Planning a home renovation
in Cascais or Lisbon

A home renovation starts with how you want to live. You may be considering a purchase, renovating an inherited house or finding that your current home no longer works for you. Start by separating what needs attention from what you would like to change.

Maya’s Homes focuses on complete house and apartment renovations along the Cascais coastline to Lisbon. Maja coordinates design and works with her team, with the scope agreed for your property.

Build a brief before setting a budget

Before buying, gather the property information available to you: location, approximate area, photographs and any existing plans. Note the condition you have observed, the rooms you want to change and the way you intend to use them. Plans are useful if available; you can begin a conversation without them.

A price based only on floor area leaves important questions open. Keeping a layout and changing finishes is a different brief from moving walls or installations. Access, existing conditions and material choices also affect the work. Separate your priorities into essential work and choices you could reconsider.

Discuss what remains uncertain before relying on an early estimate for a purchase decision. A detailed quotation needs a defined scope. Property-specific technical checks and questions about documentation or permissions belong with the relevant qualified professionals.

Compare what each quotation covers

Put proposals beside the same brief. Check the rooms and work specified, material descriptions, quantities where relevant, and exclusions. Identify anything still awaiting a decision. Ask who supplies and coordinates each element, and how additional work will be reviewed.

A useful comparison records each item as included, excluded or awaiting clarification. If one proposal includes furnishing and another covers construction alone, their totals describe different projects. Ask for unclear items to be explained before agreeing the work.

At Maya’s Homes, layouts, materials and 3D designs are developed with you. Before construction, you receive a detailed quotation, works contract, payment schedule and timeline. Design is a separate paid service. See our complete renovation process.

Give an inherited home a clear purpose

Start with what you want to preserve and how the home needs to function now. Make a note of previous alterations and collect available property information. Bring the priorities of everyone involved in renovation decisions into the brief.

An extra bedroom or a different layout is a proposal to assess for that property. Resolve ownership or permission questions with the appropriate advisers before committing to work that depends on them.

Decide whether the problem needs broader work

Record what you have noticed and when it happens. Damp, noise or a failing finish needs appropriate assessment before a solution is specified. A visible symptom alone cannot establish the necessary work.

A limited repair may be enough. Broader planning becomes useful when several changes affect the same spaces or installations. Consider those connections alongside your goals, then decide the scope. A single problem does not automatically call for a full renovation.

Plan decisions, distance and time

If you live abroad, discuss how you want to receive updates and who will approve decisions. Maja keeps clients informed through messages, photographs and progress reports suited to their needs. Site meetings form part of the communication when you are here. Changes are reviewed with you; effects on price and timing are confirmed in writing before approval and execution.

We prefer the property to remain unoccupied during complete renovations. Discuss accommodation and any move-in deadline early. Planning, property conditions, selections and the agreed works affect timing. If you are considering phases, discuss their dependencies before treating them as separate jobs.

Look at the whole project

The Tasca shows a former tavern converted into a 90 m² two-bedroom home in Amoreira. Vista is a complete apartment renovation in Alvide, Cascais. Use each project to understand its particular starting point and scope; your home will have its own requirements.

Planning questions

Can I start before buying the property?

Yes. Share the location, available information and intended changes. Explain your purchase stage and the questions you still need to resolve.

What if I only know what is wrong with the home?

Describe the issue and what you want to improve. The necessary scope needs to be understood before deciding on a complete renovation.

Do inherited homes need a different starting point?

Begin with intended use, available information and the features you wish to keep. Identify any unresolved decisions or specialist checks.

Can I commission design separately?

Yes. Design is a separate paid service. You can take the finished design to another contractor; Maja’s supervision is available for an additional fee.

What should my first message include?

Send the area, your starting point and the changes that matter most. Mention timing or occupancy constraints. Discuss your renovation with Maja.