Renovating an Old House in the Algarve
Old Algarve houses have qualities you cannot build new, and problems you will not see on a half-hour viewing. This guide is about telling them apart before you sign.
What to inspect before buying
Most expensive surprises in a renovation were visible before purchase, to anyone who knew where to look.
- Cracks in structural walls, especially diagonally above doors and windows
- Signs of rising damp at the base of external walls
- Condition of the roof, timbers and guttering
- Electrical installation with no modern consumer unit or earthing
- Lead or galvanised iron plumbing
- Complete absence of thermal insulation in walls and roof
Damp is the most common problem
In older Algarve construction, rising damp is close to a rule. Stone masonry walls sit directly on the ground with no damp-proof course, and draw water up by capillary action.
Painting over it works for one winter. The real fix means treating the source, ventilating, and using appropriate renders, and it is work that must happen before any finishes, not after.
When demolition beats renovation
There is a point beyond which renovating costs more than building new and delivers less. You reach it when structure, roof and every service need replacing and the building sits badly on the plot anyway.
What argues for renovation is the existing floor area: on many plots, the current building exceeds what you would be allowed to build from scratch today. Keeping the structure preserves a right that demolition would forfeit. It is the first thing we check before advising either way.
Is renovating cheaper than building new?
Not always. A light renovation clearly is, but a deep renovation touching structure, roof and all services approaches the cost of new construction, with more unknowns along the way.
How do you quote work with unknowns?
We quote what is visible and identify in writing what can only be confirmed once walls and floors are opened up. We always recommend a contingency allowance on older buildings. A quote promising no surprises in a seventy-year-old house is not a realistic quote.
Can I live in the house during the work?
On partial renovations sometimes yes, phasing by area. On a deep renovation it is not advisable: there are water and power outages, constant dust and noise, and the work takes longer when it has to work around occupants.