Terrace enclosures in Malaga so you can use it all year

It depends on the town hall, the type of enclosure and whether your home is part of a community of owners. Enclosing a terrace can count as building work that alters the facade and, in some cases, increases the enclosed floor area of the property. That’s why many municipalities ask for a minor works licence or a “declaración responsable” (a sworn statement to the town hall), and each one regulates it in its own way: what’s fine in Velez-Malaga isn’t necessarily fine in Malaga city, Marbella or Motril.

If you live in an apartment block, the facade is also a common element. The community of owners usually has to authorise the enclosure or set a model and colour so that all the enclosed terraces match. We explain it in our article on communities of owners and the Spanish Horizontal Property Act (Ley de Propiedad Horizontal).

Enclosing your terrace with the proper licence saves you problems at an inspection, a future sale or with a neighbour. So, before we install, we check which procedure applies in your case and, when needed, we handle the paperwork for you: the technical details of the enclosure, its measurements and whatever the town hall asks for.

You’ll find a summary of the most common cases in our article Do I need permission to install an awning or a pergola?, much of which also applies to enclosures.

Because on the coast it’s the system that strikes the best balance between sealing, durability and everyday use. Aluminium and glass sliding panels have each pane framed in an aluminium profile and slide past one another, like a large window. With their seals and brush strips they give a good seal against wind and water and some insulation, which varies with the aluminium range and the glass you choose.

They fit almost any opening, from a flat’s terrace to a villa’s porch, and they’re made to measure with the number of panels and tracks your space needs. We work with powder-coated aluminium in the colour you choose and stainless fixings, which stand up to the salt air on the seafront.

If your terrace is very exposed to the levante or you want to use it as an extra room, they’re the most complete option. If you’re after a light screen that rolls away completely in summer, have a look at the zip screen and windbreak awnings; you’ll find the differences in the comparison on this page.

Yes, it’s one of the main reasons people install one. A glass enclosure cuts the wind and stops rain blowing in sideways, and on the Malaga coast, where the levante (easterly) and poniente (westerly) winds blow hard several times a year, it completely changes how you use the terrace. The same goes for the dust and sand the wind leaves on your furniture.

How much protection you get depends on the system. Aluminium and glass sliding panels, with their seals and brush strips, give a good seal against wind and water, which varies with the aluminium range and the glass. We explain it clearly at the visit so there are no surprises.

The anchoring and the trims matter too: how we seal the joins with the floor, ceiling and wall, and where any water that gets into the bottom track drains away. We look at this on your particular terrace, depending on which way it faces and how high up it is.

If you want protection from the wind without glass, the alternatives are the zip screen and windbreak awnings with side guides. Book your visit using the form.

Yes, but the roof has to go on first. A glass enclosure needs an overhead structure to support the top track, so if your porch or terrace is open to the sky, we combine a roof with the side enclosure. The result is a complete room, covered and enclosed, that you can use all year round.

There are several roof options depending on what you’re after. A bioclimatic pergola has adjustable aluminium louvres that control light and ventilation and keep the rain off; it’s the most complete option for a porch enclosure. An aluminium wall-mounted pergola with a fixed or fabric roof is a simpler alternative. Either way, the sides are enclosed with aluminium and glass sliding panels, or with a zip screen if you’d prefer something lighter.

The important thing is to plan it all together, even if you add the glass later, so the structure is ready to take the enclosure and the water has somewhere to drain.

Bear in mind that roofing and enclosing a porch usually involves more paperwork than enclosing a terrace that’s already covered. At the visit we check what your town hall requires and, if needed, handle the paperwork, so your new enclosed porch doesn’t cause you problems down the line.

Not if it’s well planned. A glass enclosure lets the sun in, and a south- or west-facing terrace shut up tight at five o’clock on an August afternoon will heat up, like any glazed space. The key is being able to open it and controlling the sun.

First, you need to be able to ventilate. Sliding panels let you open up a good part of the front and create a through-draught. On the coast, opening two opposite sides as the evening comes in is usually enough to cool things down.

Second, you need shade. An awning on the outside of the glass stops the sun before it reaches the pane, which is the most effective approach. A zip screen or a vertical awning on the outside, or a cassette awning above the enclosure, completely changes the temperature on the terrace. We explain it in which awning keeps the heat out best.

At the visit we look at which way your terrace faces, when it gets the sun and where the breeze comes from, and suggest the complete package of enclosure and sun protection, so you can enjoy it in the height of summer as well as in winter.

Not much, but regularly. On the Malaga and Granada coast, salt air, sand and dust build up in the tracks and on the glass, and the thing that most extends an enclosure’s life is keeping those tracks clean. If they fill with sand, the panels start to stick and the rollers and brush strips wear out sooner.

We recommend you vacuum or brush the tracks fairly often, especially after levante days or muddy rain, and clean the powder-coated aluminium profiles with fresh water and mild soap. Any non-abrasive glass cleaner will do for the glass. Avoid harsh products, scourers and pressure washers aimed directly at the seals.

Once a year it’s worth checking that the drainage holes in the bottom track aren’t blocked, so any water that gets in can drain away, and that the panels close properly. That’s why we work with powder-coated aluminium and stainless fixings: they’re the materials that best withstand the marine environment.

If anything isn’t right, you have our after-sales service, even if another company installed the enclosure. We check the tracks, rollers, locks and seals and tell you what needs adjusting. You can get in touch via our contact page or find out how we work on our about us page.

In most cases you need the community on board. The facade is a common element and, under the Spanish Horizontal Property Act (Ley de Propiedad Horizontal), an owner can’t alter the exterior appearance of the building on their own. A terrace enclosure clearly changes that appearance, so it usually needs the approval of the owners’ meeting or has to match a model that’s already been approved.

Many communities on the Costa del Sol and in the Axarquia already have an approved model: type of enclosure, profile colour and opening style. If that’s your case, you just need to stick to it and we’ll install yours exactly like the existing ones. If there isn’t one, we can prepare a proposal so the community can approve a common model, which also makes things easier for the other owners.

As well as the community, there’s the town hall, which may require a licence or a “declaración responsable”. We check both before we start and handle the paperwork when needed, so you can enclose your terrace with every guarantee and no surprises at a future sale or inspection.

You’ll find all the information on the legal side in our article on awnings and enclosures in communities of owners, and on how we work with apartment blocks on our awnings for communities page.

It’s worth separating the overall timescale from the time we’re actually at your home. We arrange the visit and measuring around your availability, and we send you the quote in writing with a fixed price, often in under 24 hours.

Once you accept it, the enclosure is made to measure with the exact dimensions of your terrace and the aluminium range, profile colour and type of glass you’ve chosen. The manufacturing time depends on the system and the manufacturer, and we state it in writing in the quote so you can plan ahead.

Installation is carried out by our own team. On a terrace of a typical size it’s usually done in one or two days; large enclosures, those with a new roof or several sides may need a day or so more. We work carefully and leave your terrace clean.

If your project needs a municipal licence or community approval, that adds to the timeline, and we spot it at the visit so it doesn’t catch you out. If you want your terrace enclosed in time for winter, it’s best to book the visit towards the end of summer. Book it using the form: we specialise in terrace enclosures in Malaga and the Costa Tropical, and we can also help with pergolas if you need a roof.