Doors · Wardrobes · Kitchens · Staircases · Pergolas · Beams
Doors, fitted wardrobes, staircases, pergolas, beams and bespoke joinery for villas, fincas, town houses and apartments across the north Costa Blanca, built to suit the climate and guaranteed.
Timber behaves differently on the Costa Blanca than it does in northern Europe. Summer sun dries and bleaches it, salt air near the coast works into unprotected surfaces, and the damp of autumn and winter makes wood swell and shrink through the year. A door that closed perfectly in August can bind in November. A pergola that looked fine at handover can start to open up at the joints after a couple of seasons. Good carpentry here is as much about understanding those movements as it is about cutting and fitting.
Dragon Reforms has been carrying out renovation work across the north Costa Blanca since 1999, and carpentry is part of that everyday work. We fit and replace interior and exterior doors, build wardrobes and storage to the exact dimensions of a room, make kitchen carpentry, build staircases and handrails, put up pergolas and decking, and restore or install wooden ceilings and beams. We also take on bespoke joinery where nothing off the shelf will do.
Our customers include owners of villas and town houses, people who have bought an apartment as a holiday home, and those restoring an older finca or village house with its original beams and uneven walls. Many are from the UK, Scandinavia, the Netherlands or Germany, and they are often managing the job from abroad. We keep the process plain: a visit, a written quotation, a clear scope, and work that is guaranteed.
The quotation is free. Tell us what you have in mind, send a few photos if you can, and we will arrange to see the property, measure up and talk through the options for materials and finish before any commitment is made.
What is included
Most jobs fall into one of six areas. Many projects combine two or three of them, and we plan them together so the work is done in a sensible order.
Why it matters here
Sun, salt air and a humid winter all act on timber, and the work has to allow for them.
Anyone who has left a wooden gate or outdoor table unprotected on the coast knows how quickly the surface greys and cracks. Strong sun breaks down the finish first, and then the wood underneath. Close to the sea, salt in the air adds to the problem by attacking metal fixings and drawing moisture into the grain. Exterior carpentry therefore needs the right species or treatment, the right fixings, and a finish that is meant to be renewed.
Inside the home the issue is different. Humidity rises in autumn and winter, particularly in properties that are shut up for months at a time, and timber takes up that moisture and moves. Doors can stick, wardrobe doors can drift out of alignment, and flooring edges can lift. A good carpenter allows for this movement in the way joints are made, gaps are left and panels are fixed.
Many properties here are also holiday homes. They may be empty through the winter and fully used in summer, with the air conditioning running hard for weeks. That cycle of closed-up damp followed by dry cooled air puts extra stress on wood. We talk through how the property is used before suggesting materials, because a family home lived in all year has different needs from a flat visited a few times a year.
None of this means timber is a poor choice on the Costa Blanca. Used well, it lasts a long time and looks right in these buildings. It does mean that the cheapest option, installed without thought for sun, salt and humidity, tends to cost more over time.
Doors
A door that fits properly, closes smoothly and suits the building.
Doors are one of the most noticeable parts of a home and one of the easiest to get wrong. In older houses, walls and frames are rarely square, and a standard door does not simply drop in. In newer apartments, the issue is more often poor-quality hollow doors that have warped or been damaged. We measure the actual opening, not the nominal size, and advise on what will work.
We supply and fit interior doors, front doors and exterior doors, and we replace frames, architraves and ironmongery where needed. For exterior doors we pay particular attention to exposure. A door facing south or west on a sunny terrace needs a different finish and construction from one in a sheltered hallway.
If you are renovating a room or a whole property, doors are best planned alongside the rest of the work so that floor levels, plastering and paint are finished in the right order. Where we are already on site for other renovation work, fitting doors at the same time usually keeps the job tidier and avoids damage to new finishes.
We can also repair what you have. A door that sticks, sags or no longer latches can often be eased, re-hung or re-faced rather than replaced, which is worth considering for older solid doors with character.
Wardrobes and storage
Storage made to the room, which matters most in apartments where every metre counts.
Spanish apartments, and many holiday flats on the coast, often have bedrooms that are comfortable but short on storage. A fitted wardrobe makes use of the full height and width of the room, including awkward corners, niches and the space above doors, that freestanding furniture leaves empty.
We design the interior with you: hanging space, shelves, drawers, shoe storage, space for suitcases on top. Sliding doors suit narrow rooms where hinged doors would block the bed, and hinged doors suit larger rooms where you want full access. We agree the layout, door style and finish in writing before building starts.
Fitted units also work well beyond bedrooms. Hall cupboards, utility room storage, alcove shelving, under-stair cupboards and built-in units for a living room can all be made to suit the property. In holiday lets and second homes, practical storage for linen, cases and cleaning supplies makes a real difference to how the property works day to day.
Because walls in many buildings are not perfectly straight, fitted work is scribed to the wall rather than assumed square. That is what gives a built-in unit a clean finish at the edges rather than visible gaps.
Kitchens
The woodwork behind a kitchen that looks right and lasts.
A kitchen is a mix of trades, and carpentry is the one that decides whether it feels solid. Cabinets need to be level and fixed securely, doors need to hang evenly, and panels, plinths and worktop supports all need to follow the actual room rather than the drawing.
We carry out kitchen carpentry as part of a wider kitchen renovation, or as a separate job where you are keeping most of what is there. That can mean building or adapting cabinets, fitting panels and fillers, creating a breakfast bar, adding open shelving, or making a unit to fit a gap that a standard cabinet will not fill.
Moisture and heat are the main concerns in a kitchen. We take care over edges near sinks and hobs, and over how units meet the wall and floor, since those are the places where swelling and staining start. If you are having plumbing, electrical or tiling work done at the same time, we coordinate with it so the carpentry is not fitted before services are in place.
For clients who prefer a custom look rather than a ready-made range, we can make bespoke cabinetry in a style that suits the property, from simple modern fronts to more traditional finishes.
Staircases
Safe, comfortable stairs that suit the house.
Many villas and town houses on the coast have internal stairs to a roof terrace or upper floor, and fincas often have steep, uneven flights. A staircase is used every day, so it needs to be comfortable underfoot as well as good to look at. Treads, risers, handrails and balustrades should be consistent and firmly fixed.
We build new staircases in timber, replace worn treads, and fit or renew handrails and balustrades. External stairs to terraces need particular thought: they are exposed to sun and rain and sometimes salt, and they need a surface that is not slippery when wet. We discuss options openly, including where timber may not be the best choice for a particular outdoor position.
Where an existing staircase is sound but tired, a repair and refinish can transform it without the cost of replacement. We can strengthen loose handrails, replace damaged balusters, and renew the surface so it matches the rest of the house.
If a handrail or balustrade feels loose or the gaps between balusters are wide, particularly where children or older relatives use the stairs, we recommend having it looked at promptly. We can advise on practical fixes during a visit.
Outdoor living
Shade and outdoor space built for the way people actually live on the coast.
Outdoor living is a large part of why people buy a property here, and a pergola or deck can extend usable space by months of the year. A well-placed pergola gives shade over a dining area, a barbecue or a seating corner, and reduces the heat that reaches the house through glass and walls.
We design and build timber pergolas to suit the terrace or garden, including freestanding structures and those fixed against the house. We look at the position of the sun through the day, the direction of prevailing wind, the neighbours’ sightlines and how you want to use the space. Decking, fences, gates, screens and garden storage can be built to match.
Exterior timber is where choices matter most. The type of wood, the way it is treated, the fixings and the finish all affect how it wears in sun and salt air. We explain the options, the trade-offs in appearance and maintenance, and what upkeep to expect. Any exterior wood will need periodic care, and a straightforward answer about that is better than a promise of no maintenance.
Structures need fixing securely and designed to cope with wind, which can be strong on exposed hillsides and near the sea. We make sure the posts, fixings and connections are suited to the position.
Ceilings and beams
Timber overhead, new or restored.
Exposed beams are a defining feature of older fincas and village houses in the region, and many owners want to keep them. Old beams can be cleaned, treated and repaired, and in some cases need partial replacement or reinforcement. We look carefully at their condition before recommending anything, and we are open about what we can see and what would need a specialist opinion.
In newer homes, wooden ceilings and decorative beams are a way to bring warmth and character to a plain room. Tongue-and-groove ceilings, boxed beams and exposed-look rafters can be fitted to living rooms, porches and covered terraces, with attention to how they meet walls and lighting.
Humidity and insects are the main enemies of old timber. Where we find signs of damp or insect activity, we say so and discuss treatment before covering or finishing the wood. We would rather deal with the cause than hide it.
Work at height needs planning. We make sure access, protection of floors and furniture, and clean-up are agreed in advance, particularly where ceilings are high or the room is in use during the job.
Bespoke joinery
Where standard products do not fit, we make it to measure.
Not every job fits a category. A curved window seat, a bookcase built around a chimney breast, a headboard wall, a bar area, shutters in an unusual opening, a piece of furniture matched to an existing set: these are all joinery jobs, and we are glad to quote for them.
For custom work we start with a sketch and measurements and agree materials and finish before building. We often work from photos or ideas supplied by clients, then refine them with practical suggestions. Where a design will not work well in timber or will cost more than needed, we say so.
We also do repairs. That includes replacing rotten sections of window frames or shutters, fixing damaged skirting, repairing cupboard doors and drawers, and sorting out small jobs that have built up over the years. Where possible, we group these into a single visit so you are not paying for several call-outs.
When carpentry forms part of a larger renovation, we work with the other trades on the same project, which keeps the sequence logical and the finishing clean.
Before you hire
Whether you use us or someone else, these points will help you judge a quotation and avoid problems later.
A good carpenter will answer these without difficulty, and will be just as clear about what a job cannot do as what it can.
The work
A selection of the kinds of carpentry and joinery we undertake for homes in the area.
Images are for illustration purposes only.
Areas
Eleven towns with their own pages, each with a short guide to the kind of carpentry work its homes tend to need.
We work across the north Costa Blanca, from the high-rise apartments of Benidorm to the hillside villas of Finestrat and the old village houses of Polop. Choose your town below for more local detail.
Fitted wardrobes, doors and storage for Benidorm apartments and old town homes.
View Benidorm →Doors, beams, stairs and pergolas for Altea’s old town houses and coastal villas.
View Altea →Kitchens, doors, stairs and pergolas for La Nucía’s hillside villas and urbanisation homes.
View La Nucía →Pergolas, decking, stairs and joinery for Finestrat’s hillside villas.
View Finestrat →Doors, wardrobes and salt-resistant outdoor timber for Calpe apartments and villas.
View Calpe →Wardrobes, kitchens, decking and doors for Alfaz del Pi and Albir homes.
View Alfaz del Pi & Albir →Beams, old doors, shutters and stairs for Polop’s village houses and hillside villas.
View Polop →Finca beams, old town joinery and coastal pergolas for Benissa properties.
View Benissa →Carpentry Services Villajoyosa: made-to-fit doors, shutters, beams and fitted storage for old townhouses and seafront flats. Dragon Reforms. Free quotation.
View Villajoyosa →Carpentry Services Callosa d'en Sarrià from a local firm: beams, rustic doors, stairs, gates and fitted joinery for village houses and fincas. Free quotation.
View Callosa d'en Sarrià →Questions
We carry out carpentry across the north Costa Blanca, including Benidorm, Altea, La Nucía, Finestrat, Calpe, Alfaz del Pi and Albir, Polop, Benissa, Villajoyosa and Callosa d'en Sarrià. If you are nearby but not listed, get in touch and we will let you know whether we can help.
No, the quotation is free. We visit, measure up, discuss materials and finishes, and then provide a written quotation setting out the scope of work.
Yes. Many of our clients live in the UK or elsewhere in Europe. We can agree the details by message, email and photos, arrange access with a key holder, and keep you updated with photos as the work progresses.
It depends on the position, budget and the look you want. Different timbers and treatments cope differently with sun, wind and salt air. We explain the options during the visit, including the upkeep each one needs, so you can decide with the full picture.
Often they can, but it depends on their condition. We check for movement, damp and insect damage before recommending cleaning, treatment, repair or replacement. If we think a specialist opinion is needed on structural matters, we will say so.
Yes. Fitted wardrobes are particularly useful in small bedrooms, as they use the full height and width of the space. We can fit sliding or hinged doors depending on the room and design the inside to suit what you need to store.
Yes. Our work is guaranteed, and the scope of the guarantee is set out in the quotation. If something is not right after completion, you can contact us and we will deal with it.
Yes. Dragon Reforms is a renovation company, so carpentry can be planned alongside building, plastering, tiling, painting, plumbing and electrical work. That usually means a better sequence and less disruption.
It depends on the work. Hanging a door is a matter of hours, while a fitted wardrobe, staircase or pergola takes longer. We give an expected timeframe in the quotation once we have seen the job.
Get in touch
Tell us what you need, whether it is a single door or a full set of fitted furniture, and we will arrange a visit and provide a written quotation. The quotation is free and our work is guaranteed.
Customer reviews
Genuine Google reviews from Dragon Reforms customers.
Complete Apartment Renovation – Benidorm
“I would like to say a huge thank you to Dragonreforms. Nico and his team did an excellent job renovating our 2 bedroom apartment in Benidorm. This included a beautiful new bathroom, kitchen, flooring, interior doors, plumbing and complete electrical works. Truly amazing workmanship. You have made our dreams come true.”
Bathroom Renovations & Aluminium Door Replacement
“We would like to say thank you to Dragon Reforms for an excellent job renovating our two bathrooms and replacing our aluminium doors.”
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