Canary Islands
Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura
Year-round building weather, a strong British retirement and remote-work community, and an island-specific construction culture that's very different from the mainland. We're building the Canaries network island-by-island — Tenerife south coast first.
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Join the Canaries waitlist
We'll email you the moment a vetted Canaries builder is live in our network.
Why it matters here
What we vet for in Canaries.
Importing materials adds cost and lead time on every Canary project, which honest builders factor in up front and bad ones discover three weeks into the job. Our Canary onboarding includes a materials-sourcing review, which is why it's slower than the mainland.
Typical projects
- Villa reforms
- Pool builds
- Outdoor living
- Solar installations
Cities & towns served
- Tenerife south
- Las Palmas
- Lanzarote
- Fuerteventura
- La Palma
No vetted Canaries builders yet
We'll match you with the nearest active region.
Submit an inquiry and we'll either pair you with a nearby builder willing to travel, or hold your inquiry until we onboard the right local pro.
Why Canaries
What to expect from a reform in Canary Islands
The Canary Islands — particularly Tenerife south, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura — host the longest-running British communities in Spain. The reform market here is split between residential reforms for British residents (year-round and snowbirds) and short-term rental (Airbnb / Vivienda Vacacional) refits driven by the post-2020 tourism reset. The Canaries' unique tax status (IGIC at 7% vs mainland IVA at 21%) makes materials cheaper, but skilled labour costs are similar to mainland Spain. Building regulations differ from mainland Spain in some areas — particularly water management (every drop counts on volcanic islands).
Typical projects
What things cost in Canaries
2026 market rates for builders working with English-speaking clients on properly-permitted projects. Your actual quote will depend on spec, finishes and any unusual structural work.
Villa reform (Tenerife south, 180m²)
€80,000 – €200,000
Typical duration · 5-10 months
Cheaper materials offset by 10-15% higher labour rates than mainland. Includes full kitchen, two bathrooms, electrical, plumbing, pool refurbishment.
Vivienda Vacacional refit (apartment for short-let)
€18,000 – €45,000
Typical duration · 3-6 weeks
Includes furnishing to short-let standards, white-goods, basic kitchen / bathroom refresh, durable flooring. Requires VV licence — supply is capped on most islands so check ratio before buying.
Kitchen reform
€11,000 – €28,000
Typical duration · 3-5 weeks
Canary kitchens use slightly different specs to mainland — humidity-resistant cabinet finishes, marine-spec hinges. Local workshops in Adeje and Las Palmas dominate.
Solar + battery (5-6kW)
€7,500 – €12,500
Typical duration · 3-5 days
Excellent solar irradiance year-round (Tenerife / Gran Canaria south). Lower IGIC tax on equipment helps. Canaria-specific regulations apply.
Water cisterna installation / replacement
€4,500 – €12,000
Typical duration · 2-4 weeks
Many rural Canary properties rely on roof rainwater collection and storage. Modern fibreglass cisternas with UV sterilisation are standard for new installs.
Permits & paperwork
Permits in Canary Islands, explained
Canary Islands planning processes vary significantly between islands and even between municipalities. Tenerife south town halls (Adeje, Arona, Granadilla) are reasonably efficient — 4-8 weeks for minor works. Some island interiors are slower. The Vivienda Vacacional (VV) holiday-let licence is separate from works licences and has been periodically frozen on busy islands.
Licencia menor
For cosmetic + small reforms
Licencia de obra menor — for non-structural reforms. Costs and processing vary by island. IGIC at 7% applies to construction materials and services (mainland equivalent IVA is 10-21%).
Licencia mayor
For structural + extensions
Licencia de obra mayor — required for structural, extensions, new pools, change of use. Architect mandatory. Coastal properties may need additional Demarcación de Costas review.
Common pitfalls
What goes wrong in Canaries reforms
Real patterns we see when reforms go sideways here. Most are easy to avoid if you know to look for them.
VV (holiday let) licence supply caps
Tenerife south, Gran Canaria south and parts of Lanzarote have effectively frozen new VV licences. Buying a property to short-let without an existing licence is a serious risk. Verify the licence is transferable AND active before purchase.
Water supply assumptions in rural areas
Many rural Canary properties have no mains water — they fill cisternas from delivery lorries or rooftop rainwater. Costs €40-100 per delivery, weekly in summer. Factor into running costs and reform plans.
Volcanic ash and salt-air corrosion
Coastal Canary properties take a beating from salt + fine volcanic dust. Specify marine-grade fittings everywhere external. Standard galvanised steel rusts within 2-3 years.
Builder availability cycles with tourism
Canary builders compete with tourism / hospitality maintenance. December-February is peak demand (post-summer wear + pre-Christmas). Schedule your reform for shoulder seasons (May-June, September-October) for better availability.
When to reform
Best time of year for a reform in Canaries
Year-round on the Canaries — the climate is mild enough that there's no true off-season. Best windows for fastest contractor response: May, September, October. Avoid mid-December to mid-January (Christmas) and late July to mid-August (local holidays).
Frequently asked
Owners in Canaries ask us
- Do BuildSpain builders in Canary Islands speak English?
- Yes — every builder on our Canary Islands network has been vetted for spoken and written English. They handle quotes, contracts, and on-site communication in English so there's no translation gap on your project.
- How quickly will I get a quote from a Canary Islands builder?
- Most owners hear back within a working day. Canary Islands builders on BuildSpain typically reply to new leads in a few hours on average.
- What does BuildSpain's vetting process include?
- Every Canary Islands builder is checked for: valid Spanish business registration (CIF/NIE), at least three years of British or English-speaking clients, written quotes in English, and reference projects we can verify with past owners.
- Do Canary Islands builders handle permits and paperwork?
- Yes — all BuildSpain builders in Canary Islands handle permit applications, the licencia de obra, and end-of-project paperwork including the boletín eléctrico where relevant. You don't have to deal with the Ayuntamiento yourself.
- What kind of projects do Canary Islands builders typically take on?
- Canaries builders on BuildSpain specialise in villa reforms, pool builds, outdoor living and similar reform work. Projects on the platform range from €5k bathroom refits to €250k full villa reforms.