Knowledge base

What to do when...

Real answers to the real problems Costa Brava homeowners run into. From green pool water to a lawn that's turning beige overnight, here's what we'd do, written by the people who actually do it.

21+ years on the coast
22 problems explained
4 languages spoken
1 phone number

Garden maintenance

Grass, plants, irrigation, and everything green.

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Yellow grass on the Costa Brava is almost always one of three things: too little water, too much sun on a thin lawn, or a fungal problem from watering at the wrong time of day. Most of the time it’s the watering.

Honest steps to try yourself

Water early in the morning, before 9am. Watering at noon evaporates most of it and watering at night invites fungus.
Check the soak depth: dig a finger 5cm into the soil. If it's dry under that, your sprinklers aren't running long enough.
Cut the grass higher than you think (around 5cm). Short grass burns faster in Mediterranean heat.
Avoid fertilizing in July or August. Feeding stressed grass makes it worse.

Be honest: if your grass has been yellow for more than two weeks, it’s not coming back without intervention. Reseeding in the wrong season just wastes seed.

Six weeks away in summer and you come back to a small jungle. The good news: most of it is cosmetic and reversible in a single weekend. The trick is not trying to do it all at once.

Honest steps to try yourself

Start with the lawn. Cut it in two passes, never more than a third of the height in one go, or you shock it.
Edge the borders next. A clean edge does more visual work than three hours of weeding.
Prune dead wood from shrubs and roses. Live wood waits.
Save the weeding for last. Pulling weeds before the lawn looks tidy is demoralizing.
Deep-water everything that evening, especially anything in pots.

The unsentimental truth: if you’re here for two weeks, a full cleanup eats half of it. You came for the coast, not the rake.

The Costa Brava summer is unforgiving on plants that look great in a Dutch or German garden center. The issue usually isn’t the heat itself, it’s the combination of heat, dry wind, and shallow watering.

Honest steps to try yourself

Group plants by water needs. Mediterranean natives (lavender, rosemary, oleander) next to thirsty plants (hydrangea, hosta) means one of them suffers.
Mulch generously, 5 to 7cm of bark or gravel. Bare soil dries out three times faster.
Move pots into morning sun, afternoon shade. South-facing terraces cook pots by 2pm.
Switch to deep, less frequent watering. Daily shallow watering trains shallow roots, which die fastest in heat.
If a plant is consistently struggling, replace it with a Mediterranean equivalent. There's no shame in this.

The expensive lesson: replacing the same plant three summers in a row costs more than buying the right plant once.

An irrigation failure in August is a clock counting down. You have about 4 to 7 days before serious plant loss, less for anything in pots or recently planted.

Honest steps to try yourself

Check the timer first. Power outages reset controllers, and many models default to off.
Look at every zone manually. If one zone runs and others don't, it's a valve. If nothing runs, it's power or pressure.
Walk every sprinkler head while a zone is running. Clogs, broken heads, and disconnected drip lines are obvious only when the water is on.
Check the main water supply. The garden valve sometimes gets closed accidentally during pool work or repairs.
In the meantime, hand-water anything that looks stressed, especially pots and new plantings.

Honestly: if you can’t isolate the issue in 30 minutes, you’re probably looking at a dead controller, a buried valve solenoid, or a broken main line. None of those are weekend DIY.

You have seven days to make a garden look intentional. Forget perfection, aim for tidy. Tidy reads as ‘cared for’, which is what guests actually notice.

Honest steps to try yourself

Mow, edge, and rake on day 1 or 2. This alone does 60% of the visual work.
Trim the obvious overgrowth. Shrubs blocking paths, branches over the terrace, that one rosemary that's eating the path.
Deep-water everything 48 hours before arrival, then again the morning of. Wet earth and green leaves photograph better.
Add 3 to 5 large pots of cheap flowering plants near the entrance and terrace. Lantana, geraniums, vinca. Instant color.
Skip the deep cleanup work. Save the soil amendment, replanting, and structural pruning for after they leave.

The unsentimental shortcut: guests don’t inspect your borders. They notice if the terrace feels welcoming and the lawn isn’t dead. Spend your energy there.

We do arrival prep for owners every week. Garden, pool, terrace, fresh flowers, fridge stocked. By the time you arrive, it looks like you live here year-round.

Set up arrival prep

Home & repairs

Small fixes, big issues, and everything in between.

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Second homes often collect small problems: a loose handle, broken light, dripping tap, damaged wall, stiff lock, tired terrace, or furniture that needs fixing. None of it feels big, until you arrive and spend your first days arranging repairs.

Honest steps to try yourself

Make one clear list instead of sending separate messages. Group repairs by room: kitchen, bathroom, terrace, bedrooms, exterior.
Add photos or short videos of each issue. This makes it much easier to estimate what is needed.
Decide what must be fixed before arrival and what can wait. Safety, water, electricity and access come first.
Do not hire five different people for five small jobs if you are not there. Coordinating timing, keys and follow-up becomes the real work.
Plan repairs before the final cleaning. Otherwise dust, drilling or paint touch-ups may undo the clean house feeling.

The honest shortcut: one organised repair visit before you arrive can save the first two days of your stay.

Send us your repair list and we coordinate the practical work before you arrive. We can check the property, arrange trusted local tradespeople and make sure small problems do not become your holiday project.

Arrange small repairs

Electrical problems can be simple, but they should never be guessed. If lights, sockets or switches suddenly stop working, the cause can be a tripped breaker, moisture, overload, old wiring or a faulty fitting.

Honest steps to try yourself

Check the fuse box first. If a breaker has tripped, switch it fully off and back on once.
Unplug recent appliances. A faulty appliance, outdoor light or pool/garden device can trip part of the system.
Check whether the problem is in one room or the whole house. This helps narrow down the circuit.
Do not keep resetting the breaker if it trips again. Repeated tripping means there is a real fault.
Avoid DIY electrical repairs, especially in older homes. Loose wires, moisture and overloaded circuits are not worth the risk.

Honestly: if electricity fails more than once, it is not “just the fuse”. Something is causing it, and that should be checked properly.

We help diagnose the issue and coordinate a trusted local electrician if needed. From sockets and switches to lighting, tripping breakers or outdoor electrical problems, we make sure it is handled safely.

Have us handle it

Damp spots and cracks are common in Costa Brava homes, especially older properties, second homes and houses near the coast. The difficult part is knowing whether it is cosmetic, humidity, a leak, roof damage or a structural issue.

Honest steps to try yourself

Take photos and mark the size of the spot or crack. This helps you see whether it is growing over days or weeks.
Check what is on the other side of the wall. A bathroom, kitchen, terrace, roof edge or exterior wall gives clues about the cause.
Smell the area. A musty smell often points to trapped moisture, not just surface staining.
Do not paint over it immediately. Paint hides the symptom, but if moisture is still coming through, the stain will return.
Call someone if the area grows, feels wet or appears after rain. That means the source needs to be found before the surface is repaired.

Be honest: damp is rarely solved by painting. First find where the water or humidity comes from, then repair the wall.

We inspect the damp spot or crack and help identify the likely cause. If needed, we arrange the right tradesperson for leak detection, roof repair, plastering, painting or structural advice.

Have us handle it

Doors, locks and windows often start giving problems after heat, humidity, wind or a long period without use. Sometimes it is a simple adjustment. Sometimes it is a security issue, especially if the property is empty for part of the year.

Honest steps to try yourself

Check if the problem is the frame, the lock or the handle. A door that rubs is different from a lock that no longer turns.
Do not force the key. If the cylinder is stiff, forcing it can snap the key or damage the lock completely.
Look for swelling, movement or loose hinges. Wooden doors and older frames can shift in Mediterranean weather.
Clean the track if it is a sliding door or window. Sand, dust and small stones often block smooth movement.
If it affects security, fix it before you leave the property. A door or window that does not close properly is not just annoying; it leaves the home vulnerable.

The practical truth: if you have to lift, push or slam a door every time, it is already asking for repair. Waiting usually makes the alignment worse.

We check the door, lock or window and arrange the right solution. From small adjustments to replacement locks or repairs by a trusted local specialist, we make sure your home closes safely again.

Have us handle it

A small leak is easy to ignore, but in a Costa Brava home it can quickly become expensive. Water can run behind tiles, damage cabinets, create damp smells, or affect the property below you if you are in an apartment.

Honest steps to try yourself

Turn off the local water supply first. Most taps, toilets and sinks have a small shut-off valve nearby. If not, use the main water valve.
Check where the water is actually coming from. A dripping tap, leaking pipe connection, running toilet or wet shower seal all need different fixes.
Dry the area completely and watch it for 10 minutes. This helps you see whether the leak is active or just leftover water from use.
Do not keep using the shower if water appears outside the tray or behind the wall. That usually means the seal, grout or drain needs attention.
If the leak continues after closing the valve, call someone. At that point it is not a small inconvenience anymore.

Be honest: a €40 part can become a €1,000 repair if the water keeps running behind tiles or furniture. Leaks are not the best place to “wait and see”.

Nico checks the leak, finds the source and arranges the right repair. Whether it is a tap, toilet, shower seal, pipe connection or hidden issue, we make sure the problem is handled properly.

Have us handle it

Paperwork & admin

Utilities, deliveries, and the paperwork of owning a home abroad.

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Buying a home in Spain is exciting, until the paperwork keeps coming after the keys are handed over. Utility changes, local taxes, community fees, insurance, bank details and official letters can all arrive at once — often in Spanish or Catalan.

Honest steps to try yourself

Create one folder for every document. Keep purchase papers, utility contracts, tax letters, insurance documents and community information together.
Make a list of what still needs changing. Electricity, water, gas, internet, insurance and community contact details are often still linked to the previous owner.
Check dates and deadlines first. Some letters are only informative, but others need action before a specific date.
Do not assume everything was arranged by the sale. The notary and estate agent may handle the purchase, but not every practical detail afterwards.
Ask for help before things become urgent. Fixing paperwork early is easier than solving missed payments, wrong names or disconnected services later.

Be honest: the hard part is not one form. It is knowing which document matters, which office handles it and what has to happen first.

We help you bring order to the paperwork after buying a home in Spain. From utility changes and documents to local administration and follow-up, we make sure nothing important gets lost in the pile.

Help me organise my paperwork

Spanish appointments often feel more stressful than they should. You may have a date booked for your NIE, residency or padrón, but still be unsure which documents to bring, whether copies are needed, or what happens if something is missing.

Honest steps to try yourself

Check the appointment confirmation carefully. Make sure you know the office, time, type of appointment and whose name it is booked under.
Print everything, even if you also have it digitally. Many offices still prefer paper copies.
Bring identification, proof of address and relevant forms. Requirements depend on the procedure, but missing one basic document can delay the whole process.
Do not leave translations or copies until the morning itself. Small practical things often cause the biggest stress.
If you are unsure, check the document list before you go. It is better to spend 30 minutes checking than to lose the appointment completely.

Honestly: Spanish admin is much easier when you arrive overprepared. One missing copy can mean starting again.

We check what you need for your NIE, residency or padrón appointment and help you prepare the documents. If needed, we can guide you through the process and make sure you understand the next step.

Have us handle it

An official letter in Spanish can feel worrying, especially when it comes from the town hall, tax office, police, healthcare service, insurance company or utility provider. Sometimes it is harmless. Sometimes it needs action.

Honest steps to try yourself

Do not ignore it because you do not understand it. Official letters often include dates, payment instructions or required documents.
Look for the sender first. The town hall, Agencia Tributaria, DGT, CatSalut, police or a utility company all mean different things.
Find the deadline. Words like plazo, fecha límite, pago, requerimiento or cita usually mean you need to pay attention.
Take a clear photo of every page. Include logos, reference numbers and the full text, not just the paragraph that looks important.
Ask for help before replying or paying. A wrong response can make a simple issue more complicated.

Be honest: Google Translate can help you understand the theme, but not always the consequence. With official letters, context matters.

After buying or renting a property in Spain, electricity, water, gas, internet or waste-related services may still be in someone else’s name. It can work for a while, but it is not something to leave unresolved.

Honest steps to try yourself

List every active service. Electricity, water, gas, internet, alarm systems, insurance and community charges may all have separate contracts.
Check the name and bank account on each bill. A contract can still be active even if it is not legally or practically set up for you.
Collect the property documents before calling providers. You may need ID, NIE, bank details, address, meter numbers and proof of ownership or rental.
Be careful before cancelling anything. Cancelling a contract can sometimes lead to reconnection costs, delays or technical inspections.
Compare the contract before accepting a new one. Some contracts are more expensive than needed or include services you do not use.

The practical truth: changing utilities in Spain is not just a phone call if names, meters, documents or bank details do not match.

We help review, change and organise your utility contracts in Spain. Whether the contract is still in the previous owner’s name, the tariff is wrong or the provider is difficult to reach, we help get it sorted.

Have us handle it

Healthcare in Spain is good, but access depends on your personal situation. If you do not have your public healthcare registration, CatSalut card or private insurance arranged, it can become stressful when you actually need care.

Honest steps to try yourself

Check whether you need public healthcare, private insurance or both. Your situation may depend on residency, work, pension status, family situation or time spent in Spain.
Gather your basic documents. ID, NIE, padrón, social security information, proof of residency or insurance documents may be needed.
Do not wait until someone gets ill. Healthcare paperwork is much easier to arrange when there is no emergency.
Check whether your current insurance really covers Spain. Travel insurance, foreign health insurance and Spanish private insurance are not the same thing.
Keep copies of everything. Healthcare offices and insurers may ask for documents more than once.

Honestly: the healthcare system is manageable once you know where you fit. The confusing part is working out which route applies to you.

We help you understand your healthcare options in Spain and assist with the practical steps. From public registration to private insurance guidance and documents, we help you get clarity.

Have us handle it

Driving in Spain can be straightforward, but licence rules, vehicle registration, insurance and import paperwork can quickly become confusing. This is especially true if you brought a car from another country or live in Spain for longer periods.

Honest steps to try yourself

Check whether your driving licence is still valid for your situation. Rules can differ depending on where your licence was issued and whether you are resident in Spain.
Make sure the car insurance matches your real situation. Address, country of registration, driver details and vehicle use all matter.
Do not ignore vehicle registration questions. If your car is staying in Spain, paperwork may be needed to keep everything legal.
Keep all vehicle documents together. Registration papers, insurance, ITV documents and proof of ownership should be easy to find.
Ask before you drive if something feels unclear. Fines, insurance problems or failed inspections are much harder to solve afterwards.

Be honest: car paperwork is one of those things that feels fine until you are stopped, need insurance, or have to pass an inspection.

We help you understand what needs to happen with your licence, vehicle documents, insurance or registration in Spain. If your car paperwork is unclear, we help you find the right next step.

Check my car documents

Moving to Spain often means dealing with several offices at the same time. One place asks for your NIE, another asks for your padrón, then you need insurance, bank details, healthcare registration, utility contracts or translated documents.

Honest steps to try yourself

Write down everything you are trying to arrange. Residency, healthcare, utilities, banking, car documents, school matters and insurance should not live in your head.
Put the steps in the right order. Some documents cannot be arranged until another one is ready.
Keep digital and printed copies. Spain still runs on paperwork more than many people expect.
Track appointments, reference numbers and contact names. These small details save time when you need to follow up.
Do not try to solve everything in one day. Spanish administration often takes several steps, and that is normal.

The honest version: moving to Spain is not difficult because one task is impossible. It is difficult because every task seems connected to another task.

Swimming pool & jacuzzi

Water chemistry, equipment, and seasonal care.

See swimming pool & jacuzzi service

Green water means algae, and algae means your chlorine has lost the fight. The good news is most cases reverse in 48 to 72 hours. The bad news is the chemistry is more particular than YouTube tutorials suggest.

Honest steps to try yourself

Shock the pool with chlorine. The dose depends on volume and current chlorine level, follow the product instructions exactly, not "more is better".
Run the filter continuously for 24 to 48 hours. Algae dies, then needs to be filtered out, that's often the slowest step.
Brush the walls and floor. Algae clings to surfaces, brushing puts it into suspension so the filter can grab it.
Check pH, ideally 7.2 to 7.6. Chlorine is dramatically less effective outside this range.
Backwash or clean the filter once the water clears. Otherwise you're recirculating dead algae.

Be honest: by the time the pool is green, the chemistry has been off for at least a week. The shock fixes the symptom. Fixing the cause takes a proper service.

Cloudy water (not green, just hazy) usually means one of three things: pH is off, the filter is overdue, or there’s a load of fine debris too small for the filter to catch. Often it’s all three at once.

Honest steps to try yourself

Test pH and alkalinity. High pH (above 7.8) causes calcium and chlorine to fall out of solution as a haze.
Run the filter for 24 hours straight. Sometimes that's the whole answer.
Add a clarifier. It binds fine particles together so the filter can catch them. €15 at any pool shop.
Check the filter media. Old sand or cartridges work at 30% efficiency without you noticing.
After clearing, brush the walls. Cloudiness is often dust that settled, and brushing prevents it returning.

Honestly? If the water has been cloudy for more than a few days, the chemistry has drifted further than a quick fix will solve.

One visit, full water panel, filter check, and balanced chemistry. You go from “is it safe to swim” to crystal clear without buying €80 of products you don’t need.

Clear it up

Counterintuitive: a strong chlorine smell means there’s not enough usable chlorine, not too much. The smell comes from chloramines, what’s left after chlorine has reacted with sweat, sunscreen, and organics. The fix is more chlorine, not less.

Honest steps to try yourself

Test free chlorine vs total chlorine. If they're far apart, you have chloramine buildup.
Shock the pool. Yes, even though it smells like there's already too much chlorine.
Run the filter for 12 to 24 hours after shocking.
Check pH after, shocking can push it up.
Going forward, shock weekly during heavy use, monthly otherwise.

The expensive lesson: most pool owners reduce chlorine when they smell it, which makes the smell worse and shortens the pool season.

A pump failure in summer is urgent. Without circulation, water quality degrades in 24 to 48 hours, and a green pool follows. Diagnosis is usually one of four things, in order of frequency.

Honest steps to try yourself

Check the breaker. Power surges trip pool pump breakers more often than anything else.
Look at the pump basket. A blocked impeller (leaves, hair, plastic) stops the pump from priming.
Check the water level. Below the skimmer = no water reaches the pump = pump runs dry and stops.
Listen. A grinding or humming pump that doesn't spin is usually a seized bearing or burnt motor.
If none of the above, it's time to call.

The honest version: a dead motor in August costs more than a serviced motor in March. We can audit your equipment in winter and replace what’s on its way out before it fails.

Jacuzzi water has a much harder life than pool water. Smaller volume, hotter, and concentrated with body oils, lotions, and cosmetics. Foam and grime build up in weeks, not months.

Honest steps to try yourself

Drain it. There's no chemistry fix for water that's been used heavily for 8+ weeks.
Clean the shell with a non-foaming jacuzzi cleaner. Soap residue causes more foam.
Replace or rinse the filter cartridge. Soaking it in cartridge cleaner overnight extends life by months.
Refill, balance chemistry, run for 24 hours before use.
Shower before use going forward. Sounds obvious, but it doubles the time between drains.

The unsentimental truth: a jacuzzi needs a full drain every 8 to 12 weeks of regular use. There’s no clever chemistry that beats fresh water.

Honestly, though,

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Tell us the problem in any language. We'll figure out the rest, send the right person, and have an answer for you before lunch.

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What to do when...

Garden maintenance

What to do when my grass turns yellow

What to do when my garden is overgrown after being away

What to do when my plants don’t survive the summer heat

What to do when my irrigation system stops working

What to do when guests arrive next week and the garden looks rough

Home & repairs

What to do when I need several small repairs before I arrive?

What to do when my lights, sockets or switches stop working?

What to do when damp spots or cracks appear in my wall

What to do when my door, lock or window won’t close properly

What to do when my tap, toilet or shower keeps leaking

Paperwork & admin

What to do when Spanish paperwork starts piling up after buying a home

What to do when my NIE, residency or padrón appointment is almost here

What to do when an official Spanish letter arrives and I don’t know what it says

What to do when my utility contracts are still in the previous owner’s name

What to do when I still don’t have my Spanish health card or insurance sorted

What to do when my driving licence or car paperwork causes problems in Spain

What to do when I’m moving to Spain and every office asks for another document

Swimming pool & jacuzzi

What to do when my pool water turns green

What to do when my pool water is cloudy

What to do when my pool has a strong chlorine smell

What to do when my pool pump or filter stops working

What to do when my jacuzzi is foamy or dirty

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you'd rather just call.

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What to do when...

What to do when my grass turns yellow

What to do when my garden is overgrown after being away

What to do when my plants don’t survive the summer heat

What to do when my irrigation system stops working

What to do when guests arrive next week and the garden looks rough

What to do when I need several small repairs before I arrive?

What to do when my lights, sockets or switches stop working?

What to do when damp spots or cracks appear in my wall

What to do when my door, lock or window won’t close properly

What to do when my tap, toilet or shower keeps leaking

What to do when Spanish paperwork starts piling up after buying a home

What to do when my NIE, residency or padrón appointment is almost here

What to do when an official Spanish letter arrives and I don’t know what it says

What to do when my utility contracts are still in the previous owner’s name

What to do when I still don’t have my Spanish health card or insurance sorted

What to do when my driving licence or car paperwork causes problems in Spain

What to do when I’m moving to Spain and every office asks for another document

What to do when my pool water turns green

What to do when my pool water is cloudy

What to do when my pool has a strong chlorine smell

What to do when my pool pump or filter stops working

What to do when my jacuzzi is foamy or dirty

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