Pool glossary for Mallorca owners: Spanish, English and German terms
Every pool quote, permit and maintenance report on Mallorca is written around Spanish terms, and mistranslating one can cost real money: a vaso is not a glass and a final de obra is not optional paperwork. Here are the terms foreign owners actually meet, with the English and German equivalents our builders use daily.
Key takeaways
- Quotes, permits and reports on Mallorca are written in Spanish terms
- Vaso, depuradora, gunitado, licencia and final de obra are the five to know
- When buying, insist on licencia de obras AND final de obra
- Comparable presupuestos on one specification is how you compare builders fairly
The glossary
| Spanish | English | German |
|---|---|---|
| vaso | pool shell / basin | Beckenkörper |
| depuradora | filtration system | Filteranlage |
| clorador salino | salt chlorinator | Salzelektrolyse-Anlage |
| gresite | glass mosaic tiles | Gresite-Mosaikfliesen |
| coronacion | coping | Beckenrandsteine |
| skimmer | skimmer | Skimmer |
| sumidero | main drain | Bodenablauf |
| licencia de obras | works licence / building permit | Baugenehmigung |
| final de obra | end of works certificate | Bauabnahme |
| suelo rustico | rustic land | laendlicher Grund |
| piscina desbordante | infinity / overflow pool | Infinity-/Ueberlaufpool |
| bomba de calor | heat pump | Waermepumpe |
| cubierta | pool cover | Poolabdeckung |
| invernaje | winterising | Einwinterung |
| choque de cloro | shock chlorination | Stosschlorung |
| lamina de agua | water surface area | Wasserflaeche |
| gunitado | gunite / sprayed concrete | Gunite-/Spritzbeton |
| impermeabilizacion | waterproofing | Abdichtung |
| legalizacion | legalisation (of unlicensed works) | Legalisierung |
| comunidad de propietarios | owners community (HOA) | Eigentuemergemeinschaft |
| presupuesto | quote / estimate | Angebot / Kostenvoranschlag |
| mantenimiento | maintenance | Pflege / Wartung |
| fuga | leak | Leck |
| toma de tierra | earth bond / grounding | Potentialausgleich / Erdung |
The five terms that matter most in a quote
Vaso is the shell, the structural core your money mostly goes into. Gunitado means sprayed concrete, the quality construction method. Depuradora is the whole filtration plant, not just the pump. Licencia de obras authorises the build and final de obra certifies it was completed as approved: when buying, insist on both, as covered in our pre purchase checklist. And presupuesto is your quote: comparable presupuestos on the same specification is exactly what our service collects for you, free.
Why do Mallorca pool quotes mix Spanish terms?
Builders, town halls and technical projects work in Spanish or Catalan. Terms like vaso, depuradora and final de obra appear in every quote and permit, so knowing them prevents misunderstandings.
What is the difference between licencia de obras and final de obra?
The licencia authorises the works before they start; the final de obra certifies they were completed as approved. When buying a property you want to see both.
What does gunitado mean in a quote?
Sprayed concrete, the most common construction method for quality pool shells in Spain: concrete is projected onto the reinforcement at high pressure, creating a seamless structure.
Conclusion
With the right vocabulary in Spanish, English and German, quotes, permits and maintenance visits on Mallorca stop being guesswork. Keep this glossary to hand whenever you compare offers or talk to your Ajuntament. And when you are ready to speak to professionals, request free quotes from vetted builders.
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