Hillside fincas · Terraced plots · Stone houses
Renovation of stone fincas and terraced country houses in the hills above Altea, where the steepness of the plot shapes almost every decision.
Altea is known for its hillside old town and the villas strung along the coast, but the land behind it tells a different story. Above the sea the ground climbs into terraces and slopes that were farmed for generations, and the old farmhouses that went with them are the fincas we are asked to renovate.
What sets a finca near Altea apart from one on flatter ground is the plot itself. Houses are cut into the slope, held up by dry-stone terraces, and reached by tracks that bend and climb. The building is only part of the project. The levels around it, the retaining walls and the way the property is reached all affect cost, sequence and what is sensible to attempt.
We have worked on rural and hillside houses across the north Costa Blanca since 1999, and Altea fincas sit squarely within that. This page explains how we approach them.
The plot
On a sloping plot the garden terraces are not decoration. They hold back soil, carry water around the house and, in some cases, provide the foundation for part of the building. When one of those dry-stone walls bulges or collapses, the effects can reach the house itself, so we look at them early in any Altea survey.
Rebuilding a terrace wall is skilled work and best done with the original stone, which is usually still lying on the plot. Done well, it blends into the hillside as if it had always been there. Done badly or in cement block, it fails again and looks wrong. We repair what can be repaired, rebuild what cannot, and make sure water has somewhere to go behind the wall.
Drainage on a slope is rarely complicated, but it is often missing. A few well-placed channels and drains above and around the house prevent a good deal of the damp that would otherwise be blamed on the walls.
Access
Many fincas in the hills behind Altea are reached by a single lane, sometimes unsurfaced and often too tight for a full-size lorry. That does not stop a renovation, but it changes how it is run. Materials may need to be dropped at the bottom and carried up, skips placed further away, and deliveries timed to avoid blocking neighbours.
We look at this when we visit to quote. Knowing how a pallet of tiles or a load of timber will actually reach the house is part of pricing the job honestly. It also affects how work is sequenced, because heavy items are better delivered before the house fills up with finished surfaces.
For owners living abroad, this kind of detail is exactly what tends to go wrong when work is run remotely. We handle it on site and tell you what we have decided, with photographs, rather than leaving it to chance.
The house
Inside, an Altea finca usually has thick stone walls, small deep-set windows and old timber ceilings that give the rooms their character. They may also have a patchwork of later additions, such as a cement-rendered extension or a bathroom squeezed into a former store.
We separate what is original and worth keeping from what has been added and may be causing trouble. Hard cement on old stone is a frequent culprit for damp, and replacing it with lime often cures problems that had been put down to the ground. Beams are cleaned and treated, and repaired where they have suffered at the ends.
From there the modern comforts go in around the structure. Rewiring and replumbing are planned along routes that do the least damage to the stone, and bathrooms and kitchens are fitted to suit the layout instead of forcing the layout to suit them.
How it works
We start with a visit to the property, looking at the house, the plot and the way in. You tell us what you want to achieve and roughly what you have in mind for the budget, and we explain what we think is realistic. A written quotation follows, free of charge, setting out the scope of work.
Once work begins, one person coordinates the trades, and we keep you informed by phone and photographs if you are not on site. Our own teams cover building, plumbing, electrics, carpentry, plastering and painting, and the work is guaranteed, with the scope set out in the quotation.
Questions
Yes. Sloping plots with terraces and narrow access are typical of finca work in this area. We assess the terrain, retaining walls and delivery routes when we visit to quote.
Often they can. We rebuild collapsed sections using the original stone where possible and make sure drainage behind the wall is dealt with so it does not fail again.
In many ways, yes. A finca has thicker stone walls, older timber, more varied past alterations and usually harder access. The approach is more investigative and the materials, such as lime, are more traditional.
Yes. We visit the property, discuss what you want done and send a written quotation. The quotation is free.
Across the area
Altea is one of the towns with its own finca renovations page. The main Finca Renovations Costa Blanca page covers the whole service in full.
Older rural houses and farm buildings among La Nucía’s hillside villas and urbanisations.
View La Nucía →Stone houses on the slopes below Puig Campana, with water and drainage at the heart of the work.
View Finestrat →Country houses behind the coast, where salt air and long absences shape the choice of materials.
View Calpe →Old village houses and country fincas, often renovated in stages, around a small inland village.
View Polop →Finca Renovations in Benissa and the surrounding area.
View Benissa →Finca Renovations in Alfaz del Pi & Albir and the surrounding area.
View Alfaz del Pi & Albir →Get in touch
If you own or are thinking of buying a finca in the hills above Altea, tell us about it and we will arrange a visit.
We will look at the house, the plot and the access, and send you a clear written quotation, free of charge.
Customer reviews
Genuine Google reviews from Dragon Reforms customers.
Professional Collaboration & Complete House Renovation – Calpe
“We have been collaborating for many years on projects both large and small, with excellent results. Our latest collaboration was the complete renovation of a house in Calpe. Thanks to their professionalism and reliability, they were able to handle all phases of the project. We hope to continue working together for many years to come.”
Apartment Renovation
Original Spanish review
“Hace poco reformó el apartamento. Ha quedado espectacular. Además sin imprevistos, cumpliendo los plazos y muy formal.”
English translation
“They recently renovated the apartment. It looks spectacular. What's more, there were no unexpected problems, the agreed timescales were met, and they were very professional.”
More from Dragon Reforms
Everything Dragon Reforms does in Altea, each with its own page.
Get a quote
Describe the finca and the work you have in mind, and we will arrange a visit and send a written quotation.
