In Málaga city we carry out the building work for shops, offices, bars and shell units: strip-out, partitions, ceilings, toilets, floors and finishes, coordinated by one contractor. Paperwork depends on the activity and on the city’s own procedures and is handled by your technician. If you are considering converting a ground-floor unit into a home, note that the city gave initial approval in July 2026 to stricter rules for such conversions.
What kinds of commercial premises are typical in Málaga?
A large city offers every type of unit. Many shops and offices occupy the ground floor of residential buildings, which means an owners’ community above and shared elements around. Older buildings in central districts often have deep, narrow units with irregular walls and services that have been altered many times. Newer residential developments and business areas tend to offer larger units, frequently delivered as shells. Upper-floor offices in mixed-use buildings add lifts and building management rules to the picture.
Each type changes the work. An older unit usually means more strip-out and more surprises behind the walls; a shell means building everything from the services up. Our guide on shell units explains the second case in detail.
What should you know about access and logistics?
In central areas, narrow and pedestrian streets make deliveries and debris removal a planning exercise. Vans may only be able to stop at certain times, skips may not fit, and materials may need carrying the last stretch. In residential buildings, the entrance and lift may be shared with neighbours. These factors affect the plan and the cost, so we check them at the visit and agree the arrangements before quoting. Local rules on loading and occupying the public road must be confirmed for each address (to be verified with the city council).
How does the owners’ community affect a fit-out?
For units in residential buildings, the horizontal-property law allows the owner to modify the unit’s own installations provided the building’s safety, structure and exterior are not affected and the community’s representative is informed beforehand. Frontage changes, signage and outlets for extraction or air conditioning usually need the community’s agreement. Many communities also set working hours. Our guide on works and the owners’ community covers the details.
Which paperwork applies in Málaga?
The framework is the Andalusian and national one described in our licences guide: a declaración responsable for minor works without a technical project, a licence for larger works, and a procedure for the activity that depends on what the business does. The city council has its own forms and procedures, which your architect, engineer or consultant will know. We do not process licences; we build to the scope your technician defines.
Can a ground-floor unit in Málaga become a home?
This question has become more complicated. On 16 July 2026, Málaga’s city council gave initial approval to an amendment of its general plan covering the conversion of ground-floor premises into dwellings and the conditions for commercial-to-residential changes. According to the council, licences that do not comply are suspended from publication in the provincial gazette, for up to three years or until final approval. Press reports describe restrictions on main streets and squares and new light, ventilation and habitability conditions. The current status and how it affects a given unit must be checked with an architect (to be verified).
See commercial unit to home for what we take on once a conversion is approved.
How do we approach a fit-out in Málaga?
The same way as anywhere: photos and floor area first, then a visit to measure, check access and look at drainage, ceiling void and existing services. An itemised quote follows, with exclusions and open decisions listed. During the works, one person coordinates every trade, with authorised partner installers for electrics and plumbing, and the unit is cleaned before handover. For the details, see shop refurbishment, office refurbishment and restaurant and bar fit-out.
Which practical issues come up most in city units?
- Pipes from upper floors crossing the unit at awkward heights.
- Drainage connections in places that limit where toilets can go.
- Electrical supplies sized for a previous, smaller use.
- Uneven floors and walls in older buildings.
- Limited hours for noisy work set by the community or the building.
None of these is unusual, and most are manageable when identified at the visit rather than halfway through the job.
Official sources
- Ayuntamiento de Málaga – PGOU amendment on commercial-to-residential changes of use, initial approval (July 2026)
- El Español Málaga – new conditions for converting shops into homes (6 July 2026)
- Ley 49/1960 on Horizontal Property, art. 7 (consolidated text published by sede.madrid.es)
Bauman Raymond Attila · Reforma Locales Málaga · Avenida Antonio Belón 3, Marbella. Last reviewed: 05/11/2026.
