Renovations and Building Work in Santa Bárbara

In Santa Bárbara de Nexe the work nearly always involves the outside, because the ground slopes: extensions that require a retaining wall, terraces to level and access to rebuild. The masonry side weighs more here than in an interior refurbishment.

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Santa Bárbara, as seen by the people who work there

Santa Bárbara de Nexe is villa country with a view — halfway up the slope between Faro and the barrocal, where a lot of people built the house they intend to stay in.

South-facing slopes looking out over the lagoon and the sea, large plots, and a mix of restored traditional houses and good-quality new build. Detached villas on generous plots, many with a pool and retaining walls because of the slope, and a good number with natural stone cladding on the façade.

In Santa Bárbara de Nexe we do a lot of outdoor work — stone, walls, pools and façade maintenance.

What we find in Santa Bárbara

Sloping ground means retaining structures

Almost everything built here sits on terraces. Poorly drained retaining walls are the most common structural problem we find in the area.

Natural stone façades needing treatment

Schist and local stone develop efflorescence and green growth on the exposed face. Washing them with the wrong product discolours the stone irreversibly.

Wind and southern exposure

The view has a price: south-facing façades take sun all year round and lower-grade paints lose their colour in two summers.

Renovations and Building Work: what we do

Complete bathrooms — Strip-out, alteration of plumbing and electrics, tanking, finishes and sanitaryware.
Kitchens — Reorganising the space, water and electrical points, finishes and coordination with the unit manufacturer.
Masonry and structure — Opening and closing openings, partition walls, suspended ceilings and floor levelling.
Outdoor work — Barbecues, garden bars, pergolas, ornamental ponds and outdoor paving.
Structural repairs — Crack treatment, reinforcement of weakened areas and correction of water ingress.
Finishes — Plastering, painting, joinery and the post-construction clean at the end, all by the same team.

How the work goes

1
Visit and survey
We measure, see what is possible and listen to what you want the space to do.
2
Detailed quote
Broken down by stage and by material, so you know exactly what you are paying for.
3
Planning the work
Dates per stage and coordination of the trades, settled before we start.
4
Execution with oversight
One person as your point of contact, with photographs of progress if you cannot be there.
5
Handover and cleaning
A walk-through with you, correction of anything that needs it, and the post-construction clean included.

Work in and around this area

Bathroom clad in green marble

A complete bathroom refurbishment, from brickwork to stone: a walk-in shower, a floating counter and green marble from floor to ceiling.

5 photographs

Ornamental pond with a stone cascade

A garden pond with a stone cascade wall, aquatic planting and an edge in stone and pebble.

3 photographs

Garden bar with a thatched roof

An outdoor bar built over decking, with a counter, a cane front and a thatched roof.

1 photograph

Frequently asked questions about renovations and building work in Santa Bárbara

Do you actually work in Santa Bárbara, or do you travel in from elsewhere?

We work in Santa Bárbara regularly. We set out from Loulé and get there in about 20 minutes, which means we can come and look at the job without charging for the trip.

What usually goes wrong with this kind of work in Santa Bárbara?

Almost everything built here sits on terraces. Poorly drained retaining walls are the most common structural problem we find in the area. It is the situation we come across most often in Santa Bárbara, and it is why we look at the job before quoting.

How long does a bathroom refurbishment take?

Between two and four weeks, depending on whether the pipework changes. Most of that time is drying: tanking and tile adhesives have curing times that cannot be shortened without compromising the work.

Do you deal with permits?

For interior work with no structural alteration no permit is needed, only notification in some cases. Where a design or council licensing is required, we advise you and work with professionals who handle it.

Can I stay in the house during the work?

For localised work, yes. For a refurbishment of the only bathroom in the house it is possible but uncomfortable — we usually say frankly when we think it is worth moving out for a few weeks.