Building a House in Crete: The Initial Steps.

Building a new house in Crete, Greece can be a very rewarding experience and needn’t be difficult, complex, or confusing. Most people struggle with their first new build project because they are uncertain of the process, so we have developed this guide to let you know what you can expect during the process of building with ARENCOS.

Choosing and working with builders in Crete. 

Morality and Integrity. Validation and Evaluation Knowledge – Continuous Improvement – Innovation  Critical Thinking

Proven steps you can take to educate yourself on how to choose a builder in Crete and ensuring your experience meets your design expectations, your time schedule, and your budget,

  • Ask friends, family and colleagues to see if they have had any experiences with builders or building firms in Crete.
  • We suggest you assemble a list of local builders in your area.
  • Your Architect or Engineer can provide trustworthy recommendations.
  • Don’t ignore the bad reviews.
  • One of the quickest ways to put your mind at ease will be talking to fellow expats in Crete, who chose to work with a particular homebuilder.

We’re with you, from initial concept to design, construction, commissioning, and management. Whatever the contest, we’re with you identifying opportunities to improve performance and increase living standards.  electrical, and process engineering.

ARENCOS Referrals, Chania Architects and Engineers

Our past case studies in Crete are a powerful and unique asset when it comes to establishing proof that what we are offering is valuable. Whether you are a first-time property owner who wants to build a house in Crete or a commercial investor, you need to garner testimonials. View some of our clients’ reviews on Goggle here.

At ARENCOS, we always try to deliver exceptional and unified customer experiences that exceed expectations.

Panacea is when our services – in this extremely competitive market – are delivered based on the result of our projects and the way of managing a plethora of challenges rather than our marketing campaigns strategy.

Choosing and Working With Builder - ARENCOS Engineers and Consultants
Choosing and Working With Builders- ARENCOS Engineers and Consultants
Whatever the contest, we’re with you identifying opportunities to improve performance and increase living standards.

Discover Builders in Crete: Two Things You Should Always Expect

No matter who builder in Crete you decide to work with, your final selection should facilitate clear, reliable and constant communication – to your satisfaction and needs. Can your builder provide you with monthly reports about the progress of the project?

Is it possible to contact your builder on weekends? Do they have a full-time staff or a software solution to ensure you’re kept in the loop whenever it’s convenient for you? Additionally, your builder should always stay on budget specified by you or your engineer.

If construction is ever in risk of going over your predetermined budget, it’s the builder’s responsibility to consult you immediately before the next stage of works.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO FIND A GOOD BUILDER IN CRETE
Proven steps you can take to educate yourself on how to choose a builder in Crete and ensuring your experience meets your design expectations, your time schedule, and your budget,
  • Ask friends, family and colleagues to see if they have had any experiences with builders or building firms in Crete.
  • We suggest you assemble a list of local builders in your area.
  • Your Architect or Engineer can provide trustworthy recommendations.
  • Don’t ignore the bad reviews.
  • One of the quickest ways to put your mind at ease will be talking to fellow expats in Crete, who chose to work with a particular home builder. Ask them questions to find out how happy they were with the quality of the workmanship and the builder’s conduct.
  • Make some phone calls and ask about their planning process and preferably visit a property completed by them in your area.
  • Avoid a ‘VAT-free’ deal – You may experience several risks if there is no proof of payment.
  • You should be wary of builders that either refuse or don’t make it clear that they are legally permitted to be involved in building and construction. As a minimum, they should have Public Liability Insurance.
  • Additionally, any connections you might have in the real estate market of Crete could prove tremendously useful, since real estate agents often have a large number of local builders to propose to you.

As you assemble your list, remember it’s OK to be critical. You don’t necessarily have to speak to a builder one-on-one to determine if they’d be a good fit for you or not.

Of course, you should hire a builder or a contractor who has solid experience of the work you are expecting them to carry out — a detached house remodeling is quite different from a bathroom renovation or new kitchen. Any good builder should also be able to demonstrate a sound, up-to-date knowledge of current Greek building regulations.

Do I need an Architect or Structural Engineer?

Transform residential – commercial projects through best-in-class approaches in design, strategy, construction management, risk management, capital-expenditure optimization, supervision and operational excellence.

Unless you are familiar with residential project constructions before, you might find yourself confused by the list of professionals your extension or conversion might need for your next project in Crete.

Especially when it comes to structural engineers. While many people are familiar with the architectural services and responsibilities of an architect, structural engineers have yet to make their way into popular culture.

However, which one do you need? Both? One? Neither?

If you want some clarity, here’s everything you’ll need to know.

To ensure Quality, Integrity and Sustainability for our projects we impalement the provisions of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers standard ( FIDIC).

 

FIDIC - ARENCOS

What is I.K.A. (EFKA)?

IKA is the largest Social Security Organisation in Greece. It covers 5,530,000 workers and employees and provides 830,000 pensioners with retirement pension.

IKA covers those in dependent employment in Greece or abroad for an employer who is  based in Greece, as well as those who offer full-time or part-time personal labour on commissioned work agreements and are not insured with any other Main Insurance agency.

IKA also covers certain groups of people who offer their labour to various employers at various times and whose insurance is realized through their Unions or Insurance Associations, (e.g. porters, news-stand vendors, slaughterhouse workers etc.) or through special provisions (e.g. exclusive nurses).

EFKA
RECOMMENDED QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK
  • How many years have you been in business, and how many homes have you built?
  • Are licensed and insured?
  • What contractors do you use?
  • What features are included in the price?
  • Can you provide testimonials from previous home buyers?
  • Are you ‘active’ in my area?
  • Can I tour one of your homes currently under construction?
  • What agreements do you have between you and subcontractors?
  • Will you be sent photos of progress of my house in Crete, and who will I talk to if it is necessary?
  • When would the job start, finish and who advises you of any delays?
  • How and when will the final cost of my home be determined?
  • What are the energy-saving features of the homes you build?
THINGS TO DO
  • Make sure you feel comfortable with the builder. It is important to have open and honest communication so that any problems you strike along the way can be solved as quickly and easily as possible. To get the best out of the relationship there needs to be trust and respect between you.
  • Make sure the builder is asking questions in order to understand your vision and the project itself.
  • Get everything in writing, don’t rely on verbal agreements.
  • Ensure you have enough finance to complete the project and deal with any additional costs.
  • Ask for a contract.

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