Finding the perfect place to construct a house may seem to be a very simple process, but in reality it can be a fairly complex operation. If you are interested in buying a plot of land in Mallorca, here we will show you some of the necessary steps. It is important to know clearly what each stage requires and to understand the implications of each section.
Establish a budget for your purchase
You will decide on your own budget by yourself, as it is a very personal choice – that is, the maximum price for which you will pay for a plot of land, determined by your own economic capacity. Here is where we separate the money which we will be investing in the land, and in the house.
Under normal circumstances, no more than 30% of the maximum budget should be allocated to buying the land. As always, it is recommended to ask the experts for advice, as an estate agent with experience and the help of an architect can help us to construct an idea of what may cost both stages: the buying of the land, and the construction of the house, with the necessary taxes, licenses, and projections.
Establishing a budget is the first step to follow in the acquisition of a plot of land, as the maximum price of the land that we can buy will be determined by our total economic capacity, which is to say the total investment which we will be allocating for the house and the land.
Let’s take an example: if our total budget is 1 million euros, for both the purchase of the land and the construction of a house, we should allocate 300,000 euros maximum for the purchase of the land in Mallorca.
Additionally, we should take into account that taxes will need to be added to the price of the land in Mallorca – property acquisition tax, which is 8-11%, plus registration costs and ownership costs which will add an additional 1-2%, so these taxes total around 10-12% above the selling price.
Choose your municipality and location in Mallorca
Choose the place carefully where you want to construct your house. Take into account that you may wish it to have good communication, with public transport nearby or major roads close. Find out whether the land is close to schools, shops or other public services which may interest you.
Finally, it is worthwhile informing yourself on the variations in climate of the site. The climate could greatly affect the later design and construction of the house.
Characteristics of the land
The layout and orientation of the land is almost the most important thing to take into account when it comes time to decide.
A plot of land without sun, whether because it is sheltered or covered by obstacles, or because the land is situated on the northern side of a mountain, may cause problems at the time of building the house.
Our building should take advantage of the natural light of the sun for warmth and for illumination, above all during the winter. We should concentrate on whether there is the possibility of orientating the house towards the south or, if there are trees, neighbours or obstacles which may block the sun.
The gradient of the land will also be essential. Although sloping land is often cheaper at point of sale, it normally brings a higher cost when it comes to building time. Moving the earth and containing walls will be key for these types of terrain.
The ideal is to always, before deciding to buy a plot of land, consult with an architect who can help us to understand and think about all of these conditions.
Get to know the soil
The soil of the land can greatly affect the price of the cement and foundations which may amount to between 5 and 20% of the total construction cost.
Very soft earth may make it necessary to build very deep foundations which may mean an even higher proportion of the construction cost.
Get to know the construction rules
It is essential to consult the building regulations specific to the municipality. The metreage or area (expressed in m2/land) and the occupation (expressed in %) will limit the dimensions of the project and it is important to find out whether these fit with our plan of the house.
The first variable, the occupation, is the surface of the earth upon which we can build, which is to say that if a parcel of land of 1000m2 has an occupation of 20%, we can build a house whose base will occupy 200m2.
On the other hand, with metreage, these are the constructable metres, the quantity of square metres which can be built, counting all floors, in the case that there is more than one.
The number of floors also may be limited by regulations and, in general for single-family residences, the maximum height is often limited to one or two floors over the ground floor. On the other hand, there are many regulations which control the construction of attics.
When building on sloping ground, it will be very important to consult the regulations with respect to the restraint of land. There are rules which limit the volume of earth which can be moved on a single plot.
The building materials, above all for the façade, may also be determined by regulation. For example, in rural áreas or small populations with heritage, sometimes you may be obliged to build a stone façade so that it adapts to the surroundings.
It is important to check your boundaries with the neighbours and with the street. Get to know, and comply with the obligatory metres of separation. There is a minimum distance for separation with the street, and also a separation distance with neighbouring properties.
Occasionally, the separation between parcels may be defined or limited. For example, the rules may stop the construction of a wall or any opaque element along the perimeter of the parcel, or limit the height or construction of walls.
Conditions for building on rustic land in Mallorca
The ordination rules of the Territorial Plan of Mallorca establish which conditions the parcel of land should comply with to be able to construct a single-family house, and which parameters the construction of the house should comply with.
That it should not be expressly forbidden
That on the zone where you wish to build, the construction should not be expressly forbidden by the general planning, and that all of the pre-established conditions should be complied with.
Only one building per plot
A “dwelling” is defined as any building whose primary function is to offer shelter and living to people, protecting them from inclement climate and other threats. Other words for dwellings include apartment, lodging, house, domicile, ranch, home, mansion, flat, etc.
Morphology of the construction
- Other attachments, such as workshops, should not be constructed without permission
- All of the rooms which form part of the house should be in the same building.
- Separate buildings can only be constructed as long as their use is complementary and that the surface built complies with established laws.
Minimum plot area for rustic land in Mallorca
The Territorial Plan of Mallorca about general rustic land establishes a minimum of 50,000m2 of land per parcel. However, the regulations for agrarian land state a mínimum of 14,000m2.
Date limit for the registration of a parcel on rustic land
Another of the requisites which the Territorial Plan establishes is that the division of the parcel in question should have been registered before the year 1997.
License to construct on land in Mallorca
If the parcel complies with the requisites to be able to construct on it, we should go to the town hall and present a basic project for them to approve. Once approved, under license it may or may not be built, but it gives us the guarantee that if regulations change in the coming months, we will have the ability to construct or to sell the parcel of land with the construction license, something which would raise its value in the future.
Once we have studied the land, informed ourselves of the construction rules, and presented the project, this is the moment to start constructing the house of your dreams. If you still haven’t found your perfect house, Dompick will help you to find the house of your dreams. And if you prefer, we will also show you different plots of land so that you yourself can construct your own house.