Facade works: how the cost is divided
The facade of a building is a common element, so the cost of repairing it is shared by all owners in proportion to their participation quota, including ground floor units and those whose windows do not face the works.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- All owners contribute by quota, regardless of which floor they occupy.
- Conservation works are obligatory and do not require a discretionary vote.
- A facade project on a coastal block commonly runs 60,000 € to 250,000 €.
- Scaffolding alone can account for 15 % to 30 % of the total.
It is the largest bill most apartment owners in Spain ever receive from their community, and the one where the objection that comes first is almost always the one that fails.
Why everyone pays
The facade is a common element of the building, which means it belongs to all owners in the proportion of their participation quotas. A ground floor commercial unit with its own entrance still owns a share of the structure above it, and a flat at the rear still owns a share of the front. Statutes can vary this, but only if they say so expressly, and most do not.
| Item | Share of cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Scaffolding and site setup | 15 to 30 % | fixed regardless of damage extent |
| Repair of concrete and rebar | 20 to 40 % | the main variable |
| Render and finish | 15 to 25 % | |
| Paint system | 10 to 20 % | |
| Technical direction and safety | 8 to 12 % | required |
| Licence and waste | 3 to 6 % | |
| Typical total, coastal block | 60,000 to 250,000 € | |
| Owner share at 2,5 % quota | 1,500 to 6,250 € |
Conservation is obligatory
Works necessary for the proper conservation and habitability of the building do not depend on a discretionary vote. The community must carry them out, and an owner cannot escape their share by voting against or by arguing that they personally see no benefit. The meeting decides how and when, and approves the budget and the levy, but not whether the building should be maintained.
Where the argument is legitimate
On scope, where a project mixes necessary repair with optional improvement such as new balcony railings in a different design. On the split, where the statutes genuinely allocate certain elements differently. On the tender, where only 1 quotation was obtained for a 6 figure project. And on staging, where the works could reasonably be split across 2 budget years to ease the levy. Those arguments belong at the meeting, in writing, before the vote.
Requesting 3 comparable quotations with the same specification is the single most effective intervention an owner can make.
Timing and payment
A levy is usually spread across 6 to 24 monthly instalments, and a community may take a loan to spread it further. A buyer completing after a levy has been approved but before it has been charged is generally the one who pays, which is why the question of approved works belongs in the pre purchase enquiries alongside the arrears certificate.
Frequently asked
+Does a ground floor owner pay for facade works?
Yes. The facade is a common element and all owners contribute in proportion to their participation quota.
+Can I refuse if I voted against?
No. Works necessary for conservation are obligatory and the share is due regardless of the vote.
+What does a facade project cost?
Commonly 60,000 € to 250,000 € on a coastal block, with scaffolding alone at 15 % to 30 % of the total.
+What can legitimately be challenged?
Scope that mixes in improvements, a single untendered quotation, or an allocation contrary to the statutes.
+Who pays if I buy just before the works?
Generally the owner at the time the levy is charged, which is why approved works must be checked before purchase.
Sources
- 1Boletín Oficial del Estado, BOE (August 2026)
- 2Govern de les Illes Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears (August 2026)