How to Get a Communal Garage Floor Budget Approved
Whether a community needs a vote to restore its garage floor depends on how the work is classed: necessary maintenance is mandatory and needs no prior agreement, while a non-required improvement needs a three-fifths majority. In both cases, an itemised quote at approximately €15/m² + IVA makes the owners' decision much easier.
Send us a photo and the m²Is a garage floor refresh maintenance or an improvement?
That classification is made by the community and its administrator, not by the contractor. It matters because it decides whether a vote is needed before the work and how the cost is shared.
A floor that is cracked, stained and deteriorating may well fall under upkeep; a purely aesthetic colour change on a floor in good condition may look more like an improvement. We describe the condition honestly in our quote so the administrator has the facts to decide.
What does the law say about necessary maintenance?
Article 10.1.a of the Ley de Propiedad Horizontal makes works necessary for the proper upkeep of the building and its common services mandatory, without a prior agreement of the Junta de propietarios. Article 10.2 adds that the owners bear the cost.
In that case, the Junta's role is limited to agreeing how the cost is shared out as a derrama and the payment schedule. Both of these articles were reworded by Ley 8/2013, and article 17 has since been touched again by RDL 19/2021 and by Ley 10/2022.
What majority does an improvement need?
Improvements that are not required need the vote of three-fifths of the owners, who must also represent three-fifths of the participation shares (article 17, rule 4ª). An owner who votes against is not obliged to pay for such an improvement.
Other agreements need a majority of all owners representing a majority of the shares; at a second call, a majority of those present representing more than half of the shares present is enough (article 17, rule 7ª).
What should the quote show to help the vote?
Owners approve what they understand. A quote that breaks the work into areas and shows the arithmetic gives them nothing to argue about except the decision itself.
| Line | Example |
|---|---|
| Garage floor | 320 m² × €15 = €4,800 |
| Access ramp | 60 m² × €15 = €900 |
| Subtotal | €5,700, including cleaning, crack filling, cut-in, two coats |
| IVA | Rate stated and explained on the quote |
| Exclusions | Parking lines, structural repairs, municipal fees |
Our communal garage quote page shows more examples. The calculator lets the administrator produce a first figure before the photos are even sent.
How should you compare two or three quotes?
By checking that they describe the same work. The usual traps are a missing second coat, cleaning listed as an extra, or edges and columns left out of the description.
- Is the same area in m² used in every quote?
- Does each quote include pressure washing and crack filling?
- How many coats does each quote include?
- Is IVA shown separately, and at which rate?
- Are parking lines included, excluded or simply not mentioned?
Our contractor checklist turns these questions into a one-page comparison the administrator can hand to the owners.
Does the community need municipal permission?
It depends on the town and the zone. In Málaga city, the fiscal ordinance lists exterior works in gardens, pools and common areas that consist only of repairing or coating slabs (item A.2.12) as a minor work under a declaración responsable, with a fee of €50; protected areas may require a licence.
For Marbella, Estepona, Mijas, Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Torremolinos, we have not verified the procedure (to be verified). The administrator should confirm with the ayuntamiento before work starts.
How should the work be scheduled for residents?
Large garages can usually be done in sections so part of the space stays in use. The administrator agrees the sequence with us and tells residents which bays must be cleared and when.
How long each section stays closed depends on the product and the weather; we follow the product data sheet and confirm reopening with the administrator. If the floor is heavily oil-stained, the pressure washing cost page explains how that affects the preparation.
What can the administrator do before the meeting?
Gather the facts the owners will ask about: photos of the floor, a plan or the dimensions, and at least one itemised quote. With those on the table, the discussion moves quickly from whether to act to how to pay.
It also helps to list what will not change. A refresh restores the colour and closes routine cracks; it does not re-mark parking bays or fix a moving slab, and owners should hear that before they vote rather than after the work.
What about IVA for the community?
The general rate is 21%. Communities of owners can, in the tax authority's reading, benefit from the 10% rate on dwelling renovation too, provided the building was finished two or more years before the work and materials remain at or below 40% of the taxable base.
Whether a communal garage counts as part of the dwelling for this purpose has not been verified. Our IVA guide sets out the sources and the pending 2026 change.
Frequently asked questions
Does the community have to vote to repaint the garage floor?
Not if the work is necessary upkeep of common elements: under article 10.1.a of the Ley de Propiedad Horizontal, it is mandatory and needs no prior Junta agreement, and the Junta decides how the cost is shared. Improvements that are not required need a three-fifths majority of owners and shares.
Who decides whether it is maintenance or an improvement?
The community and its administrator, based on the condition of the floor and the purpose of the work. We describe the condition honestly in the quote, with photos, so they have the facts. We do not make that legal classification ourselves.
What majority is needed for an improvement?
Three-fifths of the owners, representing three-fifths of the participation shares, under article 17, rule 4ª. An owner who votes against a non-required improvement is not obliged to pay for it. Other agreements need a double majority under rule 7ª.
What does a 400 m² communal garage cost?
At the guide rate, 400 m² × €15 = €6,000 + IVA, including cleaning, routine crack filling, cut-in and two coats. Heavy oil staining, many columns or restricted access can change the figure, which we confirm from photos. Parking lines are not included, as we do not paint them.
Can the quote be presented at the owners' meeting?
Yes. Our written quote lists each area with its m², the rate, the work included, the exclusions and IVA, so it can be attached to the meeting papers. We can provide it in English and Spanish for communities with owners from several countries.
How is the cost shared between owners?
For necessary upkeep, the Junta agrees how the derrama is shared and the payment schedule, based on the community's rules and participation shares. We invoice according to what the community instructs; how the cost is split internally is the community's decision.
Do we need a permit from the ayuntamiento?
In Málaga city, coating or repairing exterior slabs in common areas is listed as a minor work under a declaración responsable (fee €50), though protected zones may need a licence. For other towns we have not verified the rules, so the administrator should check locally.
Can the garage stay open during the work?
Large garages can usually be done in sections so residents keep some access. The closure time for each section depends on the product and the weather, following the product data sheet. We agree the sequence with the administrator in advance.
Does the community pay 10% or 21% IVA?
The general rate is 21%. Communities of owners can qualify for 10% on renovation of dwellings if the building is at least two years old and materials stay within 40% of the base. Whether a garage counts as part of the dwelling has not been verified.
What should owners check when comparing quotes?
That every quote uses the same m², includes cleaning and crack filling, specifies two coats, shows IVA separately and is clear about parking lines. Differences in any of these make totals impossible to compare fairly, however attractive the cheapest one looks.