Apartment Renovations in Orihuela Costa: A Complete Guide

The short answer

A complete apartment renovation in Orihuela Costa needs two plans: a design and construction plan for the apartment, and a logistics and approvals plan for the building around it. The property may be privately owned, but the structure, façade, roof, service risers, corridors, lift and other elements may be communal.

The strongest projects define the new layout and specification before work begins, establish what the community and municipality require, protect shared areas, control noise and deliveries, and document every concealed installation.

For overall planning, costs and project stages, use this article together with our complete renovation guide and 2026 renovation cost guide.

Apartment-renovation decision table

The exact procedure depends on the building and the work. “It is inside my apartment” is not enough to determine whether approval is required.

1. Define the complete scope

Decide whether the project is cosmetic, partial or a complete renovation.

Cosmetic update

Decoration, lighting and limited replacement of visible finishes without changing the layout or core installations.

Partial renovation

One or more defined areas, such as kitchen, bathrooms, windows or flooring.

Complete apartment renovation

Strip-out, new distribution, electrical and plumbing replacement, kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, doors, storage, windows where authorised, climate control, finishes, testing and handover.

HURPOMAR focuses on substantial whole-property projects rather than isolated maintenance or single-trade repairs. Our complete property reforms page explains the service scope.

2. Inspect the apartment and building connections

Review the electrical panel and available power, pipe materials and pressure, hot-water system, drainage routes, ventilation, signs of damp, floor levels, windows, shutters, air-conditioning and previous alterations.

Also understand how the apartment connects to the building:

• Water isolation and communal risers.
• Waste and soil stacks.
• Electrical meters and telecommunications.
• Ventilation ducts and roof terminals.
• Façade openings and external units.
• Floor slabs, columns and load-bearing walls.
• Terrace boundaries and drainage.

Not every concealed condition will be visible, but early investigation reduces assumptions and helps set the contingency.

3. Read the community rules before ordering work

Article 7 of Spain’s Horizontal Property Law allows an owner to modify elements within the apartment provided the work does not impair the building’s safety, general structure or exterior configuration, or prejudice another owner; it also requires prior notice to the community representative. Common elements cannot be altered unilaterally. Consult the current Horizontal Property Law on the BOE website.

Ask the administrator or president about:

• Statutes and internal rules.
• Required notice or approval documents.
• Permitted working hours.
• Lift use and protection.
• Waste and delivery routes.
• Deposits for possible damage.
• Locations permitted for air-conditioning units.
• Rules for windows, awnings, railings and enclosures.

Community approval and municipal authorisation solve different questions. One does not automatically replace the other.

4. Confirm the municipal route

Decoration, redistribution, structural work, façade changes and occupation of public space may follow different procedures. The Ayuntamiento de Orihuela forms page publishes current application material, but the right procedure must be confirmed for the specific work.

Do this before committing to a construction start date. Permission preparation, community decisions and product lead times can affect the programme before a contractor begins on site.

5. Design the layout around services

Moving a kitchen or bathroom is possible in many apartments, but drainage needs adequate routes and falls, ventilation must work, and service runs cannot simply cut through structural or communal elements.

Before selecting finishes, resolve:

• Kitchen and bathroom locations.
• Soil and waste connections.
• Ceiling zones for ducts and lighting.
• Air-conditioning routes and condensate drainage.
• Washing machine and hot-water equipment.
• Furniture, storage and door clearances.
• Electrical sockets, data and lighting controls.

A visually attractive layout that cannot be serviced efficiently will create compromises during construction.

6. Prioritise waterproofing, ventilation and acoustic comfort

Bathrooms and kitchens require more than attractive surfaces. The build-up beneath tiles, junctions around showers and penetrations, ventilation performance and access to valves all affect long-term reliability.

Apartment living also makes acoustic comfort important. Floor finishes, impact sound, plumbing noise, air-conditioning vibration and the position of equipment relative to neighbours should be considered before installation.

Spain’s Technical Building Code includes basic documents covering health, moisture, ventilation, noise and energy according to the work involved. The applicable solution should be established by the project technician where required.

7. Treat windows, terraces and façades carefully

Windows may belong to the apartment but form part of the building’s exterior appearance. Frame colour, division, shutters, glazing, enclosure of terraces and awnings can therefore involve community and municipal restrictions.

When windows are authorised for replacement, consider solar control, airtightness, acoustic performance, ventilation, waterproof installation and compatibility with existing shutters—not just the frame price.

On terraces, clarify ownership and maintenance responsibilities, falls, outlets, thresholds and waterproofing before covering existing surfaces.

8. Plan access and protect the building

Apartment logistics can materially affect price and duration. Prepare a site plan covering:

• Worker and delivery access.
• Lift bookings, size and protective lining.
• Stair and corridor protection.
• Temporary storage.
• Waste containers or collection.
• Parking and loading restrictions.
• Dust and noise control.
• Daily cleaning of common routes.
• Emergency contact and key control.

Spain regulates construction and demolition waste through Royal Decree 105/2008, alongside local requirements. Waste should never be left in communal areas or disposed of as normal household rubbish.

9. Prepare a complete apartment budget

Small apartments can have a relatively high cost per square metre because kitchens, bathrooms, electrical panels and fixed logistics are concentrated in less space.

10. Use an approvals register

Approvals in scattered chat messages are difficult to audit. Keep the current drawings, specifications and change register in one shared project location.

11. Follow the right construction sequence

1. Notify the community and protect shared routes.
2. Isolate services, strip out and remove waste.
3. Confirm conditions revealed by demolition.
4. Complete authorised structural and masonry work.
5. Install drainage, plumbing, electrical and climate-control first fix.
6. Inspect and photograph concealed work.
7. Waterproof, prepare and finish walls and floors.
8. Fit kitchen, bathrooms, doors, storage and equipment.
9. Test every service and repair any communal-area damage.
10. Complete snagging, cleaning and documented handover.

Closing walls before checking installations can create expensive rework.

12. Control disruption and neighbour relations

Clear notice, respected working hours and clean common areas protect the project. Tell neighbours or the administrator when noisy demolition, major deliveries or service interruptions are planned. Do not promise exact dates before the contractor confirms the sequence.

A designated project contact should respond quickly if the administrator reports an access, noise, lift or water issue.

13. Renovating your apartment from abroad

For overseas owners, add a key register, access protocol, weekly photo report, approvals schedule, written variation procedure, payment evidence and remote handover. Read our detailed guide to renovating in Spain while living abroad.

Information to send for an initial assessment

• Development name and exact location.
• Approximate internal and terrace areas.
• Floor level and whether there is a working lift.
• Photographs, video and any available plan.
• Number of kitchens and bathrooms to replace.
• Desired layout changes.
• Window, terrace or air-conditioning proposals.
• Known community requirements.
• Intended use, timing and budget range.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need community permission to renovate my apartment?

Internal work that does not affect structure, safety, exterior configuration, common elements or neighbours is treated differently from work that does. Prior notice is required under Article 7, and statutes may impose practical rules. Obtain project-specific advice rather than relying on a general yes or no.

Can I move the kitchen to the other side of the apartment?

Possibly, but drainage, ventilation, water, electrical supply, floor build-up and structural constraints must be tested before the layout is approved.

Can I replace windows with a different colour?

That may alter the exterior configuration. Check the approved building appearance, community rules and municipal requirements before ordering.

Can I remain in the apartment during a complete renovation?

Usually it is impractical during strip-out and replacement of essential services. Dust, noise, safety, loss of water or power and lack of a usable kitchen or bathroom should be considered.

Planning an apartment renovation in Orihuela Costa?

HURPOMAR has been based in Cabo Roig since 1995 and coordinates substantial apartment and whole-property renovations across Orihuela Costa. Before comparing proposals, you may also find our guide to choosing a builder on the Costa Blanca useful. Send the development, approximate area, photographs and intended transformation through our project enquiry page.

Important: This article provides general information and does not replace project-specific legal, community, planning, architectural, engineering or tax advice.