YOUR ARCHITECT IN GALICIA FOR CHANGE OF USE AND RESIDENTIAL CONVERSIONS
We convert disused commercial units and offices into new homes or tourist apartments. Whether you already own a unit or are looking to buy one to convert, we assess the project’s feasibility, develop the technical design, and manage the licence application through to completion.
And of course, we’re with you every step of the way, keeping you informed and solving problems before they happen.
OUR TRACK RECORD IN CHANGE OF USE
Numbers that back up our expertise in Galicia
Converting an empty or disused commercial unit into a home isn’t just “a renovation”: it’s a technical and administrative process that requires in-depth knowledge of housing regulations, familiarity with each municipality’s specific bylaws, careful management of the licensing process, and precise coordination of every phase and deadline.
Our extensive experience with change-of-use projects, has taught us that no two projects are alike. Every conversion has its own particularities and physical constraints, and regulations aren’t always applied in the same way. That’s why we prioritise staying on top of the latest updates and local criteria, adapting to each situation to maximise the chances of success by “making it easy” for municipal officials to say yes.
We specialise in this type of project and work with tailor-made solutions: we analyse each case from scratch, anticipate potential problems, present you with the full range of available options, and design the conversion that best fits your needs, using proven, successful approaches.
At AC8, we’re focused on giving new life to disused commercial units and offices that struggle to find tenants or buyers also helping ease the housing shortage in Galicia’s major cities. Our experience in residential, hospitality and commercial architecture allows us to offer you the widest range of viable, realistic alternatives, always with full transparency: if the change of use is feasible, we’ll tell you… and if it isn’t, we’ll tell you that too.
HOW WE WORK
Step 1: WE ASSESS FEASIBILITY
First things first, we check whether your unit, or one you’re considering buying, meets the legal and regulatory requirements to become a home. No surprises down the line: we’ll tell you clearly whether it’s possible, and under what conditions, anticipating potential issues from the very start.
Step 2: WE SECURE THE LICENCE
We study the different options, draft the technical project, and manage the entire application process with the town hall to obtain the change-of-use licence. We take care of all the paperwork so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
Step 3: WE BRING THE HOME TO LIFE
Once the licence is granted, we stay by your side until the end: preparing all the additional documentation needed.
And if selling the unit is also part of your plans, we can help and advise you on that too.
Here’s a real example of what we can achieve:
From a former commercial unit, empty for years, to 3 brand-new apartments ready to move into.
Here’s what people who’ve already been through the process with us have to say:
“What I valued most was the peace of mind and the way they treated us throughout the whole process. Always available to answer questions, with a level of knowledge and information well above what I’ve found with other architects.”
“We did a change of use with him and I don’t have the slightest complaint. Always ready to solve any doubt, taking our needs and budget into account.”
“Excellent professionals, careful with deadlines and very effective at solving problems. Kept constantly informed at every step of the process, with no unpleasant surprises.”
“Alexandre is a great professional, always attentive to all our questions and advising us at every stage. A very serious and highly recommendable company.”
WE WORK ON PROJECTS ACROSS ALL OF GALICIA
Housing regulations are set at the regional level… and so is our reach!
We started in Vigo in 2022, and we haven’t stopped growing since. Demand for residential change-of-use projects in Galicia has grown year after year, which is why we’ve steadily expanded our coverage and are now present in more than 20 municipalities across the region.
THE GO-TO EXPERT FOR GALICIA'S LEADING MEDIA
As the only studio specialised in change of use, we regularly collaborate with television, radio and press.
Alexandre Cameselle, founder of AC8, is Galicia's leading expert in change of use, and regularly contributes to television and radio programmes and the press: interviews, market analysis, industry conferences, and more.
National TV
Regional TV
Regional press
Regional press
National press
National press
Radio
Digital press
Converting a commercial unit or office into a home requires taking many factors into account beyond simply knowing the regulations in depth: changes in laws and rules, or stricter local criteria, can derail a poorly planned project. That's why it's essential to anticipate the common issues that can hold up a licence, and to know exactly what each town hall requires at any given time, and how to resolve it without giving up the chance to make the project profitable or tailoring it to each client's needs.
This is precisely why, at AC8, we focus exclusively on this.
We're not a general-purpose studio that does a bit of everything: we specialise in change of use, and that difference shows in the results.
- If you own a property you'd like to increase in value ahead of selling it...
- If you want to buy a commercial unit or office to convert it into a home to rent or sell...
- If you've found a commercial unit or office that could become your next home...
- If you're looking for a flat and can't find one in your preferred neighbourhood or street...
- If new-build prices are out of your budget....
- If second-hand housing isn't affordable either, once you add the renovation cost...
- If you tried a change of use "just to see" and ran into endless obstacles...
- If you want to carry out a change of use with the best possible chance of success...