Restoring a finca or a ruin on rustic land is a different job from building on an urban plot. The architect needs to know what the town hall will allow, and the builder needs experience with old stone, thick walls and no mains services.
Ask to see finished rural projects, talk to past clients, and agree a specification in writing before you agree a price. Stage payments against finished work, not dates.
Off-grid plans change the building: plan the solar, water and waste from the start, so trenches, tanks and cable runs are dug once.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Can I see country houses you’ve finished?
- Who will be on site day to day?
- How are stage payments tied to finished work?
- Have you worked with this town hall before?