Renovating the bathroom costs money. But there are at least 4 ways to make it cost considerably less.
And no, we’re not talking about haggling.
Every year we see clients who didn’t know they could save €2,000 or €3,000 on their bathroom renovation. It frustrates us. Because the information is out there, the grants exist, the tax mechanisms work, but nobody explains them clearly. Or people find out too late, when the work is already paid for and the invoice filed away. People who paid 21% VAT when they could have paid 10%. People who didn’t know there was a non-repayable subsidy from the regional government. People who missed out on claiming a €900 deduction on their tax return because nobody told them they could.
So here’s the guide we wish we could have sent every client before starting. The four main routes to reducing what it costs to renovate a bathroom in the Valencia region. With real numbers, specific requirements and — pay attention — the possibility of combining several of them to save up to 40% or more of the total cost.
It’s definitely worth investigating before signing anything.
1. Income tax deduction: get the Tax Office to return part of the cost
This is probably the least known of the four. And that’s a shame, because it’s money many taxpayers leave on the table every year without knowing.
The income tax regulations (set out in Law 35/2006 and subsequent amendments) allow a deduction of 20% of the cost of works aimed at improving accessibility in the habitual residence. And replacing a bathtub with a flush-to-floor shower, installing grab bars or non-slip flooring fits squarely within that definition. It’s not a forced interpretation: the Tax Agency has made it clear in its binding consultations.
How much you can save
- Deduction percentage: 20% of the cost of the work
- Annual limit: up to €5,000 deduction base
- Maximum real deduction: €1,000/year (20% of €5,000)
A quick example. Your bathroom renovation costs €4,500. It includes a flush shower tray, thermostatic taps and non-slip flooring. In your next tax return, you can deduct 20% of that €4,500 = €900 less on your tax bill.
This isn’t a reduction in your taxable income. It’s real money you stop paying. It’s deducted directly from your tax liability. If you owed €1,200, now you owe €300. And if you were due a refund, you get more back.
Who can benefit
The profile is broader than people think:
- People over 65 (or living with someone over 65). This is the most common case: an elderly parent who wants to continue living at home safely and independently.
- People with a recognised disability of 33% or higher. The disability certificate is the key document here.
- People with medically certified mobility problems. Formal disability isn’t needed: a report from a specialist or GP can suffice.
- Any homeowner whose work removes architectural barriers from the habitual residence. Very few people know about this point, but it’s real.
The Tax Agency has published binding consultations that clarify the circumstances. At the Valencia office we’ve confirmed on more than one occasion that replacing a bathtub with an accessible shower is covered without ambiguity. It’s not a grey area.
What you need to claim it
A detailed invoice with breakdown of materials and labour, tax details of the professional who carried out the work (tax ID, company name), proof of payment (bank transfer or card, never cash), and the property must be your habitual residence. Guard the invoice carefully. If the Tax Office asks for it, you need to be able to produce it.
One important detail: the payment must be recorded in a traceable way. If you pay in cash, you lose the right to the deduction. Even if you have the invoice. That’s how it is.
We explain everything in full detail, step by step with the relevant tax forms, in our guide to the tax deduction for bathtub-to-shower replacement.
2. Plan Renhata from the Valencia Regional Government: non-repayable subsidy
If the income tax deduction is the unknown one, Plan Renhata is the undervalued one. People hear “public subsidy” and think of endless bureaucracy, impossible deadlines and nothing at the end. But the reality of Renhata is quite different.
The Plan Renhata (Rehabilitation and Habitation) is a grant programme from the Valencia Regional Government that directly funds bathroom and kitchen renovations and accessibility improvements in private homes. And when we say “directly funds” we mean they transfer real money back to you. It’s not a loan you have to repay. It’s not a tax break dependent on your fiscal situation. It’s a transfer to your bank account once the work is completed and documented. Money that the regional government puts from its budget for you to renovate your bathroom.
How much it covers
The amounts depend on the specific call and type of work, but they’ve been fairly stable in recent years:
| Type of work | Maximum subsidy | % of budget |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom renovation (general) | Up to €3,000 | 35-40% |
| Bathroom renovation + accessibility | Up to €5,000 | 40-50% |
| Accessibility adaptation (disability >33%) | Up to €5,000 | Up to 50% |
In the 2025 Plan Renhata call, over 3,000 Valencian families benefited from these grants. The total budget exceeded €12 million, distributed across the three provinces. It’s not a token or symbolic programme: it’s a serious investment by the regional government in improving the housing stock.
And a fact few people know: if your renovation includes accessibility components (which is common when replacing a bathtub with a shower), you can apply for the higher amounts. The difference between applying under “general renovation” and applying under “accessibility” can be €2,000 more in subsidy. It’s not a minor detail.
How to apply
The process has several steps, but it’s not especially complicated if you prepare in advance:
- Before the work: check that there’s an open call on the GVA website. They’re generally published between February and May, but there’s no fixed calendar.
- Get a quote: you need at least one detailed quote from a registered company. This is where we come in: we prepare a quote that meets all the formal requirements.
- Submit the application: online through the regional government’s electronic processing system, with your digital certificate or Cl@ve. If you don’t have a digital certificate, you can get one at any ACCV office.
- Carry out the work: once the application is approved (or at your own risk if you decide to start before the decision).
- Provide documentation: submit invoices, before and after photos, and completion certificate.
- Get paid: the GVA transfers the subsidy directly to your bank account.
Typical timescales
Let’s be honest here: it’s not immediate. From application to payment, allow 6 to 12 months. The decision usually takes 3-4 months from the closing of the application period. Payment, another 2-3 months after documentation. Patience, because the savings make the wait more than worthwhile.
A practical tip we give all our clients: don’t wait for the call to open before planning your renovation. Having the quote ready, documentation prepared and company chosen allows you to apply on the very first day the period opens. And that matters, because grants are awarded in order of receipt until the budget runs out. Those who apply in the first week have a much better chance than those who come in during the last month.
We have a complete article on the Plan Renhata and how to apply step by step if you want to go deeper into the details.
3. Reduced VAT at 10%: the most immediate way to save
This is the route that requires the least paperwork and works most directly: instead of paying the standard 21% VAT, you pay only 10%. You don’t need to apply for anything, you don’t need to wait for any call, you don’t need to submit any form to any authority. It simply applies to your invoice, from the first euro, on the day you contract the renovation.
And on a renovation costing several thousand euros, that makes a difference. A big one.
When reduced VAT applies
Law 37/1992 on VAT establishes that renovation works on habitual residences are taxed at the reduced rate of 10% if three requirements are met simultaneously. All three. Two out of three won’t do:
-
Habitual residence more than 2 years old. If your flat in Valencia, Paterna, Torrent, Mislata or any other municipality was built before 2024, you qualify. In practice, the vast majority of homes where we do renovations are decades old, so this is rarely an issue.
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Materials don’t exceed 40% of the total budget. That is, labour must represent at least 60% of the cost. In a standard bathroom renovation, labour (demolition, plumbing, building work, tiling, sanitary ware installation) is usually between 55% and 70%, so it’s normally met without any forcing. It’s a different story if you choose imported designer taps and large-format Italian porcelain; then you need to watch that material costs don’t spike.
-
The client is a natural person, not a company, limited company or community of property. If the flat is in the name of a company, even if you live in it, the reduced rate doesn’t apply.
The savings in numbers
Let’s see what this means in real euros with examples by budget range:
| Budget (excl. VAT) | VAT at 21% | VAT at 10% | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| €4,000 | €840 | €400 | €440 |
| €5,000 | €1,050 | €500 | €550 |
| €7,000 | €1,470 | €700 | €770 |
| €10,000 | €2,100 | €1,000 | €1,100 |
On a typical €5,000 renovation (excl. VAT), the difference between 21% and 10% is €550. Money you don’t have to do anything special to get: just make sure your renovation company invoices correctly and that you meet the three requirements.
Mistakes that ruin it
The most expensive and common mistake: buying materials yourself on one side and paying for labour separately on the other. It seems like a good idea to “save the company’s margin”, but it’s a tax trap. If you buy tiles from a warehouse, those materials carry 21% VAT (it’s a product sale, not a renovation work). Then the installer’s labour might go at 10%, but you’ve lost the advantage of invoicing everything together at the reduced rate. The result: you pay more VAT than if you’d contracted a closed quote with everything included.
The moral: have the renovation company include everything in a single quote. Materials, labour, installation. One contract, one invoice, one VAT rate at 10%. Simple as that.
Another less obvious mistake: renovating a second home (beach flat in Gandia, country house inland) thinking the 10% applies. It doesn’t. Habitual residence only.
We have a complete guide on VAT in bathroom renovations with all the cases, exceptions and relevant binding consultations.
4. Interest-free or low-cost financing
OK, this isn’t technically “financial aid” in the strict sense of nobody giving you money. But in practice, being able to pay for your renovation in instalments with no interest has an equivalent effect: it makes viable a project you’d otherwise have to postpone for months or years. And postponing a renovation of an unsafe bathroom has costs nobody calculates. A slip in an old bathtub doesn’t come free. Damp that spreads because the plumbing can’t take any more doesn’t come free either. And living with a bathroom that annoys you every morning has an emotional cost that doesn’t appear on any invoice but is very much there.
Reformarte’s own financing
At Reformarte we offer financing on terms that, frankly, you won’t find at a bank:
- 12 months at 0% interest: for renovations from €2,500. You pay exactly what the renovation costs, split into 12 equal instalments, without a single cent extra.
- 24 months at 0% interest: available under specific conditions (ask depending on the renovation amount).
- Fast approval: within 24-48 hours you know if it’s approved, not weeks like at a bank.
- No deposit: you start paying the month after work begins. You don’t need to have saved even the first euro on the day we sign.
- No arrangement fee or hidden charges.
Why do we offer this? Because we know the number one barrier to renovating a bathroom isn’t desire or need, but the upfront outlay. Most of our clients know perfectly well they need to renovate. What holds them back is having to hand over €5,000 or €7,000 in one go. And we’d rather do the renovation now — when you need it — than have you put it off for two more years living with a bathroom that doesn’t work.
You can calculate your budget in our calculator and see the financing options available for your specific case directly.
Other financing options
If you prefer to explore on your own or compare, these are the most common alternatives on the market:
- Personal bank loan: APR between 6% and 10% depending on the bank and your profile. For a €6,000 renovation at 48 months with 7.5% APR, you’d pay about €145/month and about €960 in total interest. It works, but those extra €960 aren’t nothing.
- ICO loans for rehabilitation: through partner banks, with preferential conditions and interest rates below market. Terms up to 12 years. Not all banks actively offer them, so you need to ask.
- Financing from the renovation company itself: not all offer it, and conditions vary enormously from one to another. The most important advice: always ask for the real APR, not just the monthly payment. A low payment can hide a very high interest rate if the term is long.
What we never recommend under any circumstances: revolving credit cards. The interest is brutal (above 18-20% APR in most cases) and what looks like a comfortable €100/month payment becomes a bottomless pit where you end up paying double what the renovation cost. Run.
If you want to go deeper into all the options with detailed numbers, we have a dedicated article on how to finance your bathroom renovation in instalments.
Summary table: the 4 savings routes compared
So you can see everything at a glance:
| Income tax deduction | Plan Renhata | Reduced 10% VAT | 0% Financing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of saving | Tax break | Direct subsidy | Lower taxation | Interest-free deferred payment |
| Maximum saving | ~€1,000/year | Up to €5,000 | Up to €1,100 | Depends on amount financed |
| Main requirement | Accessibility work in habitual residence | Open call + property >15-20 years | Habitual residence >2 years, natural person | Credit approval |
| Paperwork | Medium (invoice + tax return) | High (GVA application + documentation) | Low (correct invoice) | Low (quick application) |
| When you receive it | When filing tax return (following year) | 6-12 months after application | Immediately (on the invoice) | N/A (you pay in instalments) |
| Can be combined with others | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Can they be combined? Yes. And this is where it gets interesting.
Pay attention, because this is the part most people don’t know: all four routes are compatible with each other. It’s not one or the other. You don’t have to choose. You can apply several to the same renovation, the same bathroom, the same budget. And the accumulated savings can completely change the equation of whether to renovate or not.
Let’s look at a realistic example with real numbers.
Case study: accessible bathroom renovation in Valencia
Situation: Maria, 68, lives in a 1985 flat in the Benimaclet neighbourhood, Valencia. She wants to replace her bathtub with an accessible shower because she no longer feels safe getting in and out. The renovation includes a flush shower tray, shower screen, non-slip flooring, grab bars, thermostatic taps and new tiling. Total budget excluding VAT: €5,500.
Saving 1 — Reduced VAT at 10%:
- VAT at 10% = €550 (instead of €1,155 at 21%)
- Immediate saving: €605
Saving 2 — Plan Renhata (accessibility):
- Applies via the accessibility route. 40% of €5,500 = €2,200 subsidy
- Saving (received after 8-10 months): €2,200
Saving 3 — Income tax deduction for accessibility:
- 20% of €5,500 = €1,100, but with the €5,000 base limit, the deduction is 20% of €5,000 = €1,000
- Saving (on the following year’s tax return): €1,000
Saving 4 — 0% financing:
- The amount Maria needs to pay out of pocket (€5,500 + €550 VAT - €2,200 Renhata = €3,850) is financed over 12 months at zero interest. She doesn’t pay a single euro extra for deferring.
- Saving on interest vs a 7.5% bank loan: about €150
Total result
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original budget (with 21% VAT) | €6,655 |
| Reduced VAT at 10% | -€605 |
| Plan Renhata | -€2,200 |
| Income tax deduction | -€1,000 |
| Real final cost for Maria | €2,850 |
| Total savings | €3,805 (57% of original cost) |
Maria gets her complete bathroom renovation for less than €3,000 out of pocket, paying comfortable instalments of about €320/month for 12 months. A new, safe and accessible bathroom for the price of a daily coffee.
Don’t leave money on the table. Literally.
How Reformarte helps you access all the grants
We’re not a tax advisory firm or a grants administrator. We’re a bathroom renovation company. But we’ve spent years helping our clients get the most out of every euro invested in their renovation, and that includes actively guiding them on available grants and providing the necessary documentation.
What we specifically do:
- Quote optimised for grants: we structure the invoice to meet the requirements for reduced VAT and income tax deduction. No tricks, no creative tax engineering: simply invoicing correctly, with the right breakdown of labour and materials.
- Professional photo documentation: we do a complete before and after photo report, which is essential for documenting Plan Renhata with the GVA. Many clients don’t know they need photos of the prior state until it’s too late.
- Information on calls: we alert our clients when the Plan Renhata application period opens and guide them on the steps to apply in time.
- Integrated financing: we offer financing directly from our own company, without bank intermediaries, without arrangement fees, without fine print.
- Works certificate and technical documentation: we issue all the documentation you need to document grants and tax deductions.
We don’t leave you alone with the paperwork. Renovating the bathroom is enough hassle without having to fight the bureaucracy unaided.
You can see how our complete process works or go straight to calculate your budget to find out how much your renovation would cost and what grants you could apply for in your specific case.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for Plan Renhata if I’ve already started the work?
It depends on the specific call for that year. In some editions, applying with work already started (but not finished) has been allowed. In others, the work must not have begun before the application. Always check the terms of the current call on the GVA website. The safest approach is always to apply before starting. If you can wait a few weeks for the decision, all the better.
Do I need a disability certificate for the income tax deduction?
Not necessarily. The disability certificate (33% or more) is one route, but a medical report certifying mobility limitations is also accepted. And there are circumstances where any work that removes architectural barriers in the habitual residence is deductible, regardless of the owner’s age or condition. The important thing is that the work has a clear accessibility improvement component: flush shower tray, kerb removal, non-slip flooring, grab bars. We detail all the scenarios in the article on the tax deduction for bathtub-to-shower replacement.
What if my renovation carries 21% VAT? Do I lose the other grants?
Not at all. If your renovation doesn’t meet the requirements for reduced VAT (for example, because it’s a second home or because materials exceed 40%), you can still apply for Plan Renhata, the income tax deduction and interest-free financing. They are completely independent mechanisms. Losing one doesn’t disqualify you from the others.
Are there Valencia City Council grants as well as Plan Renhata?
Yes, and it’s something many people don’t know about. Several local councils in the Valencia region offer municipal grant programmes for accessibility and rehabilitation, with their own amounts and requirements that can be added to the regional grants. Valencia city, for example, has specific programmes through AUMSA for elderly people and those with disabilities. Torrent, Paterna and other municipalities in the metropolitan area have also had their own programmes in recent years. We cover this in detail in our article on Valencia City Council grants for bathroom renovation.
Is the Renhata paperwork worth it for a small renovation?
If your renovation exceeds €3,000 and meets the requirements, yes, without any doubt. We’re talking about potentially getting back between €1,200 and €2,500 for dedicating half a day to preparing the application. Think of it this way: how many hours of work do you need to earn €2,000 net? The return per hour on Renhata paperwork is probably the best “job” you’ll do all year. And we help you with the technical documentation, so you don’t even have to do it alone.
Don’t let lack of information cost you thousands of euros
Look, the reality is this: the grants exist, but nobody is going to knock on your door to offer them. Not the Tax Office, not the regional government, not your bank. You have to seek them out, understand the requirements and apply in time. The good news is it’s not complicated if you know where to start. And the savings can be €2,000, €3,000 or even €4,000 on a standard renovation.
Our advice: before deciding anything, calculate your budget to have a real figure, find out about the municipal grants available in your area, and ask us. We’re happy to guide you, with no obligation.
In the end, renovating your bathroom is an important decision. Doing it paying 40% less than you thought is a smart decision.
See how our process works or request your personalised quote. We’ll tell you exactly how much you can save.
