What is the difference between regulated and unregulated land in Bulgaria?
Parcels of land in Bulgaria are usually listed as 'regulated land' or 'unregulated land'.
Land purchased with a house or within a village or town will normally be regulated. This basically means that the land can be developed with minimal effort, there will be power and water close by. The only draw back to buying regulated land is that it is more expensive per m2.
If you are viewing unregulated land, this means that the authorities have not deemed it for development at present. If the land is just outside the catchment area it may be easier to change it over to regulated land. If the land is further away from regulation it does not mean that you will not be able to develop the land, but you will need to go through a legal process to convert the land to 'regulated' and pay some fees and taxes, the amounts of which vary alot.
When viewing land to buy for development in Bulgaria it is very important to establish whether the land is regulated or not, there will be additional costs attached and some time to wait before any work can commence. Be aware that NOT all unregulated land can be regulated. Many real estate agencies have the contacts needed to undertake such a project. However, it is better to get independent advice about this before you buy.
There is not an official term for regulation, but between one and six months is typical depending on the area.
You won't regulate this!
How do Bulgarian Construction Methods differ from the UK?
Modern construction methods used in Bulgaria differ greatly to those used in the UK.
In the UK we tend to favour a bricks and mortar finish. The construction is an inner skin which is usually of lightweight blocks and the outer of the bricks with an insulation gap between. The strength comes from the tight Mortar which bonds the bricks together.
Where as in Bulgaria, they use a monolithic Concrete and steel frame:
Once the foundations are dug, steel framework is set in place; this is the strength for the ground floor slab. Before any concrete is poured, a series of steel bars stand in strategic points within the frame and are tied into the floor framework which will be the reinforcement for the pillars. Sheets of wooden ply board are placed around the frame, this is called shuttering. The construction team will pour a strong mix of concrete into the shuttering, once dry, the shuttering for the columns will be erected, and then concrete poured almost to the top, leaving just enough to tie in the next floor frame. This process is repeated for as many levels as the house will have.
Now we have an earthquake proof frame!
The spaces between the pillars is filled with rough brickwork, don’t worry if you see this on your travels, it is not bad workmanship. It will be covered with thermal insulation on the outside and rendered then painted. Inside, they will use either concrete render or plasterboard.
