Updated 2026-08-22 · by Renixo.casa
How long does a villa renovation take on the Costa Blanca?
Renovating a villa of around 200 m² on the Costa Blanca takes 16 to 24 weeks on site, plus the licence process, which runs beforehand and can add 2 to 10 weeks depending on the town hall. Where the job includes a pool and external works, expect the upper end. It is a considerably longer project than an apartment, which is finished in 8 to 16 weeks.
If you are looking for apartment timescales, that programme is in our guide on how long a flat renovation takes. This article covers the detached house, which follows a different order because the external works and the pool overlap with the interior, and because the licence tends to be slower.
Before anything starts: the licence
The municipal application is not a formality and it does not run in parallel with the works — it runs before them. A minor works licence can be resolved in two or three weeks; a major licence with a technical project commonly takes six to ten, and it varies considerably between town halls within the same province. Counting the licence inside the construction programme is the most common planning mistake.
Indicative programme for a 200 m² villa
Duration by phase — villa of around 200 m² with external works and pool
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Licence and appointmentBefore starting. A major licence with a project sits at the top end. | 2–10 weeks |
| Strip-out and debris removalLonger where a skip cannot reach the plot. | 2–3 weeks |
| Structure, openings and reinforcementOnly where openings are formed or slabs reinforced. | 1–3 weeks |
| Services (plumbing, electrics, air conditioning)The phase that governs everything that follows. | 3–4 weeks |
| Building work and partitionsPartially overlaps with the services phase. | 3–4 weeks |
| Roof and terracesWeather-dependent; no waterproofing in rain or extreme heat. | 2–3 weeks |
| Tiling, flooring and plasteringNeeds a dry, level substrate. | 3–4 weeks |
| Windows and joineryManufacture is separate: order 6–8 weeks ahead. | 1–2 weeks |
| Pool and external worksUsually overlaps with interior finishes. | 3–5 weeks |
| Decoration, snagging and cleaningIncludes the snag walk with the owner. | 2 weeks |
The phases overlap, so the total is not the sum of the table. With the overlap planned properly, a 200 m² villa is handed over in 16–24 weeks of actual construction.
What actually stretches the programme
- Decisions still sitting with the owner: choosing the porcelain late for a floor that runs through the whole house holds up the whole job.
- Manufacturing lead times: made-to-measure windows and kitchen units are ordered weeks ahead, not when it is time to install them.
- Hidden surprises: a broken soil stack or a wall without adequate reinforcement appears at demolition and forces a re-programme.
- The weather: waterproofing and external decoration depend on it far more than people expect.
- Summer restrictions on noisy works in tourist municipalities.
Planning backwards from your date
If the house has to be ready for a fixed date — the start of the rental season, a move, family arriving — you plan in reverse: set the handover date, subtract the construction weeks, subtract the licence weeks, and you have the deadline for making decisions and signing. For a villa with external works, that means starting to move seven to nine months ahead.
If you live outside Spain, what keeps the programme on track is not visiting the site — it is answering quickly. Outstanding owner decisions stop more jobs than technical surprises do.