Old houses, village houses and fincas House restoration in Mallorca
We bring houses with a history back to life. We assess their structure and any damp, keep the stone and beams that deserve to stay, and renew everything else.
Restoring an old house or finca in Mallorca with Top Mallorca Constructions begins with a diagnosis: the condition of the structure, the source of any damp and what the regulations protect.
With that in hand, you decide what to keep and what to replace, and we carry out the work using techniques compatible with the island’s walls of stone and marès (local sandstone).
Before we quote
Knowing the house comes first
In an old house, the quote depends on what comes to light once it is opened up, so we check five points before giving a price.
Structure
Load-bearing walls, timber beams or old joists, floor slabs and the roof.
Damp
Rising damp, roof leaks or condensation caused by poor ventilation.
Building services
In an old house, they almost always need replacing in full.
Heritage protection
Whether the building is listed (catalogado) or within a protected historic area and, if so, what can be altered and with which permits.
What is worth keeping
Exposed stone, marès, beams, patterned cement tiles or joinery that give the house its character.
What’s included
What restoring your house includes
Structural strengthening
Consolidating walls and replacing or strengthening beams and floor slabs, based on structural calculations by a qualified professional.
Roofs
Tiled roofs, flat roofs or walkable roof terraces, with new insulation and waterproofing.
Damp treatment
Drainage, damp-proof barriers and breathable mortars, depending on the source of the problem.
Stone and marès façades
Cleaning, repointing with lime mortar and replacing damaged stones.
Building services throughout
Electrics, plumbing, drainage and climate control, run through the house without damaging anything you are keeping.
A layout for today
A layout that fits the way you live now, within the old house.
Related project
A house in Santa Catalina, Palma
A townhouse in the streets of es Jonquet and Santa Catalina, transformed in white: a stepped courtyard, a microcement staircase, black steel-framed glazing and a roof terrace for outdoor living.
- Location
- Santa Catalina · es Jonquet, Palma
- Project type
- Full townhouse refurbishment
- Property
- Terraced house with a courtyard and roof terrace
- Finishes
- Microcement, black steel and glass
Another related project:Villa in Es Capdellà
Protected buildings
Restoring a house in Palma’s historic centre
In Palma, a listed house, or one within a protected historic area, has its own steps to follow before work begins; it pays to know them when buying or budgeting.
- 01
Palma’s heritage catalogue distinguishes protection levels A1, A2, B and C; outside the catalogue, general protection applies, graded R, r and N.
- 02
Works on listed buildings need a report from the Historic Centre and Catalogue Committee (Comisión de Centro Histórico y Catálogo), which meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month.
- 03
For Assets of Cultural Interest (bienes de interés cultural) and listed buildings, works affecting protected elements need prior authorisation from the Consell de Mallorca (Island Council).
- 04
Neighbourhoods such as es Jonquet, sa Calatrava and Puig de Sant Pere also have their own special protection plan (plan especial de protección).
Why Top Mallorca
Why restore your house with Top Mallorca
- 01
Diagnosis before price
We don’t quote blind: where needed, we open up small test areas and talk you through what we find.
- 02
Respect for the stone
Lime mortars and techniques sympathetic to Mallorca’s traditional walls.
- 03
The unexpected, named and priced
If opening up reveals something, we show you what it is and what it costs, and you decide before we go any further.
- 04
A house ready for decades
New, fully documented building services, and a team that can maintain the house afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about house restoration in Mallorca
Can’t find your question here? Ask us
What is the difference between a full refurbishment and a house restoration?
A full refurbishment completely renews a home that is structurally sound: its building services, layout and finishes. A restoration also tackles the fabric of the building itself – structure, roof, walls or damp – to bring an ageing or damaged house back to life, often keeping its original features. In Mallorca, restoration is common for village houses, fincas and old buildings in Palma with walls of stone or marès, the local sandstone.
How much does it cost to restore an old house in Mallorca?
Restoring an old house in Mallorca is priced after a diagnosis, because the cost depends on the condition of the structure and roof, the source of any damp and how much of the original is kept. That is why Top Mallorca inspects the house before giving a figure and, if needed, opens up small test areas. In Palma, building restoration and works on listed buildings qualify for a 50% reduction in the planning fee (tasa urbanística).
Do I need a building permit to restore a house in Palma?
If the restoration affects the load-bearing structure, extends the house or changes more than 60% of the layout, it needs a building permit (licencia urbanística): the legal processing time is three months, and the actual average in Palma in 2026 is 9 to 12 months. Minor works go through a prior notification (comunicación previa). For a listed building or an Asset of Cultural Interest (bien de interés cultural), you also need a report from Palma’s Historic Centre and Catalogue Committee and authorisation from the Consell de Mallorca (Island Council).
Can stone walls and timber beams be kept during a restoration?
Yes, in most old houses in Mallorca. Walls of stone or marès (the local sandstone) are consolidated and repointed with lime mortars, which let the wall breathe, and timber beams are checked one by one: sound ones are treated and kept, while damaged ones are strengthened or replaced as the structural calculations require. What is best avoided is covering the stone with cement mortars, which trap moisture.
What should I check before buying an old house to restore in Mallorca?
Before buying an old house to restore in Mallorca, it is worth checking three things: the planning situation, the condition of the structure and roof, and any damp. On planning, find out whether the house is listed, whether it stands on urban or rural land (suelo rústico) and what the local plan allows. A planning certificate (certificado urbanístico) from the town council and a technical survey before signing will spare you surprises. Top Mallorca Real Estate and Top Mallorca Constructions can guide you through both.
Have an old house you’d like to restore?
Tell us where it is and what condition it is in. We’ll visit the house, assess it and suggest what to keep and what to renew.