing was a relatively clean installation as is was done with completely new materials, including a new mains supply at the front of the property, water meter, new alcathene pipework and copper internally.
Prior to rendering, walls were treated for any damp and finished with "Capa Gruesa" and "Capa Fina" white mortar throughout to provide a traditional yet hard wearing finish.
Final finishing touches, such as furniture and lighting have now been completed and we'll shortly add some more images of the "furnished" property interior. As part of our service, we took the client shopping at various local furniture companies to get everything they needed.
The overall spend on the project was in the region of €70,000, which included all labour and materials. The timescale at ten months reflected the quantity of work that was required, both expected and unexpected. In effect, the property was virtually rebuilt, given the attention required to remedy the structural and construction problems encountered.
Both the client and ourselves are very pleased with the final outcome, although with the problems that this particular property regularly presented clearly highlight that one should always expect the unexpected with rural and rustic Spanish properties.
For a selection of larger images of this project - CLICK HERE.