Extra Costs

When you buy any new property in Cyprus, whether it be a modestapartment or a luxury villa, a Building Specification will be attached to, and form part of, the contract of sale. The Building Specification will detail all the materials used in the construction – reinforced concrete, type of bricks, plaster, specification of plumbing and electrical wiring, ceramics, sanitary fittings and so on. To the lay person, much of this will make pretty dull reading, but you can rest assured that the standards of materials and construction are very closely monitored by the relevant authorities, and you need have no concerns about the overall quality of your home.

The Specification becomes more interesting, however, when it details what is, and what is not, included in the ‘standard’ price (i.e. the price advertised on this website) in terms of fixtures, fittings, and other ‘extras’. We are not suggesting for one minute that there are ‘hidden extras’ – everything is clearly listed in the Specification, but it is easy to assume that certain things might be included, when in fact they are not, or vice versa. The main reason for this not any intention to mislead, but the element of customer choice and wide range of styles and prices of certain items.

Exactly what is, and what is not, included will differ from developer to developer, but these are the main items you need to look out for. To avoid repetition, we will use the term ‘SP’ below to indicate ‘standard price’.

Air Conditioning

The SP will include ‘provision for air conditioning’, i.e. the electrical wiring and switches in each room, but not the units themselves. This is because there is a large range of brands and power outputs (many providing warm as well as cold air), and also because some people don’t like air conditioning. If you want aircon, we recommend that you save a lot of hassle and ask the developer to quote for it and add it to the contract price and specification. The cost (fully installed) for a 3-bedroom house will be in the region of CY£1500.

Central Heating (Villas)

This was all the rage amongst Cypriots a few years ago, until they realised that they hardly ever used it! Some villas in the hill villages (e.g. Droushia and Kathikas) may have ‘provision for central heating’, i.e. internal plumbing, but no radiators or boiler, included in the SP, but elsewhere it is not that common. If, however, you have the slightest inkling that you might want the option of central heating at a later date, then get the developer to quote for the ‘provision’ up front, and get it done as part of the building programme. Because there are no floorboards in new builds, fitting central heating pipe work at a later date has to be done with surface-mounted pipe work, which is not that pretty. If you want to go the whole hog and have central heating, you have the choice of either diesel or propane, both of which require a large tank outside (there is no mains gas in Cyprus). A less obtrusive alternative is electric under floor heating, but this must be specified at the start, because it goes under the ceramic floor tiles.

Ceramic Tiles – Floors and Walls

The SP will include fully tiled floors throughout the whole property, including verandas and balconies, and the staircase if you have one. The bathroom walls (all 4) will be fully tiled up to the height of the door, or sometimes the ceiling. The kitchen walls will be tiled around the sink, and between the worktops and wall units. All developers work the same way regarding cost and specification: the SP will show a value of tiles of CY£X per square metre. Assuming that building has not started and you have a choice, you then be taken to their supplier’s showroom and choose what colours you want from that price range. If you want something more expensive (e.g. marble floors) the developer will quote a price and add the difference to the contract price. (Don’t be dismayed if the SP price looks low compared with the rip-off prices in the UK – wait until you see the quality!).

Hint: most bathrooms are two-tone, i.e. the floor and the lower part of the walls are one colour, then the rest of the walls are a complementary colour. If you want border tiles in between, these will almost always be quoted as extras. (This is because they are not that fashionable in Cyprus, so they are expensive).

Kitchens

The SP will include a fully fitted kitchen, and this works in the same way as the tiles. If you are buying ‘off plan’, you will be shown a range of cupboard and worktop finishes, and you can choose. If you want something more expensive (e.g. solid oak doors or granite worktops) you can pay the difference. Some developers now include granite worktops as standard.

Kitchen appliances, either built-in (e.g. hobs and ovens) or free standing (e.g. fridge freezers) are rarely included in the SP, again due to the wide range of brands and prices available in Cyprus. However, sometimes a developer will run a ‘special offer, particularly with apartments, where all the appliances are included in the published SP. We will point this out on our property pages where applicable.

Even if you are thinking of ‘shopping around’ when you visit Cyprus near to taking possession of your property, it might be worth bearing in mind that all hobs are the ‘inset’ type where a hole has to be cut in the worktop, and it may well be that the appliance retailer might not offer this service, so you have to find a fitter. T might be worthwhile asking the developer to quote you an ‘all-in price’ to supply and fit the hob, and the ‘slot-in’ oven as well, for that matter.

Please also bear in mind that dishwashers are not that common in the kitchen designs of properties built in holiday areas, because they are often rented out to tourists who will eat out or buy takeaways. If you want a dishwasher, be sure to pint this out so that it can be incorporated into the kitchen plan

Sanitary Ware, Taps, Showers etc...

Again, the SP will include all these items up to a certain amount of money. There is often a choice of styles, and you will be taken to the showroom (often the same one who supplies the tiles) and choose. If you want something particularly fancy, you can pay the difference.

Light Fittings

The SP will be for a standard ceiling rose and bayonet fitting in each room, to which you can attach a lampshade. This is usually adequate for the bedrooms. If you want a more elaborate light fitting in the living room (or anywhere else), you can visit one of the many excellent lighting shops and buy one. The builder will usually fit it free of charge, or we can help with this (see below).

Curtain Poles and Fittings

The SP will usually include nothing at all, due to the huge range of styles and prices available. There are several excellent shop in Paphos who provide a complete ‘supply and fit’ service, not just for the poles etc., but for made to measure curtains and blinds as well. Depending on your tastes, you should budget roughly the same as this would cost in the UK. (We can also help with this – see below).

Swimming Pool (Villas)

The SP will normally be for an 8 metre x 4 metre rectangular lined pool, or possibly a 10 x 5 for larger houses. This will be handed over in full working order including accessories for cleaning and maintenance, and you will be given full instruction on how to look after it. (Water will be included!). Included in the SP will be a pool surround (paving or imprinted concrete, which looks like paving) of 1-1.5 metres. If your house is on a pre-planned development, there may not be a huge amount of flexibility if you want something vastly different in terms of size, shape etc., but anything feasible can be quoted for. If you are having a custom built villa on a large plot, there is more information about pools in our Design and Build section.
 
Boundary Fence or Walls (Detached Villas)

If your house is on a development of several adjacent houses built by the same developer, the SP will almost certainly include a boundary division. This will usually be a 1 metre high wall, which is the maximum height allowed under building regulations. If you want something higher, ask the builder to quote for a trellis on top of the wall (this is allowed, because it is regarded as a temporary structure). Alternatively, you can do this later as a DIY project, or get a garden company to do it (see below). Boundary walls etc. are rarely included in the SP of Design and Build projects due to the size and nature of the plots. This is covered in more detail in our Design and Build section.

Gardens (Detached Villas)

On developments of adjacent houses on modest sized plots, most of the outside space will be at the rear of the house, as this is where the pool will be. Between the house and the pool will be a large veranda, so most of your ‘garden’ space will be paved. The remaining border up to the boundary (and the space at the front of the house) can be put to a variety of uses. Most buyers opt for something fairly low maintenance, such as gravel chippings and patio tubs, or plants directly into the ground. In the latter cases, hibiscus is a big favourite, as it can also form a very attractive flowering hedge. Most developers will leave this up to the tastes of individual buyers, and these borders will usually be left as bare earth. Some may include gravel chippings in the SP. There are some very good garden centres in Paphos, so most buyers go and buy their own tubs and plants etc. If you want the planting etc. done for you and added to the contract price, the developer will probably subcontract this out to a gardener, so you have the option of finding one yourself. The garden centres also offer this service.

Can We Help?

With all of the above items, you have three choices, and this will often depend on whether you are going to be in Cyprus towards the end of the building period, or whether you want to arrive in Cyprus to a completely finished property down to the last detail. Firstly, you can ask the developer to quote for certain items (the most common being air conditioning units) and include them in the contract price. Secondly, depending on how much ‘local knowledge’ and time you have, you can ‘shop around’ and arrange for these items yourself. Thirdly, you can ask us to do it! That’s right – we can arrange for all these things due to the network of suppliers we have established over the years. We don’t charge for this – you just pay the supplier direct. We will provide further details of this service when you have chosen your property.

Important Note
The information on this website is based on our interpretation of the current regulations in Cyprus. Whilst we make every endeavour to provide accurate information, we cannot accept liability for any loss incurred due to inaccuracies or omissions on this website. Prospective buyers are strongly recommended to take independent legal advice before entering into any agreements or parting with any money.