Full home renovations in Meliana, at the heart of l’Horta Nord

Meliana is a village of the Valencian huerta, right in the middle of l’Horta Nord and a stone’s throw from the coast, where the housing has a very distinctive character. Here you mostly find multi-storey village houses, old farmhouses (alquerías) of the huerta and traditional detached family homes, with that traditional, narrow-street feel that defines the town. This is not an area of tower blocks or large developments: it is a village built like a village, with its history embedded in every wall.

That is why renovating in Meliana has little in common with refurbishing a recent flat. Many of these homes were built decades ago —some far longer— with thick load-bearing walls, timber-joist-and-tile floors and period materials. They have a charm well worth preserving, but they also carry the usual problems of an old house: rising damp coming up from the huerta ground, worn-out services, closed-off layouts and practically non-existent insulation.

At Batecs we have spent more than 35 years carrying out full home renovations in Meliana and throughout l’Horta Nord, from our base in La Eliana, close by and well connected. We know the Valencian village house inside out: we know where a good refurbishment begins, what to check before touching anything and how to modernise the kitchen and bathrooms without giving up the home’s character. The aim is always the same: a huerta home that is sound, comfortable and up to date, without spoiling what makes it special.

What’s different here

What makes renovating in Meliana different

Renovating well in Meliana starts with understanding that you are working on a traditional huerta home, not on a new house. These are the factors that weigh most when planning the work and the budget.

Refurbishing village houses and old farmhouses

The Meliana village house is usually a multi-storey building, narrow and deep, with thick load-bearing walls and old floor structures. Before promising anything, it pays to check the structure —beams, floors, any cracks— and the condition of the roofs, because in a house of this age it’s what you can’t see that drives the budget. In the farmhouses of the huerta the critical point is usually the combination of old timber or ceramic structure and damp from the ground. Here a good refurbishment is done from the bottom up: first make it sound, then modernise.

Damp: the number-one challenge of the huerta

Sitting right in the huerta and close to the coast comes at a price in the form of rising damp: water comes up from the ground through the ground-floor walls and shows up on skirtings, corners and walls, especially in the older houses. Painting over it isn’t enough. We treat the cause with damp-proof barriers, breathable mortars and proper ventilation, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens, so the problem doesn’t come back soon after the work is finished.

Modernising the kitchen and bathrooms without losing the character

Most renovations in Meliana involve bringing the kitchen and bathrooms up to date in a family home: completely renewing the plumbing and electrics —which are almost always worn out— opening the kitchen onto the dining area to gain light, and creating comfortable, well-ventilated bathrooms. The house can be modernised inside while keeping what gives it personality: arches, beams, restored hydraulic tiling or details of the traditional façade.

Permits and paperwork

Any renovation of a certain scale in Meliana requires its paperwork with the Meliana Town Hall: a renovation that doesn’t touch the structure or façade can usually be handled with a responsible declaration or works notification, whereas work on the structure, knocking down load-bearing walls or working on the façade calls for a licence. In the houses of the old town it is also worth bearing in mind any conditions of the traditional surroundings. We take care of advising you and managing the documentation so the work is fully in order.