Why Our Own Renovation Team Matters for an Investor Buying in Spain
Renovating a Spanish property from abroad raises one obvious question: who is actually on site, and who answers for the budget and the quality? We explain why Sókerim renovates with its own team rather than outside builders, and what to ask any company before trusting it with a project you cannot personally watch.
Who is behind this page. Sókerim is a Spanish real-estate agency (Lyrio Home Solutions, S.L.) with offices in the Madrid region and Alicante and a network of about 1,000 collaborating agencies across Spain. We help people who live abroad find, buy and manage property in Spain, in English, from the first search to the keys.
Who controls the budget and the quality when you are not on site
For an investor living in the United Kingdom, a renovation in Spain is usually managed entirely through someone else's eyes: photographs, phone calls, occasional video. That makes the structure behind the renovation, not just the quote, the real question worth asking before any money moves.
This page looks at what it means, in practical terms, for Sókerim to use its own renovation team rather than outside contractors, what our own completed projects show, and the questions worth putting to any company that offers to renovate on your behalf.
Results from past renovation projects vary and can be lower than hoped; none of the figures here are a promise about what a future project will return.
Who is actually on site when you live abroad
For an investor based in the United Kingdom, the renovation phase of a Spanish property is usually the hardest part to oversee from a distance. You cannot call in at the site on a Saturday morning, and a simple question about materials, deadlines or an unexpected problem can turn into a frustrating exchange across a language gap and a time difference. This is why who actually carries out the work, and who remains answerable for it, matters just as much as the price you paid for the property itself.
When Sókerim manages a project for you, the renovation is carried out by our own team rather than by a builder picked up at the last minute and loosely supervised by a third party. The same group that found the property, checked its condition and agreed a budget with you is the one that stays responsible once work begins, right through to handover for sale or rent. There is no separate contractor to chase, and no second company to blame when something needs explaining.
Buying a property and renovating it are two separate risks: always ask, in writing, who is contractually responsible for each one before you sign anything.
Our own team versus hiring separate builders
Many agencies that offer a renovation service to foreign investors simply pass the work to whichever local builder is available, then step back once the contract is signed. That arrangement can work well when everything goes smoothly, but if a budget slips or a deadline is missed, the investor is often left negotiating between two parties who each point at the other. Working with one group that sources the property and also renovates it removes that gap.
The table below sets out, in general terms, the practical difference this makes for someone who cannot visit the property regularly.
| Aspect | Separate builders | Our own team |
|---|---|---|
| Who agrees the budget | An outside contractor, negotiated apart from the purchase | The same team that sourced the property and advised you on it |
| Who answers for delays | Split between the agency and the builder | One group, from search to final handover |
| Communication while abroad | Often only in Spanish, through intermediaries | Handled in English, with regular updates |
| Site checks | Depend on the agency chasing the builder | Carried out by colleagues from the same renovation team |
What our own projects show so far
None of this is a promise about what any future project will return; renovation and resale outcomes vary, can be lower than hoped and are never guaranteed. What we can share is the record of work our group has actually completed and can document in its accounts.
18
Homes renovated and resold
Since 2022, our group has bought, renovated and resold 18 homes for its investor projects, a figure documented in the group's accounts. Past results like this do not predict what any future project will achieve.
22 %
Median renovation budget
Across those completed projects, the median renovation budget has been 22% of the purchase price, used here only as past data, never as an expected cost for a new project.
NIE
Paperwork that does not change
Whichever route you choose, buying or a fully managed renovation, you still need a Spanish tax number and usually a Spanish bank account; we help arrange both while the renovation team works independently on site.
Questions to ask any company offering renovation for investors
Before agreeing to any managed renovation from the United Kingdom, it is worth putting a short list of direct questions to whoever is arranging it. The answers usually show quite quickly whether you are dealing with a genuinely accountable operation, or with an agency that is simply outsourcing the risk to a builder it does not control.
- Who physically carries out the work: your own staff, or a subcontractor chosen project by project?
- Who is contractually responsible if the budget runs over or the timetable slips?
- Will you receive photo or video updates while you are in the United Kingdom, in a language you understand?
- Does the property stay registered in your own name throughout, with no pooling of investors' money into a fund?
- What happens, in writing, if the property sells or rents for less than you hoped?
Documents and tax points that apply from the United Kingdom
If you are buying or arranging a managed renovation from the United Kingdom, Spanish banks and our partner Colibrí Finances will typically ask for a recognisable paper trail before discussing any mortgage: proof of income such as a recent P60 and payslips, your last filed UK tax return (Self Assessment), bank statements from the last three to six months, evidence of any existing loans or mortgage commitments, and a valid passport or UK national identity document.
Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement in place, and a local tax adviser should confirm exactly how rental income or any gain from a Spanish property must be declared and reported to HMRC. As the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member state, British citizens may stay in Spain for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and need a visa or residence permit for longer stays; the Spanish Golden Visa for property investors ended on 3 April 2025 and is no longer available. Because the United Kingdom uses the pound sterling rather than the euro, it is sensible to factor exchange-rate movements and currency conversion costs into the budget before transferring funds to Spain.
If you live in the United Kingdom
Spain is a relatively short flight away from most UK airports, making regular visits to a Spanish property straightforward for owners based in Britain. Many British buyers are drawn to Spain for its climate, coastal lifestyle and established expatriate communities. One practical point to bear in mind is that Spanish inheritance law differs from UK rules, so it is worth taking specific advice on how it may affect the property and one's estate. Currency movements between sterling and the euro can also affect the overall cost of purchase and ongoing expenses.
What a Spanish bank will usually ask you for
- Proof of income: recent P60 and payslips
- Last filed UK tax return (Self Assessment)
- Bank statements from the last three to six months
- Evidence of existing loans or mortgage commitments
- Valid passport or UK national identity document
Tax at home and in Spain
Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement in place, and a local tax adviser should confirm how rental income or gains from Spanish property must be declared and reported to HMRC.
Staying in Spain
As the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member state, British citizens may stay in Spain for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and must apply for a visa or residence permit for longer stays.
Since the United Kingdom uses the pound sterling (GBP) rather than the euro, buyers should factor in exchange-rate movements and currency conversion costs when paying for a property or transferring funds to Spain.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my own builder instead of Sókerim's team if I choose the managed investment service?
The managed investment service is built around our own renovation team, since that is how we control budget, timing and quality on a project where you live abroad. If you prefer to use your own builder, the standalone buying service may suit you better, and we can still help with the search, checks and purchase itself.
How do I know the renovation budget agreed before I buy won't simply grow once work starts?
Because the same team that inspects the property and proposes the budget also carries out the renovation, there is no separate contractor with an incentive to add extras later. That does not remove every risk of unforeseen work in an older building, but it does mean one group, not two, is answerable for explaining any change.
Will I actually own the renovated property, or does Sókerim hold any stake in it?
You buy the property in your own name from the outset, and the deed is signed before a Spanish notary and registered in the Land Registry in your name. We are never a fund or a collective scheme; we are paid agreed fees for sourcing, renovating and later selling or renting the property for you.
What UK paperwork will I need before Colibrí Finances can discuss a mortgage for a renovation project?
Expect to provide proof of income such as a recent P60 and payslips, your last filed UK Self Assessment tax return, bank statements from the last three to six months, details of any existing loans or mortgage commitments, and a valid passport or UK national identity document. Exact requirements depend on the lender.
Does renting out the renovated property affect my tax position back in the United Kingdom?
Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement, but as a non-resident owner you must still file an annual Modelo 210 return in Spain on any rental income, and declare it to HMRC as required. A tax adviser familiar with both countries should confirm the detail for your own situation.