Salt Air · Seafront Flats · Balconies · Durable Finishes
With the Peñón de Ifach rising above the bay, Calpe is a place people buy to enjoy. Salt in the air and fierce light are hard on a second home, so the aim of a refurbishment here is finishes that last.
Metal rusts faster near the sea, paint chalks in strong light and sealants split. Owners of holiday flats close to the front often find the same list of tired items: balcony doors that stick, railings with bubbling paint, rust marks on fittings and bathrooms where the grout has long since given up.
The choice of material matters more than the look of it. Stainless steel, aluminium of the right grade, well-sealed tiling and breathable paints stand up much better than cheap alternatives, and we explain the difference when we quote. Our quotation names the grade of material so you can compare like with like.
We survey, put the scope in writing and manage everything ourselves, from plumbing to painting. Owners tend to arrive for short stays, so we agree dates around those visits and keep you updated in between. If you prefer to compare options, we can price a simpler version alongside the full one.
Salt air
Rust is the quiet enemy of a Calpe holiday flat. Hinges, handrails, drainage grilles, tap bodies and light fittings near the sea all corrode, so we specify finishes that resist it and we replace parts that have already begun to fail.
Paint needs the same thinking. Exterior surfaces facing the sea need proper preparation, a sound primer and a coating suited to strong sun. We strip and treat rust, repair render and then paint, instead of coating over a problem. Replacing only the damaged sections is sometimes enough, and we say when it is.
Inside, a high-humidity bathroom needs good ventilation as much as good tiling. A small extractor fitted well keeps grout and ceilings clean, and costs little compared with repainting every year. Weatherproof lighting and plugs are worth adding while the walls are open.
Balconies
Many Calpe flats have a balcony or terrace that was the reason for buying. After years of sun and rain, the tiles lift and water finds its way down to the flat below. Repair means lifting the surface, fixing the waterproofing and relaying.
Because a failure affects a neighbour, we take this work seriously and photograph it for you. If the problem lies with a shared structure rather than your own floor, we tell you plainly and explain who should be asked to deal with it.
Railings, glass screens and awnings finish the job. We repair or replace what has worn out and advise on what suits the building, bearing in mind that communities sometimes have rules about the appearance of balconies. Whichever applies, you receive photographs of the layers revealed beneath the old surface.
Villas
Behind the front line, villas on terraced plots catch views of the rock and the sea. They bring their own concerns: external stairs, boundary walls, garages set into the slope and flat roofs that need waterproofing. Exposed pipework and fittings on a sea-facing wall need protection from the air.
We treat a villa refurbishment as a single project. Roof, walls, terraces and interiors are looked at together so that the order of work makes sense. For instance, there is no point repainting a lounge before the roof leak above it has been dealt with.
Inside, we update kitchens and bathrooms, renew floors and improve cooling. For a villa used mainly in summer, shaded outdoor areas are as important as indoor ones, and our carpenters can build pergolas and screens to suit. A pergola and fixed shade give many Calpe terraces another room for the summer.
How it works
A Calpe job starts with a visit to look at the effects of the climate on the property: rust, damp, lifting tiles and the condition of the balcony. We note the findings in a written quotation, including what we recommend and what is optional.
We then order materials, programme the trades and keep you informed with photographs. If you are staying nearby, we can meet you on site. If not, a video call and clear written notes do the job. If you are not in Spain, we agree choices of tile and paint using samples sent to you.
Questions
It speeds up corrosion of metal fittings and breaks down paint and sealants. In a refurbishment we choose materials that cope better, replace parts already failing and treat rust properly before painting rather than covering it.
It depends on whether the fault is in your floor surface or in a shared structure, which your community rules and documents decide. We repair the part that is yours and let you know at survey if the cause looks to be elsewhere.
Yes. Roof, walls, terraces and interiors are examined together, and plan the order so that finishing work is not undone by later repairs. A written quotation shows the whole job, so you can decide how much to do now. Anything you leave for later is noted so it is not forgotten.
Yes. During the survey we say if the town hall may have to approve your plans, for example a changed facade or balcony. Plain interior refurbishment often raises no such question. Cosmetic work indoors seldom needs any.
Across the area
Calpe's neighbours along the coast share the same sun and salt, though their housing varies. Each page below shows how our second-home work changes with the setting.
Holiday home refurbishment in Benidorm: apartment kitchens, bathrooms, cooling and finishes, planned around lifts, neighbours and your visits. Free quotation.
View Benidorm →Holiday home refurbishment in Altea: old town houses on steps and narrow lanes, plus coastal villas. Careful access and one team in charge. Free quotation.
View Altea →Holiday home refurbishment in La Nucía: villas on inland urbanisations, cooling, kitchens, terraces and pool surrounds for owners away. Free quotation.
View La Nucía →Holiday home refurbishment in Finestrat: hillside villas, apartments near Cala de Finestrat, views to protect and owners often away. Free quotation.
View Finestrat →Holiday home refurbishment in Alfaz del Pi & Albir: apartments, townhouses and hillside villas refreshed by one team, with updates abroad. Free quotation.
View Alfaz del Pi & Albir →Holiday home refurbishment in Polop: older village houses with damp and thick walls, plus hill villas, with updates for owners abroad. Free quotation.
View Polop →Holiday home refurbishment in Benissa: fincas in the countryside, old town houses and coastal villas, with a long-distance owner in mind. Free quotation.
View Benissa →Holiday home refurbishment in Villajoyosa: seafront flats, old town houses and inland villas in a year-round town. One team, regular updates. Free quotation.
View Villajoyosa →Holiday home refurbishment in Callosa d'en Sarrià, our home town: village houses, stone and rendered homes and fincas. Quick visits. Free quotation.
View Callosa d'en Sarrià →Holiday home refurbishment in Albir: apartments near the promenade, hillside villas below the Sierra Helada and homes used by guests. Free quotation.
View Albir →Get in touch
Tell us what has rusted, lifted or faded in your flat or villa, and when you plan to return. We will inspect it, or study your pictures together by video.
Our written quotation costs nothing and binds you to nothing. Expect plain explanations of what we would use and why it should stand up to the sea, with alternatives where they exist.
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.”
Complete Apartment Renovation – Benidorm
“I would like to say a huge thank you to Dragonreforms. Nico and his team did an excellent job renovating our 2 bedroom apartment in Benidorm. This included a beautiful new bathroom, kitchen, flooring, interior doors, plumbing and complete electrical works. Truly amazing workmanship. You have made our dreams come true.”
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Everything Dragon Reforms does in Calpe, each with its own page.
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