San Sebastián has some of the highest property prices in Spain, exceeding 4,147 €/m². Its historic housing stock in the Ensanche and its coastal homes present problems that call for a specialist technical diagnosis. If we find no defects, we refund your money.
No ties to developers, estate agents or sellers. We work only for you.
Every part of San Sebastián has its own typical problems. These are the ones we find most in San Sebastián:
Salt corrosion on façades — San Sebastián’s Cantabrian coast damages joinery and installations.
Damp in the Casco Viejo — the historic buildings have built up century-old leaks.
Outdated installations in the Ensanche — in early 20th-century buildings that have never been upgraded.
San Sebastián has a compact centre set between the sea, the river Urumea and the hills. The Parte Vieja was rebuilt in the 19th century after the fire that destroyed it and keeps narrow buildings with load-bearing walls and timber structures. When the city walls were pulled down the Ensanche was born, with bourgeois buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and Gros grew on the other side of the river. Amara Nuevo went up in the mid-20th century, and between the 60s and 80s neighbourhoods such as Altza and Intxaurrondo filled with blocks of flats.
If you buy in San Sebastián, the climate is key: heavy rainfall and sea air take their toll on façades, roofs and joinery. In the Parte Vieja and the Ensanche, check the condition of the timber beams, the downpipes and the lift, often added later, during the viewing, and ask whether any communal works have been approved. In blocks from the 60s–80s, ask for the ITE (technical building inspection) and about façade refurbishment. The technical inspection measures damp with a hygrometer, detects woodworm and rot in the timber, checks the electrical installation and uses the thermal imaging camera to locate condensation and thermal bridges.
Parte Vieja — Narrow 19th-century buildings with load-bearing walls and timber floors. Check the beams, damp, downpipes and the electrical installation, which is often old.
Gros — A neighbourhood from the late 19th and 20th centuries next to Zurriola beach. Check the effect of salt air on façades, balconies and joinery, and the condition of the roof.
Altza — Blocks of flats from the 60s and 70s on hillsides. Check the ITE, façade insulation, accessibility and any communal works already approved.
The process in San Sebastián is simple and fast.
No small print. No travel costs in San Sebastián and the metropolitan area.
Chartered Architect
Report within 24h
Chartered Architects available in San Sebastián and every town in the metropolitan area.
For an investment of this size in San Sebastián, the inspection is essential. They detected 15,000 € of defects.
Very clear report with photos and the estimated cost of each defect. 100% independent, with no links to the seller or the estate agent.
We show you, step by step, what to check when you view a home before buying it.
- What to check in wall finishes, floors, doors and windows
- How to check the electrical installation and the plumbing
- Which signs of damp and poor ventilation to look for
- Why you should test everything before buying
Other provinces:
Towns in the province:
Which defects are most common in San Sebastián?
It depends on the type and age of the building, but the most common are outdated installations, damp and cracks in façades. A technical inspection detects them all before you buy.
How much does the inspection cost?
From 345 € for under 100 m². From 100 to 199 m²: 395 €. From 200 to 299 m²: 445 €. From 300 to 399 m²: 495 €. VAT included, no travel costs.
Is the report legally valid?
Yes. It can be submitted as evidence in proceedings for hidden defects (art. 1484 of the Spanish Civil Code). The Chartered Architect can testify as an expert witness. See the legal service →
How long does the inspection in San Sebastián take?
Between 1.5 and 3 hours depending on the size. The full report is delivered in less than 24 hours.
The Hausum report goes far beyond a technical document.
- Private document admissible in court
- Claims for hidden defects (art. 1484 of the Spanish Civil Code)
- The Chartered Architect testifies as an expert witness
- Useful at the notary and the land registry
- Valid before and after signing
- Claim defects discovered after the purchase
Save money and avoid surprises. In less than 24h you have an architect assigned and the full report.
No commitment · Pay only if you confirm · Money-back guarantee if we find no defects