Living well · 7 min read
What makes a well-built home
Almost everything that determines how a home performs for thirty years is invisible on a viewing. Here is what to ask about instead.
Last updated 4 August 2026
Start with the envelope
The wall, roof and glazing assembly sets running costs, comfort and durability. Ask for the insulation thickness and its position — external insulation performs far better in a hot climate than insulation buried inside the wall, because it keeps the mass of the structure cool.
Ask for the energy performance rating and, more usefully, the calculated annual cooling and heating demand.
Glazing and shading
Large glazed openings are only comfortable if they are specified and shaded properly. Look for thermal-break aluminium frames, double glazing with a low-e coating, and fixed external shading sized for the sun angles on that elevation. Internal blinds are not shading; they stop glare after the heat has already entered.
Water: the most common failure
Most defects in Mediterranean buildings are water defects. The details to ask about:
- Waterproofing membrane type on roofs and verandas, and how upstands are terminated
- Falls on every external surface, and where the water actually goes
- Thresholds at sliding doors, with a drainage channel outside the track
- Bathroom tanking under tiles, not just sealant at the edges
- Accessible pipework and valves, so a leak does not require breaking tiles
Services and acoustics
Ask whether the cooling system is sized per room and controlled per room. Ask about acoustic separation between apartments — floating floors and resilient layers under screed make the difference between a quiet building and a noisy one, and cannot be retrofitted.
Materials that age well here
- Through-coloured render rather than painted finish
- Honed rather than polished stone externally, for slip resistance and patina
- Marine-grade or stainless fixings within a kilometre of the sea
- Solid or thick-veneer oak joinery rather than foil-wrapped board
- Powder-coated aluminium in place of steel for external elements
The questions that reveal the most
Who is the contractor, and what have they completed? Can I see a home you delivered five years ago? What is the defect liability period and who answers the phone during it? A developer confident in the build will answer all three immediately.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and rates change — take advice specific to your circumstances before you commit.
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