The Beginning Phases of the House Build
Can you believe it?! We have a plot and we start our dream holiday house-cretan Sun construction with the Cretan construction company CRETA DOM !!!! This didn’t happen overnight… I’ve just been bad about blogging all that has been happening at the land! You see, we’ve been SNAPPING the visits to the home site and updates in my blog ……………… SO much going on!!!
Embarking on the construction of your holiday house is an exciting venture that promises a space for relaxation and cherished memories. Begin by selecting a location that aligns with your vision, whether it’s a serene beachfront, a secluded forest, or a picturesque countryside.
Engage with architects and builders early on to design a space that reflects your style and meets your needs, ensuring it complements the natural surroundings. Consider sustainable building practices, like using eco-friendly materials and incorporating efficient energy solutions, to minimize your environmental impact.
As construction progresses, stay actively involved in the process, making timely decisions on interiors and finishes to create a harmonious and inviting atmosphere. With careful planning and collaboration, your holiday house will soon become the perfect escape for you and your loved ones.
Stages of a “Design-Bid Build” Construct Project
Step 1: Design, create a construction budget spreadsheet and the timeline chart
The primary difference is that the contractors might coordinate all subcontractors in-house because they all work from one contract. In the design-build model, the pre-construction phase includes the following steps:
- Obtain budget approval.
- Inform city officials, local representatives, and private sector personnel about the project.
- Collaborate with the entire team to develop and refine plans or adjustments for the construction site.
- Coordinate schedules with the surrounding community and private firms to minimize disruptions.
- Conduct an equipment inventory to assess needs.
Step 2: Pre-Construction
TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY
Once you have selected a possible purchase site/property, you must (both for your own piece of mind, and to meet the requirements of Greek Law) arrange for your Architect/Structural Engineer to prepare, and sign, a Topographical Survey (known locally as a ‘topo’).
This will generally comprise a 1:100 triangulated Site Plan, giving details of boundaries and key dimensions. Existing title deeds (if they exist) can be vague regarding measurements.
Unlike many other EU countries, the boundaries of land and property in Crete are generally not clearly identified by walls or fences, and therefore this is an essential exercise.
The area of the plot will have a direct relationship on the area of the building you will be permitted to construct/extend on the land, this is known as the plots ‘construction coefficient’, which will depend on whether the plot is located within, or outside, the town/village boundaries.
The ‘topo’ should in theory be provided by the Vendor, but in my experience this rarely happens, and if one is available, its accuracy may be questionable. If a ‘topo’ is available, your Architect/Engineer must check that this correlates with the existing plot or building you are considering purchasing.
‘Topo’ Survey costs depend on the size and complexity of the plot, but generally these costs should not exceed €450.00 (excluding FPA).
As a rule: all plots must have a new topographic plan with recent GPS coordinates, a clearance from the forestry department if located outside the village boundaries, a clearance for the “water line” in case it is a sea side plot (the law requires the building at a min. distance from the sea), a clearance from the archaeological service in certain areas. It must be cleared of debts and have clean titles.