Damage valuation
Damage valuation for homes
Claiming an amount you cannot justify weakens your case. We assess each item of damage separately, with visible measurements and unit prices, so the amount you claim can stand up to scrutiny from the other party and the judge.
Our approach
How we assess costs
One item of damage, one cost item
Never a lump sum. Each item of damage has its own cost item, so it can be reviewed and discussed individually.
Measurements and unit prices
Metres, units or hours multiplied by their unit price. The calculation is visible and can be checked.
Actual market prices
What it actually costs to commission that repair locally, neither inflated nor reduced.
Only what is necessary
Real, practicable work items. Claiming too much undermines the report's credibility and can cause it to fail in court.
Purpose
Where a damage valuation is used
Court claims
Establishes the amount requested in proceedings for hidden defects (vicios ocultos), construction defects or a faulty renovation.
Negotiation
With the seller, developer or renovation company, before going to court.
Insurance claims
To compare the insurer's offer after a fire or water damage.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about damage valuation
How is the cost of correcting faulty renovation work calculated?
First define the work needed to put each defect right, from dismantling and removing faulty work to completing it correctly. Each task is then measured and valued item by item using real local market prices, including materials, labour, ancillary equipment and waste management. Only genuine, necessary items are included. An inflated valuation can be challenged in court and undermine the entire claim.
How much can I claim for a hidden defect?
This depends on the action. A price reduction claims the loss in value caused by the defect, usually calculated in practice from repair costs. Ending the sale seeks reimbursement of the purchase price and expenses and, if the seller knew of the defect and concealed it, any proven losses as well, such as accommodation costs it caused. The expert report values each item needed to remedy the defect using real prices.
Can I request money instead of repairs?
The Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación (LOE), Spain's building law, concerns liability for material damage, and case law accepts either repair by the responsible party or payment of repair costs. Requesting payment is common where repairs have already failed or trust in the responsible party has been lost. A monetary claim requires a detailed expert valuation, item by item, using real prices for work that can actually be carried out.
How do replacement value and actual value differ?
Valor de reposición, or valor a nuevo, is the cost of replacing the damaged item with a new equivalent. Valor real is replacement value less depreciation for age, use and condition at the time of the incident. If the policy covers replacement value, depreciation should not be applied except as the policy permits. Checking which valuation basis you purchased can significantly affect compensation.
Can the insurer deduct for the age of damaged items?
If the policy pays valor real, actual value, depreciation for age and use is permitted but must be reasonable and justified. If it covers valor de reposición or valor a nuevo, replacement value, depreciation should not apply except under the policy's terms. Generic or excessive deductions are common. Your own expert checks whether depreciation is correct for each individual item.
Do defects reduce a home's value?
Yes. Damp, obsolete installations, structural defects or unlegalised extensions make a home worth less than an otherwise similar property in good condition, because the buyer must pay for repairs or accept risk. Expert valuation takes these defects into account, often by deducting repair costs. Combining inspection and valuation therefore produces a much more realistic figure than a calculation based solely on floor area.
Do you need to put a figure on the damage?
Tell us what damage there is and why you need the valuation.
Contact
Let's talk about your property
Call us, message us on WhatsApp or send us an email. If you already know what you need, the quote form is the quickest way.