How have things changed over 24 years of project management
MDCI Project Developer celebrate their 24th Anniversary this year. Since 1999 they have been assisting clients to deliver construction and refurbishment projects in Spain and internationally by offering quality project management services. Over this long period in their history, they have delivered over 100+ projects on time and on budget and you can see examples in their project portfolio.
Since 1999 they have seen a lot of changes in construction, legislation and client demands and so we spoke to CEO Mark Lawson to find out what’s changed and what people are looking for now in Spanish property.
How have construction methods changed in the last 24 years?
Construction methods in the South of Spain are still quite quaint and old fashioned, in that they use “wet construction” methodologies due to weather and seismic conditions. Although this benefits from the use of so-called “noble materials”- it is labour intensive- and therefore subject to the need to onsite controls. However, internal walls now are mostly done with plasterboards – and not with bricks and overlaid plaster- as they once were. We actually prefer the latter, due to offering a better-quality finish which lasts longer and inherent sound insulation properties. We also know that the clientele on the Costa del Sol building or buying properties really appreciate noble materials. It’s a combination of tradition and respect for the Andalusian style and taste, but you will still see a lot of marble, interior tiles and roof tiles, wood etc. incorporated into new build properties and developments.
Innovation in construction is great, but from a project management perspective, tried and tested technology and methods, which we know will last and give our clients the results they want, is often the smarter choice.
We are seeing some off-site construction methods coming in, but not at high volumes. This results in the need for greater planning needs and controls- to incorporate off-site production into the construction cycle. There is also a demand for more sustainable buildings, which is leading to innovation, such as the use of recycled materials as building materials. However, these things have not been widely adopted as yet, but we expect growth in these areas.
Also, there is an increasing focus on Energy Conservation and the use of technological innovations to control and make this process more efficient. Increasingly, domotic systems (home automations) controlled from the ease of your smartphone app are being demanded as are machines that are connected via WiFi to the internal home network for control purposes and aerothermal installations are becoming much more prevalent.
How has the legislation changed?
In general, the permits required and the processes for getting them has remained the same. Some Town Halls have made updates to their urban plans, some successfully others less so. Notably, despite a 2010 update to Marbella’s urban plan, they were forced to revert back to their 1986 urban plan and have been working to introduce a new one in late 2023, where land classification has been simplified and a certain tweaking of the licensing laws that so far is unconvincing as it has not led to greater efficiency in shortening the time to issue a licence.
We’ve seen an increased pressure to further comply with EU standards in construction and sustainability, which has improved the standards compared to when we started. In 2006 there was a new Código Técnico (technical code) implemented- updating standards and requirements in construction of residential buildings- which was itself updated in 2022. This is definitely beneficial for homeowners and buyers, who may have experienced substandard building practices in Spain, but should not experience this so much with newer properties.
There are more energy efficiency requirements now in place. For example, since 2003 all properties require an Energy Efficiency Certificate to rate how efficient it is. New builds require these, and you must have one before you sell or rent the property. This legislation has led to more energy efficiency methods being built into properties and retrofitted before sale, as higher ratings make the properties more desirable to buyers and tenants.
How have tastes and customer demand changed?
Buyers are influenced by trends in architecture and interiors that they see in the media and in modern properties. Customer demand has also changed in the way families live and work in the home. Over the last decade, the open plan layout has become more popular, with interior and exterior spaces being connected to bring the outside in. Large, floor-to-ceiling windows, high ceilings and infinity pools have become a mainstay for properties, whereas they were rare when we first started in the 1990s.
Modern properties with contemporary designs continue to be in demand, driving new build developments. However, there’s a lot of differences to be found between nationalities in terms of what they want. Spanish buyers tend to like being centrally located and close to the beach and are happy to sacrifice space and modern design for location. Whereas, the Nordics like modern clean lines, but are also very keen on beachfront locations. British buyers are driven by good bathrooms and kitchens, and are happy to drive a bit further.
Recently, due to COVID, people are generally favouring independent housing with adequate outside space. This means that the interest in apartments and townhouses, which at one time were the mainstay of volume sales, has waned. We have also seen an increased demand in home-office spaces since COVID and expect that trend to continue indefinitely now that working from home has become more widespread.
Tell us about one of your first projects and one of your most recent ones and how they compare
Prior to setting up MDCI I worked in 1986 when I completed my first project in Spain. It was a two-year project, which completed in 1988 and was a development of 80 luxury apartments on the seafront in Fuengirola. Called the El Rey Project, it was located opposite Sohail Castle and was for the British developer Sunley Holdings PLC. The development included a swimming pool and parking, apartments with 2-3 bedrooms and large balconies. They sold out in 18 months and they are still very popular today.
There have been so many great projects since then! Following the Fuengirola development, I worked for the American Resort Developer Global Group. I was in charge of the development and timely delivery of two Resorts, in Malaga and Tenerife, which were both huge successes. Then three multinational Branded Resorts for Marriott in Mallorca, Paris and Malaga, all delivered on time and below budgets.
Roll forwards more than two decades and in 2019 we completed a gated community of 18 medium sized, modern villas for the American Fund RCS. These villas had 3 & 4 bedrooms, private gardens and pools, basements, secluded carports and fully equipped kitchens and laundry rooms.
Although they are very different from the apartments we built in the 1980s in many ways such as; benefitting from more secluded and secure living, private outdoor green areas and pools, they also sold out within 18 months. They are both great places to live and use as a holiday home and I’m proud of the quality, workmanship and of course that they were delivered on time and on budget thanks to our project management services.
Thanks for speaking to us Mark and here’s to another 24 years ahead.
If you’d like to discuss how MDCI Project Developer can assist you with your upcoming development or luxury villa, please contact us.