Vertical works are interventions on building facades, interior courtyards, service shafts and rooftops that require height-certified technicians. In Barcelona they are particularly common in residents’ communities that need to renew communal installations — gas risers, drainage stacks, water or electrical runs — and for private residents who need to route air conditioning pipework from their flat to the roof without running it through the building’s interior.
JAG Alcaide carries out vertical works in Barcelona with an in-house certified technical team, using the mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE), life lines and approved anchoring systems. Because we have both systems installers (gas, water, electricity, air conditioning) and height-certified technicians on our own staff, we can carry out the complete job without subcontracting the vertical element to an external company — reducing lead times, avoiding coordination problems and giving the client a single point of responsibility for the entire project.
| Type of work | What it involves | Typically requested by |
|---|---|---|
| AC pipework on facade or rooftop | Routing refrigerant pipe and cabling from the flat to the outdoor unit on the roof, using UNEX trunking, PVC pipe or metal conduit | Private residents installing AC who cannot place the outdoor unit on their own terrace or facade |
| Communal gas risers | New gas risers on facade (IRC), gas meter bank on rooftop and individual connections (IRI) to each flat with isolation valves | Residents’ communities with outdated gas installations or expanding their supply |
| Drainage stack replacement | Removal of old drainage stacks and installation of new PVC stacks of the appropriate diameter | Communities with deteriorated, leaking or non-compliant drainage |
| Extraction duct installation | Spiral steel duct with non-return dampers and rotating cowl for kitchens and bathrooms | Communities and private clients carrying out renovations or changing ventilation systems |
| Communal electrical installations | Individual circuits through internal service shafts with junction boxes and fuses | Communities renewing communal electrical installations or increasing capacity |
| Communal water installations | Multi-layer pipe installation from the ground floor meter bank to each flat via interior courtyard | Communities renewing the communal water supply network |
Why are vertical works particularly common in Barcelona?
Barcelona’s building stock has a high average age — many blocks in the Eixample, Gràcia, Sant Andreu or Nou Barris have communal gas, water and electrical installations that have not been renewed for decades. When a community decides to update these systems, or when a private resident wants to install air conditioning in a building with no available exterior space, the only solution involves working on the facade or interior courtyard with height-certified technicians.
Current regulations also require that many installations which previously ran informally or without documentation be separated and formally legalised. JAG Alcaide knows the procedures with Barcelona’s gas and electricity distributors and handles all the technical documentation required to legalise completed installations.
Frequently asked questions about vertical works in Barcelona
What certifications are needed to carry out vertical works?
Technicians performing work at height must be certified under Royal Decree 2177/2004 on working at height, have specific training in the use of PPE and life lines, and comply with the applicable Occupational Risk Prevention Plan requirements. JAG Alcaide has in-house technicians with the required certification and always uses approved equipment as required by regulation.
Who typically commissions vertical works — the community or the individual owner?
It depends on the work. Communal gas risers, drainage stack replacement and water pipe runs through interior courtyards are commissioned by the residents’ community, usually through the property manager. Air conditioning pipe runs on facades are typically commissioned by the individual private resident installing the unit.
Do I need planning permission or community approval to route pipework on the facade?
For AC pipework on an exterior facade, community approval is normally required. In listed buildings or areas with specific regulations (such as parts of the Eixample or the historic centre), a municipal notification or licence may also be needed. JAG Alcaide assesses the applicable requirements in each case before starting work.
Can you carry out the complete job — installation and vertical element?
Yes, that is precisely what makes JAG Alcaide different. Because we have both certified installers and height-certified technicians on our own staff, we carry out the complete job without subcontracting the vertical element. The client has a single point of responsibility for the entire project.
Do you work with property managers?
Yes. We manage communal installation renewal projects for residents’ communities in Barcelona, coordinating with the property manager from the initial quote through to the handover of technical documentation and installation certificates.