Costa Blanca
Jávea, Moraira and the Alicante coast
The northern Costa Blanca is the quieter British coast — design-led, slower-paced, and full of mid-century villas that need thoughtful updating. Our Costa Blanca builders specialise in kitchens, bathrooms and the kind of finish-quality work that British owners notice.
Costa Blanca · at a glance
- Vetted builders
- 1
- Avg. rating
- 4.8 ★
- Reviews collected
- 64
- Projects delivered
- 91
Latest news from Costa Blanca
All Spain news →- Euro Weekly News · 15h agoCalpe seafront makeover backed by €278,000 in EU funding
Two of Calpe’s busiest seafront promenades have secured almost €279,000 in European funding after extensive restoration work aimed at improving […]
- Spanish Property Insight · 25 JunAnother Ecopark dispute emerges in Alicante province
After SPI reported on the Ecoparc dispute in Moraira, readers got in touch about a remarkably similar controversy in Dolores. The lesson? Always do your location due diligence. Last week SPI reported on an Ecopark dispute in Moraira, where…
- Spanish Property Insight · 18 JunWhat the Moraira ecopark dispute tells us about location due diligence for buyers
A dispute over plans for a new ecopark waste collection facility in a residential area of Moraira on the Costa Blanca highlights an important lesson for anyone buying or selling property in Spain: location due diligence matters. A group of…
Why it matters here
What we vet for in Costa Blanca.
Building permits are stricter here than on the Costa del Sol, and local builders who don't deal regularly with British clients often skip the paperwork (and you find out at resale). Every Costa Blanca builder on BuildSpain handles permits end-to-end and provides a digital handover pack in English.
Typical projects
- Kitchen design & install
- Bathroom renovations
- Wet rooms
- Tiling & stonework
- Lighting design
Cities & towns served
- Jávea
- Javea
- Moraira
- Calpe
- Dénia
- Denia
- Altea
- Benissa
- Benidorm
- Alfaz del Pi
- Alicante
- Torrevieja
- Orihuela
The network
1 vetted builder in Costa Blanca
Why Costa Blanca
What to expect from a reform in Costa Blanca
The Costa Blanca splits into two distinct halves. The northern Costa Blanca around Jávea, Moraira, Calpe and Dénia is design-led, slower-paced, and full of mid-century Belgian and British villas that are now being modernised by their second or third owners. The southern Costa Blanca around Alicante, Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa is higher-volume, more apartment-heavy, with a younger British community. Building standards on the Costa Blanca are technically stricter than the Costa del Sol — permits actually get enforced, especially in protected coastal zones — so reputable builders here are used to handling paperwork end-to-end. That's the good news. The bad news is the local labour pool is smaller than Marbella's, so good contractors get booked out 4-9 months ahead in peak demand.
Typical projects
What things cost in Costa Blanca
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.
Kitchen reform (typical northern Costa Blanca villa)
€15,000 – €38,000
Typical duration · 3-7 weeks
Premium Spanish cabinets with Silestone or Compac worktops, Bosch appliances. Removing internal walls between kitchen and living adds €3-6k for the structural calc.
Bathroom renovation
€5,500 – €13,000
Typical duration · 2-4 weeks
Wet-room conversions are particularly popular — many Costa Blanca villas were built in the 80s with awkward stepped showers. Replacing with a walk-in wet room adds ~€2-3k.
Full villa reform (3-bed, 180m²)
€95,000 – €220,000
Typical duration · 5-10 months
Lower per-m² than Costa del Sol due to slightly lower labour rates. Includes electrical rewire, plumbing, two bathrooms, kitchen and outdoor area. Northern coast (Jávea, Moraira) priced ~15% higher than southern (Torrevieja, Orihuela).
Solar + battery installation (6kW system)
€8,500 – €14,000
Typical duration · 3-5 days
Increasingly common — the south-east Spanish solar irradiance is excellent. Requires legalisation paperwork (RD 244/2019). Most Costa Blanca electricians now handle this end-to-end.
Roof terrace conversion (azotea to living space)
€18,000 – €45,000
Typical duration · 6-12 weeks
Requires licencia mayor and structural calc. Insulation matters — bad jobs turn the room below into an oven in August.
Permits & paperwork
Permits in Costa Blanca, explained
Costa Blanca town halls — particularly in Jávea, Dénia, Altea and Calpe — apply building rules strictly because of the protected coastal landscape. Many villas sit inside protected zones where reform options are constrained, and Sólo Suelo (LIC, Red Natura 2000) zones effectively forbid extensions. Good builders check the cadastral classification of your property before quoting.
Licencia menor
For cosmetic + small reforms
Licencia de obra menor — for cosmetic reforms, replacements, internal changes that don't affect structure. Typical processing: 3-6 weeks in smaller town halls, longer in Alicante and Benidorm. Cost: ~2% of works value.
Licencia mayor
For structural + extensions
Licencia de obra mayor — structural, extensions, change-of-use. Northern Costa Blanca processing can take 6-12 months because of the additional Coastal Authority (Costas) review for properties near the sea. Architect required.
Common pitfalls
What goes wrong in Costa Blanca reforms
Real patterns we see when reforms go sideways here. Most are easy to avoid if you know to look for them.
Buying a 'project house' without a feasibility study
The Costa Blanca has hundreds of listed pre-1970s villas marketed as 'renovation opportunity'. Many of them are inside protected zones where the cost of bringing them up to modern spec exceeds the eventual market value. Get an arquitecto técnico to assess feasibility BEFORE you buy.
Underestimating coastal corrosion
Within 1-2km of the sea, salt air destroys cheap fittings. Specify marine-grade stainless steel (316, not 304) on all exterior screws, hinges, handrails. The price difference is €200, the longevity difference is years.
Septic tank surprises (rural Costa Blanca)
Many properties in the campo (countryside) rural areas use private septic tanks (fosa séptica). Old ones often fail building inspection or contaminate groundwater. Budget €3,000-€8,000 to legalise or replace as part of any reform.
'No need for an architect'
If a Costa Blanca builder says this for anything beyond paint and tiles, they're either inexperienced or planning to work without a licence. Always insist — Spanish liability law makes the architect responsible for structural safety, which protects you.
When to reform
Best time of year for a reform in Costa Blanca
September through May. Costa Blanca summers (mid-June to early September) are punishingly hot for outdoor work — concrete, render and tile adhesive cure unpredictably above 35°C. Northern Costa Blanca (Jávea, Moraira) is workable year-round indoors. Avoid scheduling a kitchen reform over August — your builder will likely close for 2-3 weeks.
Frequently asked
Owners in Costa Blanca ask us
- Do BuildSpain builders in Costa Blanca speak English?
- Yes — every builder on our Costa Blanca 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 Costa Blanca builder?
- Most owners hear back within a working day. Costa Blanca builders on BuildSpain typically reply to new leads in 2h 40m on average.
- What does BuildSpain's vetting process include?
- Every Costa Blanca 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 Costa Blanca builders handle permits and paperwork?
- Yes — all BuildSpain builders in Costa Blanca 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 Costa Blanca builders typically take on?
- Costa Blanca builders on BuildSpain specialise in kitchen design & install, bathroom renovations, wet rooms and similar reform work. Projects on the platform range from €5k bathroom refits to €250k full villa reforms.