{"id":10334,"date":"2026-09-11T12:17:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T12:17:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dpcon.es\/?page_id=10334"},"modified":"2026-09-14T05:57:04","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T05:57:04","slug":"construction-damage","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dpcon.es\/en\/construction-damage\/","title":{"rendered":"Construction Damage"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” admin_label=”Hero” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#3550a0″ parallax=”on” custom_margin=”|||” custom_padding=”0|0px|0|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”Construction Defect Claims” subhead=”Expert architects and lawyers for building defect claims in homes and buildings” button_one_text=”Call us” button_one_url=”tel:646567732″ button_two_text=”Contact” button_two_url=”https:\/\/dpcon.es\/en\/contact-us\/” content_max_width=”800px” disabled_on=”off|off|off” module_class=”cabeceraPagina” _builder_version=”4.16″ title_font=”Playfair Display|700|||||||” title_font_size=”50px” title_line_height=”1.5em” content_font=”||||||||” content_font_size=”20px” content_line_height=”1.8em” subhead_font=”Lato||||||||” subhead_font_size=”23px” subhead_line_height=”1.8em” background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_direction=”220deg” background_color_gradient_stops=”rgba(53,80,160,0.45) 0%|#3550a0 100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”rgba(53,80,160,0.45)” background_color_gradient_end=”#3550a0″ background_image=”https:\/\/dpcon.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/recmalacion-danos-constructivos.jpg” custom_button_one=”on” button_one_text_size=”16px” button_one_text_color=”#3550a0″ button_one_bg_color=”#ffffff” button_one_border_width=”10px” button_one_border_color=”rgba(210,159,104,0)” button_one_border_radius=”100px” button_one_font=”Lato|900|||||||” button_one_use_icon=”off” custom_button_two=”on” button_two_text_size=”16px” button_two_text_color=”#ffffff” button_two_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.15)” button_two_border_width=”10px” button_two_border_color=”rgba(210,159,104,0)” button_two_border_radius=”100px” button_two_font=”Lato|900|||||||” button_two_use_icon=”off” custom_margin=”|||” custom_padding=”6vw||6vw||false” custom_padding_tablet=”20vw||20vw||true” custom_padding_phone=”20vw||20vw||true” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” title_font_size_tablet=”50px” title_font_size_phone=”32px” title_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” subhead_font_size_tablet=”” subhead_font_size_phone=”20px” subhead_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” button_one_text_color_hover=”#3550a0″ button_two_text_color_hover=”#ffffff” button_one_bg_color_hover=”rgba(255,255,255,0.8)” button_two_bg_color_hover=”rgba(255,255,255,0.3)” global_colors_info=”{}” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”on” button_one_text_color__hover=”#3550a0″ button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”on” button_two_text_color__hover=”#ffffff” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”on” button_one_bg_color__hover=”rgba(255,255,255,0.8)” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”on” button_two_bg_color__hover=”rgba(255,255,255,0.3)”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”20px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”27px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_line_height=”1.7em” text_orientation=”justified” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

What to do about construction defects<\/h2>\n

Cracks in the walls, damp that will not go away, leaks in the garage, flooring that lifts or insulation that does not meet the standards. When a newly built home or building has construction defects, the owner \u2014or the homeowners’ association\u2014 is entitled to have them repaired or to be compensated by those who took part in the construction.<\/p>\n

Construction defects are damage that appears in a building because of design errors, poor workmanship, unsuitable materials or inadequate site supervision. The Spanish Building Act (Ley de Ordenaci\u00f3n de la Edificaci\u00f3n, LOE<\/strong>) sets out who is liable for them and for how long, depending on how serious they are.<\/p>\n

The first rule is not to let time pass. An expert in building pathology should inspect the property, establish the cause of the damage, how serious it is and what it will cost to repair, and set it all out in an expert report<\/a>. With that report, those responsible are formally asked to put things right and, if they do not respond, the case goes to court<\/a>. At DPCON, expert architects and specialist lawyers work together, so we support our clients from the first inspection through to the judgment.<\/p>\n

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Types of construction defects<\/h2>\n

The LOE distinguishes three main types of construction defects, each with its own guarantee period: those affecting the structure of the building, those affecting its habitability, and defects in the finishes. Identifying the right type is essential, because it determines the time limit for claiming and who can be required to carry out the repairs.<\/p>\n

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\"Structural

Structural damage<\/h3>

Cracks, differential settlement, foundation problems and design defects. 10-year guarantee.<\/p><\/a><\/div>

\"Condensation

Habitability damage<\/h3>

Damp, cracks, leaks, noise, insulation and installations. 3-year guarantee.<\/p><\/a><\/div>

\"Worker

Damage to finishes<\/h3>

Paintwork, flooring, tiling, carpentry and trims. 1-year guarantee.<\/p><\/a><\/div>

?<\/span><\/div>

Not sure what type of damage you have?<\/h3>Request information<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/section>[\/et_pb_code][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”20px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”20px|0px|27px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” column_structure=”1_2,1_2″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”|700|||||||” header_3_text_align=”center” header_3_font_size=”23px” header_3_line_height=”1.7em” text_orientation=”justified” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Construction defects in homes<\/h3>\n

If you have bought a newly built home and defects appear, the claim is normally brought against the developer, who is always liable to the buyer, and against whoever caused the damage: the building contractor, the architect or the site manager.<\/p>\n

It is important to gather the purchase documents (title deed, contract, specifications and plans) and to take dated photographs of the damage from the very beginning. In detached houses and self-build projects, the geotechnical survey and the design should also be reviewed, as many defects originate at that stage.<\/p>\n

If the home is second-hand, you can still claim under the LOE while the guarantee periods are running, because the law protects subsequent owners too. Against the seller, you may also have a claim for latent defects<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Construction defects in buildings and communities<\/h3>\n

When defects affect communal areas \u2014fa\u00e7ades, roofs, garages, downpipes or gardens\u2014 or are repeated in many homes, the claim is usually brought by the homeowners’ association. To do so, the owners’ meeting must agree to start the claim and authorise the president.<\/p>\n

The courts accept that the president can also claim for damage inside the individual homes<\/a> when it has a common cause, which speeds up the process and spreads the costs among all the owners. The property administrator<\/a> usually coordinates the paperwork and the expert’s visits.<\/p>\n

In buildings, the expert report must cover the communal areas and a representative sample of homes, to prove that the damage is widespread and to quantify the total cost of the repairs.<\/p>\n

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Time limits for claiming construction defects<\/h2>\n

The LOE sets a different guarantee period for each type of damage:<\/p>\n