Renovation in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi

Sarrià-Sant Gervasi is where Barcelona keeps its largest homes — flats of 120 to 250 m² and detached houses built mostly between the 1920s and the 1970s — and the brief here is rarely about adding space. These properties were laid out for a different era, with a separate service kitchen, a small maid's room and narrow corridors, so opening up the old service areas transforms the home without a single extra square metre. What sets the budget is specification rather than structure: bespoke joinery instead of modular units with filler panels, at €650–1,300 per linear metre; climate control zoned by orientation and by room; acoustic separation between bedrooms and living areas; and home automation wired in during the works rather than added later, from €1,900. Because bespoke joinery carries a six to eight week lead time, it is ordered before demolition starts, not during — and if you are not resident in Spain, the project runs on weekly photo reports, a named site manager, access coordinated with the building manager and no extra cost without your written approval.

This is where Barcelona keeps its largest homes. Flats of 120–250 m² and detached houses, many built between the 1920s and the 1970s.

Common situations

• Large flats from the 1960s and 70s with servant quarters no longer used
• Townhouses and detached villas with gardens and terraces
• Period buildings with protected façades and original features
• Recent high-specification developments needing personalisation only

The typical brief

Reconfiguring a large flat laid out for a different era: separate service kitchen, small maid's room, narrow corridors. Opening these up transforms the property without adding a single square metre.