The modular home market in Spain is growing quickly. With that growth comes a wider range of suppliers, some excellent, some not. Before you commit to any prefabricated home purchase, these nine questions will tell you everything you need to know about whether a supplier and their product can be trusted.
1. Is the structure CE certified?
CE certification means the home meets European construction and safety standards. Without it, you cannot get planning permission, a first occupancy licence, or a mortgage. Any reputable supplier will provide CE documentation immediately on request.
2. What is the foundation requirement?
A permanent modular home requires a concrete foundation, not timber posts or pad footings. Ask for the foundation specification in writing. The foundation design should be provided by a licensed structural engineer, adapted to your specific plot and soil conditions.
3. Who handles the planning permission?
Every region of Spain has different planning regulations. Some municipalities have specific requirements for modular or prefabricated structures. Your supplier should handle the planning application on your behalf, or at minimum have experience navigating it in your target area.
4. What does the price actually include?
Get a full breakdown in writing. Does the price include transport? Foundation? Installation? Interior finishes? Electrical and plumbing connection? Many suppliers quote a base module price that excludes half the actual cost. The total delivered, installed, and connected price is the only number that matters.
5. What warranty comes with the structure?
EU regulations require a minimum ten-year structural warranty on permanent residential buildings. Ask for this in writing, and ask specifically who backs the warranty: the manufacturer, an insurer, or both.
6. Can you visit a completed project?
Any credible supplier will have completed installations you can visit. If they cannot show you a finished, lived-in project in Spain, treat that as a serious red flag.
7. How is the factory inspected?
Ask whether their factory is subject to third-party quality inspections and what standards it is certified to. European factories producing permanent residential structures should hold ISO 9001 certification at minimum.
8. What happens if there are defects after installation?
Understand the after-sales process. Who is the point of contact? What is the response time for defects? Is there a dedicated after-sales team or does everything go back through the sales department?
9. Can they provide references from international buyers?
If you are buying from outside Spain, this matters especially. Ask for references from buyers in your home country who have completed a purchase and gone through the process from abroad. The experience of an international buyer is meaningfully different from a local Spanish buyer.
At Terra Viva, we answer all nine of these questions in our initial consultation, and we can provide references, factory documentation, completed project visits, and the full backing of our insurance partner GES Seguros and our finance partners Bankinter and BBVA.