Hiring an electrician, plumber or reform contractor in Spain

Terms used

• Empresa instaladora — The empresa instaladora is a registered installer company, required for electrical, plumbing, gas and heating work.
• Boletín — The boletín is the certificate an electrician issues when electrical installation work is finished.
• REA — The REA is the register of accredited companies that construction firms must be in to subcontract.
• Licencia de obras — The licencia de obras is the full building permit needed for major works, with an architect's project.
• Declaración responsable — The declaración responsable is a notice to the town hall that lets minor or medium works start straight away.
• Comunicación previa — The comunicación previa is a prior notice to the town hall for smaller works, used like a declaración responsable.
• ICIO — The ICIO is a municipal tax charged on building and renovation works.
• IVA — The IVA is Spain's value added tax, charged on goods and services.

Key rules

• Registration: Electricians, plumbers, gas and heating installers must be registered empresas instaladoras, so ask for the registration number.
• Reduced IVA: Reform work on your home can carry 10% IVA instead of 21% if you meet the conditions and tell the contractor.
• Permit: The owner is legally responsible for the permit, even if the contractor files it.
• Warranty: Warranty periods run from final acceptance of the works, so keep proof of the date.
• Contract: Never start without a written contract and a written quote, and avoid large payments up front.

Start with the registrations, not the reviews

Find people through neighbours, your community administrator (administrador de fincas) or online quote services, then check them yourself. Review sites and quote platforms collect opinions and may check basic business details, but their vetting is limited. It does not replace checking registrations, insurance and a written quote.

Get at least three quotes. The checklist below lists what to ask for and how to compare them.

What to check for each trade

Electricians. The firm should be a registered empresa instaladora, and the installer should hold a valid carnet or authorisation. When the work is finished, they issue the certificado de instalación eléctrica (boletín). Ask for it.

Plumbers, gas and heating installers. These firms must also be registered empresas instaladoras, with certified installers. Gas work needs a gas installer certificate.

You can check these registrations with your region's industry department. Registers and names vary by region.

Reform contractors. No general national licence exists for them. They must be registered for tax and Social Security. For subcontracting in construction, they should be in the REA. Ask for the registration number, the insurance policy and an invoice.

Insurance

No general law makes every reform contractor carry civil liability insurance. Installers of electrical, gas and heating systems must have it. Larger contractors usually do anyway. Ask for the current policy certificate and the latest premium receipt. Check the sum insured and that the policy covers the activity you are hiring for. Put the insurance in the contract as a clause.

Do you need a permit?

Rules come from regional laws and each ayuntamiento's own ordinances, so ask your town hall before work starts.

• A licencia de obras is generally needed for major works: structural changes, extensions, façade or change-of-use work, and new buildings. It needs a project signed by an architect.
• A declaración responsable or comunicación previa is generally enough for minor and medium works with no structural change, such as replacing floors, bathrooms or kitchens. You can start work straight away after filing.
• Simple maintenance, such as painting inside, often needs nothing.
• Protected buildings and shared parts of the building need extra approval. Your community of owners may need to be told or give consent.

The owner is legally responsible for the permit, even when the contractor or architect files it for you with your signed authorisation. Work without the right permit can bring fines, a stop order, or an order to demolish or restore, and these fall on you. The municipality charges a fee (tasa) and a tax (ICIO). The contract should say who files, who pays these and who bears delays.

IVA on reforms

The reduced IVA rate of 10% applies when all of these are true:

• The home is used as a home.
• You are a private individual, not a builder.
• The work is done at least two years after the building was completed.
• Materials supplied by the contractor are no more than 40% of the total price.

Otherwise the general 21% applies. You must tell the contractor in writing that the conditions are met. Temporary lower rates for energy-efficiency work have applied at times, so check the current rule. These rates apply in mainland Spain and the Balearics. The Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla have different taxes.

The works warranty

The warranty clock starts at final acceptance of the works. For new builds and major structural reforms, builders are liable for 1 year for finishing defects, 3 years for habitability defects and 10 years for structural defects. The timeline below shows this.

Small reforms are usually covered by the Civil Code and consumer law instead. The contractor is liable for poor work, and you have consumer remedies. The general limit for claims is five years. Whether your reform counts as major depends on its scale and nature.

Put it in writing

Sign a written contract before work starts. It should include:

• Names and tax IDs of both parties.
• A detailed description of the works, with the budget and plans attached.
• The total price, whether IVA is included, and how extras are priced and approved in writing.
• Payment stages tied to finished work, with a retention held back until final handover.
• Start and end dates, and penalties for delay.
• Materials, with brands and quality.
• Who obtains permits and removes rubble.
• Insurance, the warranty period, how subcontracting works and how disputes are resolved.

Avoid large cash payments up front and always ask for invoices. The documents list and warnings below cover the rest.

Timeline and deadlines

• Final acceptance of the works: the warranty periods start from this date: on the date you accept the finished works

• Finishing defects are covered by the builder: for 1 year after final acceptance

• Habitability defects affecting hygiene, health, environment or comfort are covered: for 3 years after final acceptance

• Structural defects affecting the building's stability are covered: for 10 years after final acceptance

• Small reforms: claims under the Civil Code and consumer law: within 5 years, the general limit for claims

Documents you need

• Registration number of the empresa instaladora (registered installer company) for electrical, plumbing, heating or gas work, which you can check with the regional industry department.

• Certificado de instalación eléctrica (boletín), issued by the installer when electrical work is finished.

• Gas installer certificate, for any gas work.

• Current civil liability insurance policy certificate and latest premium receipt. Installers of electrical, gas and heating systems must have this cover; for other reform contractors it is optional but wise to require in the contract.

• Written reform contract with the parties' tax IDs, the budget and plans attached, price, payment stages, dates, materials, warranty period and how disputes are resolved.

• Invoice for all work and payments.

• Signed authorisation for the contractor or architect to file the permit notice on your behalf, if they file it for you.

Before you hire: questions to ask and what to get in writing

Before you hire

• Ask for a written presupuesto (quote) before any work starts, with the work, parts, labour, price including IVA (Spanish sales tax) and how long the quote is valid.

• Accept the quote in writing, and agree that any work outside it needs your approval first.

• Get at least three quotes and compare them on the same scope, itemised by demolition, rubble removal, labour, materials and finishes.

• Check that each quote names the same material brands and qualities, and whether IVA is included (reforms of homes can qualify for 10% under conditions, otherwise 21%).

• Compare start and end dates, payment stages, what counts as an extra, the warranty and the insurance. Treat a quote far below the others with suspicion, since it may leave things out.

• Ask an electrician for their empresa instaladora (registered installer company) details and installer authorisation, and check them with your regional industry department.

• Ask a plumber, gas or heating installer for their registered empresa instaladora number, and for a gas installer certificate if the job involves gas.

• Ask a reform contractor for their registration number, proof of civil liability insurance, proof they are registered for tax and Social Security, and their registration in the REA (register of accredited construction companies).

• Ask your town hall whether the job needs a licencia de obras (full building permit, with an architect's project) or only a declaración responsable (a notice that lets work start straight away).

• Ask your community of owners whether the work touches shared elements or needs their consent, and check the extra approval needed in a protected building.

• Agree in writing who obtains the permits, who pays the town hall fees and ICIO tax, and who removes the rubble.

• Get a written reform contract with both parties' names and tax IDs, a detailed description of the works with the budget and plans attached, the total price and how extras are approved in writing.

• Put in the contract the payment stages tied to finished work, a retention held back until final handover, the start and end dates and penalties for delay.

• Add to the contract the materials with brands and quality, the warranty period, how subcontracting works and how disputes are resolved.

• Ask which documents you will receive at the end: a factura (invoice), a written warranty, and the certificate for the installation, such as the electrical certificate (boletín), the gas or heating certificate, or the certificate of completion for major works.

• Avoid large advance payments and pay in a way that leaves a record, then ask for the invoice.

What to watch out for

• Large payments up front: Paying a big amount before the work is done leaves you with little leverage if the work stops or is poor. Tie payments to completed stages and hold back a final part until handover. Pay by traceable means and ask for an invoice each time.

• Extras without written approval: Extra work priced on the spot can push the final bill well above the quote. Write into the contract that extras are priced and approved in writing before they start.

• Permit left unclear: Work without the required permit can bring fines, a stop order or an order to demolish or restore, and these fall on you as the owner. State in the contract who files the permit, who pays the municipal fees and the ICIO tax, and who bears delays.

• No end date or delay penalty: Without dates, a reform can drag on with no consequence for the contractor. Set a start date, an end date and a penalty for delay in the contract.

• Vague materials and subcontracting: If brands, quality and subcontracting are not written down, you may get cheaper materials or unknown workers. List materials with brands and quality, say how subcontracting works, and state who removes the rubble.

Frequently asked questions

Who has to apply for the building permit, me or the contractor?

You are the legal applicant for the permit, even if the contractor or architect files it for you. They can file on your behalf with your signed authorisation, but any fine, stop order or order to restore the work falls on you. Put in the contract who files and who pays the municipal fees and the ICIO tax on works.

Does a small bathroom or kitchen reform need a full licence?

Usually no, a bathroom or kitchen reform with no structural change normally needs only a declaración responsable, a notice that lets you start work straight away.

Which IVA rate applies to a home reform?

The reduced rate of 10% applies if the home is your residence, you are a private individual, the building is at least two years old, and the contractor's materials are no more than 40% of the total price. Otherwise the rate is 21%.

How long do I have to claim if the work turns out to be defective?

For major works under the building law, you have 1 year for finishing defects, 3 years for habitability defects and 10 years for structural defects, counted from the final acceptance of the works.

Can I rely on reviews from a quote platform to choose a contractor?

No, reviews help you shortlist, but platforms only do limited checks on professionals. Still check the registration, insurance and a written quote yourself.