# Step-free living on Costa Blanca South: a property viewing checklist

> A ground-floor address or a lift tells only part of the story. Follow the complete route through a home and record what works for your everyday needs.

By Verdi Estate · 18 October 2026

Canonical: https://www.verdiestate.com/blog/step-free-living-costa-blanca-south-viewing-checklist.html

## At a glance

- Follow the complete route from the pedestrian entrance or parking space to the home.
- Check the lift approach and usable space, not simply whether a lift exists.
- Assess bathrooms, bedrooms and terraces against your own practical requirements.
- Separate observed features from proposed changes and obtain specialist advice on adaptations.

For buyers seeking step-free living on Costa Blanca South, the decisive question is how the whole property works in daily use. A ground-floor label or a lift does not establish suitability. Whether you are viewing in Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa or San Miguel de Salinas, check the route into the building, the rooms you need and the shared facilities before putting a home on your shortlist.

## 1. Start at the entrance you will actually use

Begin outside the property boundary and follow the normal pedestrian entrance. If parking is important, check that route separately. Note gates, steps, thresholds, changes of slope, door openings and the space available while a door is moving. An attractive entrance photograph may omit a change of level just around the corner.

Spain’s CTE DB-SUA defines an accessible route through several connected conditions, including level changes, circulation space, doors and surfaces. That is a useful reminder to inspect the entire journey. Our viewing checklist is a practical starting point; a competent professional should assess the applicable technical requirements.

## 2. Look beyond the lift symbol

Establish whether the lift is reached without steps and whether it serves the dwelling’s actual floor, the garage and any facilities you intend to use. Check the landing, clear door opening, cabin layout and controls against the requirements of the people and mobility equipment involved.

Request available maintenance information and ask what arrangements apply during a breakdown. Record measurements with permission for your specialist to review. A lift’s existence alone does not establish that a wheelchair, walking aid or accompanying person can use the complete route comfortably.

## 3. Rehearse everyday life inside the home

Follow the route between the entrance, living room, bedroom and bathroom. Consider furniture, door swings, shower entry, space beside the bed and access to switches or shutters. For a multi-level villa or townhouse, identify which essential rooms are on the entrance level; a ground-floor living room does not tell you where the bedroom is.

CEAPAT–Imserso’s 2025 guide to accessible housing uses a person-centred approach to adaptations. Apply that principle to your viewing: describe what you need to do independently and which spaces matter most. Use your actual equipment dimensions rather than treating one general checklist as a solution for everyone.

## 4. Include terraces and shared spaces

Check the threshold to the terrace, balcony or garden, then trace the route to any pool, storage room or communal area you expect to enjoy. A step-free home can still have a separate barrier between the living room and the outdoor space that attracted you to it.

Use the same questions for an apartment in Torrevieja, a home in Orihuela Costa and a villa in San Miguel de Salinas. These are checks for individual buildings, not a ranking of the three locations. Record the exact feature you observed rather than describing an entire development or town as accessible.

## 5. Distinguish existing access from future works

For a resale, request available plans and details of completed or proposed access improvements. For a new build, ask for the route and layout in the project documents and confirm the finished result at handover. Treat a proposed ramp, lift or bathroom alteration as a separate item to investigate.

The CTE support document DA DB-SUA/2 addresses adapting existing buildings and recognises case-specific constraints. Ask an independent architect or suitably qualified building professional about feasibility and costs, and your legal adviser about permissions or community arrangements. A seller’s suggestion that a change is easy is not a confirmed project.

## 6. Turn your requirements into a viewing brief

Create one sheet for each home: essential requirements, observed features, measurements, documents requested and unresolved questions. Separate what already exists from what would need approval or alteration. This makes comparisons clearer when similar-looking homes have very different entrances or layouts.

Tell Verdi Estate which routes and rooms are essential before arranging viewings. We can request available information and coordinate access for your appointed specialist. That helps focus a Costa Blanca South property search on homes worth examining in detail, whether you plan seasonal visits or year-round living.

## Questions buyers ask

### Is a ground-floor property automatically step-free?

No. Check the entrance from the street or parking area, thresholds inside the dwelling and access to outdoor and shared spaces. The floor label alone does not describe the complete route.

### Does an apartment with a lift suit every wheelchair user?

Not necessarily. The approach, door opening, cabin, landing and route to the dwelling must be considered alongside the person’s requirements and equipment. Arrange a property-specific assessment when accessibility is essential.

### Should I rely on an adaptation proposed during a viewing?

Treat it as a proposal until its feasibility, necessary permissions and cost have been checked. Keep existing features and planned works separate when comparing properties or making a purchase decision.

## Sources and further reading

- [Código Técnico de la Edificación — DB-SUA: Seguridad de utilización y accesibilidad (14 junio 2022)](https://www.codigotecnico.org/pdf/Documentos/SUA/DBSUA.pdf)
- [Código Técnico de la Edificación — DA DB-SUA/2: Adecuación efectiva de las condiciones de accesibilidad en edificios existentes (29 junio 2018)](https://www.codigotecnico.org/pdf/Documentos/SUA/DA_SUA_2_Adecuacion.pdf)
- [CEAPAT–Imserso — Viviendas accesibles: adaptación centrada en las personas. Ejemplos prácticos (2025)](https://imserso.es/documents/20123/0/viviendas_accesibles_ejemplos_practicos/7e5e4914-c8a5-ff2c-90eb-aa36db98dc94)

Sources reviewed on 18 October 2026. General viewing guidance, not an accessibility certification, technical survey or legal opinion. Confirm the exact property’s suitability, applicable requirements and any proposed adaptations with appropriately qualified independent professionals.

## Explore further

- [Buying in Spain](https://www.verdiestate.com/buying-in-spain.html)
- [Homes in San Miguel de Salinas](https://www.verdiestate.com/san-miguel-de-salinas.html)
- [Homes in Torrevieja](https://www.verdiestate.com/torrevieja.html)
- [Homes in Orihuela Costa](https://www.verdiestate.com/orihuela-costa.html)
- [Explore resale homes](https://www.verdiestate.com/resale-collection.html)
- [Discuss your viewing requirements](https://www.verdiestate.com/#contact)