Pre-purchase advice
Porto · Lisbon · International

Know what you can do with it, before you buy.

Independent architectural advice for foreign buyers in Portugal.
Book a consultationSee the services
Living room with three arched windows in a rehabilitated building next to Bolhão market, Porto
Before you sign
A property can look right and still hide the wrong things.
01
You're looking

Send us the property before you book a viewing. We'll tell you what deserves attention.

02
You've found one

Before you sign, we check what exists, what is approved and what may become a problem.

03
You're ready to decide

We assess what you can build, extend or change, so you know what you're buying.

Granite door frame opening onto a renovated hallway
What we check
What looks simple isn't always simple.
Unauthorised extensions
Missing municipal records
Extension potential
Legalisation requirements
Planning restrictions
What was actually approved
Pools and annexes
Renovation constraints
Better to know before the deposit.
Our services
Three steps, depending on where you are.
Not sure which one you need?
Book a free meeting and send us the property link. We'll tell you which service makes sense before you commit to anything.
Book a free meeting
01
Pre-purchase review
Before you commit.
From €450 + VAT

We review the documents, the planning information and the questions that matter before you sign.

Book a consultation
02
Feasibility report
Know the property's potential.
From €850 + VAT

Municipal file. Planning rules. What can change. What may become a problem.

Order a report
03
Architecture project
Ready to transform it?
Quote on request

Architecture, licensing, engineering coordination and construction follow-up.

Request a proposal

Prices are indicative and may vary depending on the property, its documentation and the municipality.

Experience matters
Portugal's planning system is complicated. We work with it every day.
100+
Projects submitted to councils
45+
Municipalities
16 / 18
Mainland districts, plus Madeira and the Azores
AZORESMADEIRA
Mezzanine with a curved metal guardrail in a rehabilitated apartment in Porto
Case study
A house looked ready to renovate. The municipal file told a different story.

The tax record (caderneta predial) listed an extension, so the buyers assumed it was legal. They found out after the purchase: the Porto City Council's file had no licence for it. The extension is now being demolished before the renovation can begin, at a cost in time and money the buyers hadn't planned for. Checked before the promissory contract, it would have been a point to negotiate, not a problem to inherit.

Property
Porto
Found
After the purchase
Outcome
Demolition under way
Buying from abroad?
You don't need to be in Portugal.

Send us the property link, the documents or the agent's listing. We review the information, consult the municipal file and meet you online, before you travel or sign.

    We'll reply within 2 working days with a quote and payment details. Payment by bank transfer.

    Questions
    Do you need to visit the property?
    Not always. Much of what matters is in the documents, the planning rules and the municipal file. When a site visit makes a difference, it can be added, charged at our hourly rate plus mileage.
    Is this legal advice?
    No. We check the technical and planning side, alongside your lawyer.
    Which VAT applies?
    All prices exclude VAT, which is charged on top at 23%.
    What if I don't go ahead with the property?
    If we haven't started working on it yet, you can transfer the service to another property.
    Still looking?
    Start with the checklist.
    What to check at every viewing, updated for 2026. €100.
    Get the checklist — €100