Building your luxury villa in Marbella: The essential guide to everything you need to know

So you’ve perused all of the estate agent sites the gorgeous beachside city of Marbella has to offer and found yourself admiring a jacuzzi here and a rooftop terrace there, but even with a fully equipped at-home gym and an infinity pool overlooking the beach, none of them quite match up to what you had in mind. Instead, why not take the plunge and build your own? This means that you can, with the help of a knowledgable estate agent like Marbella and Co, design the perfect luxury villa which fits the image of your dream home to a T. 

Not quite sure how to make your dream a reality? The Euro Weekly News have put together a useful guide on how to go about building your luxury villa in Marbella, from the best spots to locate your property, how much it’s likely to cost, and what makes your villa so luxurious rather than just any old run-of-the-mill holiday home! 

Contents: 

. The best spots in Marbella 

. How much does it to build a luxury villa in Marbella 

. What makes your Marbella villa a luxury

. How long does it take to build a luxury villa in Marbella 

. How to build your luxury villa in Marbella 

The best spots in Marbella to build a luxury villa

Marbella is an area in southern Spain in the Malaga province amongst the foothills of the impressive Sierra Blanca mountain range. It is one of the most popular parts of Spain’s gorgeous, sunbathed Costa del Sol thanks to its beautiful weather, naturalistic scenery and growing infrastructure, it attracts many expats and tourists all looking for a little slice of Mediterranean heaven. 

This area belonging to the autonomous community of Andaucia is a great option for those wanting to move to a private estate or luxury urbanization, and who can afford it. Better yet why not completely make it your own by building a home that fits your specifications exactly in the perfect place that will only leave you regretting that you didn’t do it sooner! Here are some of the best spots for building your luxury villa in Marbella. 

The Golden Mile 

Probably the most well known spot in Marbella is The Golden Mile, the stretch between Puerto Banus and Marbella Town which has earned its name not just because of the golden beaches and shimmering sunshine, but also because of the many luxury properties you’ll find dotted along its expansive coastline. You definitely won’t have to worry about sticking out with your luxury villa here amongst the exclusive beach clubs, resort hotels and millionaire owned penthouses and villas. 

Sierra Blanca 

Known as the jewel in the Marbella Crown, and often dubbed The Beverly Hills of Marbella, it’s no secret that Sierra Blanca is a highly desirable place for those looking for a luxury property along the Costa del Sol. It has its own high level of security and takes the safety of its residents very seriously in order to ensure their ongoing comfort and uninterrupted relaxation in the Spanish sun. 

Nueva Andalucia 

Although definitely worth including on the list of desirable spots for building a luxury villa in Marbella, Nueva Andalucia boasts a plethora of different property options and settings. Here, residents are guaranteed peace and tranquility without missing out on nearby amenities and bars and restaurants to enjoy within walking distance in Puerto Banus. Known as the Golf ValleyNueva Andalucia is a great option especially for the keen golfer, or if you’d rather sit back and people watch, there are plenty of cafes for you to chill out in and watch the world go by. 

San Pedro de Alcantara 

If your ideal Spanish location is somewhere where your luxury villa will fit right in, but which also offers the quintessential, authentic Spanish experience, then look no further than the ancient farming community of San Pedro de Alcantara. From narrow cobbled streets, traditional tapas bars and bonny little boutique stores, you can all but step directly onto the beach front after you’ve crossed the palm tree lined Avenida del Marques del Duero and the picturesque boulevard.

Puerto Banus 

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself rubbing shoulders with uber rich yacht owners and the occasional celebrity in Puerto Banus, who flock here (especially during the nicer-than-usual weather in the summer months) for the high-end designer shops and expensive clubs and parties. If you tire of ogling jaguars and ferraris (and oh did we mention the yachts), Puerto Banus also has three beaches upon which you could lounge, or admire from your luxury villa if you so desired. 

How much does it cost to build a luxury villa in Marbella? 

So we’ve won you over, and you’ve decided that Marbella is the ideal place for you, somewhere you’d be happy building your luxury villa and living the high life that you deserve. The time has come to talk costs, so you can get an idea of exactly how much building your luxury villa in Marbella will set you back. 

For an off-the-market luxury villa in Marbella, that is, one that has already been built and that you could move straight into, you can expect to pay anyway between €3,000,000 and €15,000,000 on average. 

Often, actually building your own luxury villa in Spain can be the more inexpensive of the two options, and you get the satisfaction of owning a home that you helped to raise from the ground up, perfectly engineered to fit your exact needs and preferences. Although if you’re looking to build your own luxury villa, a great option if you want your new home to fit your dream design specifications perfectly, then as well as the extra time it will take from planning to moving in, there are also a few other costs you should be aware of before undertaking your project. That being said, by building your own property, it is likely to be worth 30%-50% below market value, meaning it’s also a great investment for those who can spare the time and the money initially. 

Roughly, you can expect to pay around €2,000 per square metre for a good quality villa. For a 800m2 + basement or garage (or wine cellar, however you choose to use it is up to you of course), that’s around 1,2000m2 in total, which totals up at 2.4 millions euros. Don’t forget that your property will need a retaining wall of around €300,000, as well as €100,000 on the landscape. You would also have to add on the costs of outbuildings, terraces, pergolas and a garden, not necessary but certainly advisable if you want to make the most of Spain’s glorious sunny climate.

You’ll probably need to spend another €100,000 on kitchens, anywhere between €100,000 and €1 million on furnishing your perfect place. So that’s roughly around €3.9 million, before you’ve added on all the additional costs which depend on your own personal preferences. On top of this you also have to pay your architects, pay for licenses, project management, insurances, geological studies (site preparation costs), permits, taxes (very important) and a whole host of other costs to take into consideration.

Site preparation costs in particular can include any retaining walls and extra costs associated with poor ground conditions, as well as the demolition of the existing structure. To fully enjoy your property, you’ll probably also want a driveway, carport and entrance gates, additional costs that can often be overlooked but can really make or break a luxury villa when it comes to adding the finishing touches.

For further information on how much you can actually expect it to cost to build a luxury villa in Marbella, see Marbella and Co’s website here, or get in touch with them for more information.

What makes your Marbella villa a luxury?

As one of the most famous holiday hotspots for the rich in famous in Spain, it is no surprise that Marbella is considered somewhat of a luxury destination, and its properties, especially its villas, are no exception. However, when you’re surrounded by so many yachts and private swimming pools and gated communities, you might be wondering what actually makes a villa a luxury property, rather than just a regular villa (albeit a posh one, we are talking about Marbella after all). 

So, taking it back to basics, the term villa stems from Latin, where in Rome during the 1600s, the word ‘villa’ was used to refer to the suburban summer ‘country mansion’ of Rome’s elite society. That means that essentially, as soon as you drop the v-bomb when you’re talking about property, you can expect pretty great things from the get-go. 

Since then, we’ve elaborated on this even further, because who doesn’t look at a perfectly good mansion and think, I wonder what would make this better? Thus was born the luxury villa, a property usually built for one family’s use, on somewhat secluded land; it turns out such a lavish property can often take up quite a bit of space. However in places like Marbella, villas often form part of a wider community of people who’ve had a similar idea. Well, if you’ve got the wealth, why not flaunt it! 

Luxury villas in particular are often established on exquisite landscapes (Marbella, check!) with their own private gardens and sometimes even vineyards; if Oprah gets her own avocado orchard, why shouldn’t you have your own unlimited access to wine! 

Although if you’re living in Marbella, you’ve probably bagged yourself a spot for your luxury villa with a sea view, that’s not to say your own private pool (or two) wouldn’t go a miss. Plus, why make the difficult decision between a luxury in-ground pool and an infinity pool (trust me, absolute nightmare!) when you can just have both, just to be safe. That’s not including the jacuzzi of course. Where else will you relax with your champagne after a long day (or mid-way through the long day, whatever takes your fancy!) 

In terms of amenities, if you’re designing your own luxury villa, you may as well make sure that it has everything you need, or you may as well just choose any old one from off the market! If you’re a total gym bunny, why not install your own personal gym in your property, and to relax in the evenings you could have a cinema room as well. 

To enjoy the gorgeous mountain range scenery and stunning sun sets along the Costa del Sol, you could add a spacious balcony to your property and if you fancy a spot of exercise during the cooler hours of the day, you could have your own tennis or basketball court for you and the rest of your family to enjoy. 

How long does it take to build a luxury villa in Marbella? 

Due to a shortage of plots in Marbella, (further proof of what a great option Marbella is for those in search of a lavish, relaxing lifestyle), many choose to purchase an older property, demolish it, and build their own luxury villa in its place. This is a good option if obtaining a building licence on unrennovated land looks like it’s going to take a long time, because as long as the footprint of the property is the same, work can usually start straight away. 

However, if you’re absolute fixed on building your luxury villa in Marbella from the ground up, with the right estate agents such as Marbella and Co, you could have your dream home planned, licensed, built and decorated within 18 months from start to finish. 

How to build your luxury villa in Marbella 

The first thing to do once you’ve decided on where you want your luxury villa and more importantly, what you want your luxury villa to look like, is to sit down with your chosen architect so that they can discuss how feasible your dream designs are. Once that’s all sorted, you will need to prepare the documentation for the building licence application. This should take between 4 to 6 weeks. 

Once you’ve given the initial design the go-ahead, the final architectural drawings can be submitted to the local council who are the ones who can approve or deny your building license. Unfortunately, this part of the process can take quite a long time, especially in places like Marbella and Benhavis, where deliberations have been known to go on as long as 2 to 3 years. If you’re in luck though, you’ll only have to wait a maximum of 9 months. 

Fortunately, you can be getting on with the full written project (el proyecto de ejecucion) whilst you’re waiting for the local council’s approval. This covers everything from the structure of your luxury villa to the bathroom and kitchen fittings and must be approved by the college of architects. 

And after all that, the building process of your new luxury home can begin, with the help of a construction team of course. Although it seems like an incredibly long process, once you’re relaxing on your own contemporary roof top terrace, soaking in the rays of the Costa del Sol, we promise it’ll all feel like it was worth it. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories. Remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.