Giorgos commands the technical section of our company. He has studied Civil Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens and specialized at structural engineering.
A residential building project in the city of Rethymno. Our Team has undertaken the execution of the architectural design, engineering studies, building permit process and supervision of the construction.
| Project Type | Architecture – Engineering |
| Location | Rethymno City – Crete |
| Project Size | 241,48 sq.m. |
This modern residence was designed architecturally and structurally by our Team. The combination of modern lines and traditional Cretan elements is the main concept of the architectural composition.
The main areas of the house are located on the ground floor of the building in order to enjoy the maximum view. These are two bedrooms, a bathroom, a W.C. and an open plan area where the living room, kitchen and dining room.
| Project Type | Architecture – Engineering |
| Location | Northern Rethymno |
| Project Size200 | sq.m. |
Most of the Non-Greek property buyers on Crete have already visited the country and spent their holidays, or even lived for a while in the area, where thy choose to make their Home. The Cretan people are well known worldwide for their friendly attitude to the foreigners and their hospitality. Logically the first person the buyer refers to is a close Greek friend, who happens to know an available for sale nice plot, (by him or a member of the family, or another friend) and knows a builder, or civil engineer who could take over the construction process.
This scenario, sounds as an ideal and romantic way to build your dream home on Crete, but is this it?The answer is definitely NO and there are many reasons for that, here are a few:
Is the price reasonable, reflecting the right property value?
In Greece, the seller can ask for any price he wishes for a property, so property over valuing can happen easily when the property is not for sale by an estate agency.
When a property seller comes to our company, after we receive all the basic information regarding the land, we ask for the selling price he wishes.Over estimating is common, but after our consultancy and by presenting the price of similar properties with reasonable prices and the number of views on the property’s page on the website, so if the seller wants to sell at the end of the day, he asks for a reasonable price.
Additionally, when a property is for sale on the market by an estate agency, the price is indicated first and this the starting point of the process, so the possible buyers can make an offer and an agreement can be reached.Contrariwise, when the buyer goes directly to a seller, the starting point (price) is often set high, because the seller sees an opportunity for a high sale to a non-Greek buyer.
Is the land build-able 100% or is this just a promise?
A plot of land, is not always buildable in Greece. Depending on the location, the size, the road the land is facing and many other factors, the land can be buildable or non-buildable. We have experienced cases of plots being sold as a buildable land, but after we have completed our technical research, the plot could not be built and the seller (who was the victim when he bought the land by the previous owner) had purchased an expensive piece of agricultural or forest land.
A serious and professional estate agency, will always ask the seller for all the necessary documentation and approvals by the forestry, the agricultural public office, the archeology department and a survey of the land by a topographer and in case the seller hasn’t obtained these documents, the plot will not go for sale.
The above technical checks should be done by experienced engineers or topographers, so it is important to hire the correct professional to protect you from unpleasant surprises.
Worldwide, building a house is not a ONE-MAN-SHOW. In Greece, man can find many self-employed engineers, who declare that they can handle the whole process.
A house project is a multi-complex project and every aspect of the project will have to be executed by a specialised professional.
Survey
The survey, or plot analysis is the study done by a topographer who has a deep knowledge on the building rights and restriction of the area the plot is located.
Architecture
The architectural design is always better to be executed by architects and not by civil engineers or mechanical engineers. Designing a house is a science studied in Technical Universities by Architects and compromising at this aspect should not be accepted. The quality of living, the fitting on the natural environment, the harmony, the beauty of the structure, should always be maintained and the only way for the owner to achieve the above, is by ensuring that the design will be executed and supervised until the last moment by an Architect.
Structural Design
Crete is located on a seismogenic area and the structural analysis and design of a building is always a very important and serious matter. The owner should always make sure that the structural integrity of the building will be ensured by a Certified and Specialised Structural Civil Engineer, who will follow up the building project until the delivery day.
Project Management
The project manager, most of the times is a civil engineer, is the specialist in project planning and executing. He is the person who is running the project, manages the working crews, keeping updated the architect and the structural engineer for the day-to-day executed works of the building project, supervises the implementation of the studies and ensures the high standard construction quality.
A team of experts normally is formed within well organised companies. Before you decide about the professionals you will hire, it would be wise to ask questions about the technical team that will work on the building project, the way the team is managed and the contribution of each person to the different aspects of the building project.
A building contract is an agreement specifying all the terms under which the project will be executed.
The following five elements should always be very explicit:
The above 5 elements are the foundation for a successful project and a good cooperation between the builder and the owner.
After the completion of the technical studies, by the engineers and architects, the technical team of the building company , have to create a book of technical descriptions of the project, which will specify and describe all the technical aspects of the realisation of the project, the standards that will be followed, the materials that will be used and the detailed cost analysis of the building project (Desired Results,Guidelines,Resources).This manual should accompany the official building contract, which defines the legal and financial aspects of the building project (Accountability , Consequences).
Building a house under the sun, is a dream that comes painlessly to reality, by following the above useful tips.The above 3 useful tips can be combined to one that unifies all: Hire a professional company, or a team of professionals who you believe can cooperate together smoothly, to consult you and serve you from the first to the final step of the journey of realising your dream home.
When it comes to a plot purchase interest from a client, the first question that we are always asked is “What are the Building Rights on this plot of land?”. This article will help you understand the basic “plot categories” and their build-ability.
1) Plots within an urban plan or village boundaries
This is the basic category of plots, where the law predicts normally higher building factors and shorter distances from the boundaries.
In case of a plot located within an urban plan, the building regulations are pre-defined by the Urban Plan depending on the city block and the region that the plot is located.
Things are not so clear when it comes to villages, where the land is not separated by blocks defined by a plan.The plots are properties with any shape and area, which can be old (old deeds) or new (that are a result of a land separation).
According to the main rule, a plot of land (new or old) located within the specified boundaries of a village has to have a total area of 1.000 sq.m. and has the right to build up to 400 sq.m. and has to have access from a municipal road.
This doesn’t mean that smaller plots within a village are not build-able.The exceptions on the main rule are many, for example a plot of a total surface of 300 sq.m. can be built under circumstances but not under the main rule (1.000 sq.m. – 400 sq.m. building right), but this should be examined by a specialist (civil engineer or topographer).
2) Plots located outside from urban plan or village
The main rule for plots of land located outside from any urban plan or village boundaries, is that it is required a minimum area of 4.000 sq.m. and building rights of 200 sq.m. for a residence.
When it comes to this category of plots, the minimum area of 4.000 sq.m. is not the only necessary condition. There are many parameters that have to be examined in order to ensure that the plot is build-able. Since the location is not a residential area, it has to be officially certified that it is not within a forest region (issued by the forestry), it is not within an agricultural region (issued by the agricultural office) or within a region that has archeological interest (issued by the local archaeology department). Another factor that has to be examined is whether the plot is located within a NATURA region, where the building regulations are different.
Advise
This article basically aims to give to the reader a first picture on the building regulations in Greece. The Greek Law is complex, so it is advised that before you move forward to purchase a piece of land, whether it is located within a residential area or not, to hire a professional Civil Engineer or Topographer who will check the build-ability of the plot. Normally it is the seller’s obligation to obtain a topographic plan where the plot is depicted and the building regulations are analysed, but it is safer to hire an independent professional who will do the necessary technical checks.In our company, our Engineers Team is executing the technical checks on behalf of our clients, when it comes to a plot purchase.