What nobody tells you before you renovate.
Guides written by engineers registered with the Ordem dos Engenheiros. Real costs, the new SIMPLEX Urbanístico reform, and refurbishment — so you can decide with judgement, not in a rush.
Guides that anyone renovating or building reads first
Start with the question you have right now. Every article links to a calculator or a clear next step at the end.
New · Refurbishment
Seismic vulnerability assessment in Portugal: when is it mandatory?
The 4 conditions that make it mandatory in refurbishment works — and the 90% rule that forces strengthening.
Read · 9 min →
Seismic safety
Will your Portuguese home survive an earthquake? (2026)
It isn't the age that decides it — it's what was done without an engineer. And your purchase survey never checked it.
Read · 11 min →
Pricing
How much does a structural stability project cost in Portugal (2026)
Real figures by property type, what's included in each fee, and how to avoid overpaying. With a live calculator.
Read · 8 min →
2024 legislation
SIMPLEX Urbanístico: what changes and why the signature on your project matters
Since 2024, the local council no longer approves the structural stability project — it accepts it on the engineer's signature. What that changes for you.
Read · 9 min →The quote calculator. No obligation.
A serious pricing engine: it derives the quantities from your property's measurements and applies real unit prices from the Portuguese market — chapter by chapter, item by item, with materials, labour and VAT included. And it prints to PDF.
OPEN THE CALCULATORSIMPLEX Guide + Engineer's Checklist
The 7 questions to ask your engineer before signing, plus 2025–2026 reference prices — all in a single document, ready to print or bring to the meeting.
- Checklist of 7 questions before you sign
- Table of 2025–2026 reference prices
- The SIMPLEX Urbanístico reform explained without the legal jargon