Villa construction in Geneva
Planning building work? Apartment, house or building renovation, a new storey or a roof extension, running the project is our job.
HMG Construction Management SA leads the construction of your villa in Geneva, from the study of the plot to handover. The firm draws up the plans, files the permit application as an agent registered on the Geneva MPQ list (mandataires professionnellement qualifiés, the cantonal register of qualified building professionals), works out the cost, appoints the contractors, sets the schedule and manages the works to SIA standards.
How do you get the construction of your villa done without the worry? By handing the management and the coordination of the contractors to HMG. HMG is there for you.
Where do you start when building a house in Geneva?
Everything starts with the plot. Its zone, shape, slope, access and connections decide what can be built on it, long before the first sketch. The Canton of Geneva recommends a geoanalysis of its constraints before filing.
The building rules, including those for zone 5, the villa zone, are set out in the LCI, the cantonal law on buildings and installations. Where the siting or the size of the house raises a question, a preliminary application, called DP (demande préalable), obtains the authorities' answer on siting, use, envelope, volume and access before detailed design begins.
Which building permit for a villa in zone 5?
Permits are issued by the Office des autorisations de construire (OAC), the cantonal building permit office. The official page on permit types states that the fast-track procedure, called APA, applies to a building in zone 5 that needs no exemption, a villa for example. A project that needs an exemption, or lies in another zone, as a rule goes through a full application, called DD (demande définitive), which is the ordinary procedure.
If an existing house has to make way for the new one, its complete demolition is covered by an application separate from the building application. Before demolition, the building has to be checked for asbestos, PCB and lead, a subject the Canton of Geneva covers on its page Rénover, transformer ou démolir sans danger (in French).
Applications under the ordinary procedure must, with rare exceptions, be filed by a professional registered on the MPQ list, the cantonal register of qualified building professionals, as the page on preparing an application specifies. The file is put together and filed online on the AC-Démat platform. Each procedure is described in our guide to building permits and procedures in Geneva.
Who do you call first?
For a new villa, two set-ups are common.
- HMG runs the project from start to finish. The firm studies the plot, draws up the plans, files the permit application, prices the construction, appoints the contractors and manages the site until handover.
- You have chosen an architect to design your house. The architect designs the project and obtains the permit. HMG then takes over for tendering and site management, working alongside them.
In both set-ups, you sign the contracts with the contractors knowing the price of each package, and one person answers for the site.
How HMG manages the construction of your villa
The cost of a new house in Geneva depends on the land, the volume, the construction method and the level of finish. HMG works it out by trade at preliminary design stage, so that the brief and the budget agree before the application is filed. Tenders then go out package by package, the bids are compared item by item, and the contractors are proposed to you before anything is signed.
On site, the order of the works drives the quality. Earthworks and foundations come first, followed by the structure, then the roof timbers and covering, or the waterproofing on a flat roof. Once the windows are in, the house is weathertight and the technical installations can start. Screeds, interior finishes and external works follow. HMG chairs the site meetings, writes the minutes, inspects each element before it is covered up and verifies every invoice before payment.
Usual steps and timing
- Analysis of the plot and its constraints.
- Preliminary design, cost estimate and, where needed, a preliminary application.
- Final plans and filing of the permit application.
- Tenders by package, comparison of bids and contracts with the contractors.
- Earthworks, foundations and structure.
- Roof, windows and facades.
- Technical installations, screeds, finishes and external works.
- Acceptance of the works, snagging and final account.
The overall duration depends mainly on the permit procedure, the nature of the ground and the construction method chosen. At preliminary design stage, HMG sets a timetable with the target dates for filing, starting on site and handover, then adjusts it as each step is completed.
New builds and villas managed by HMG
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build a villa in Geneva?
No reliable price can be given without knowing the plot and the brief. HMG prices your villa by trade at preliminary design stage, then replaces that estimate with the amounts of the bids received. The budget you approve then rests on contractors' prices.
Can a villa be built under the fast-track procedure?
Yes, when the building is in zone 5 and needs no exemption. The official permit types page of the Canton of Geneva gives this example. Other cases need a full DD application.
Is a separate application needed to demolish the existing house?
Yes. The complete demolition of an existing building has its own application, separate from the building application. HMG prepares the two files together, so that construction can follow demolition without needless waiting.
Who files the permit application?
Under the ordinary procedure, the application is filed, with rare exceptions, by a professional registered on the MPQ list. Under the fast-track procedure, a private individual may file it, but the Canton advises using a registered professional. HMG is on that list and files the application for you. If an architect has designed your villa, the architect does this, and HMG takes over for construction.
Related guides and pages
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