empreiteiro
Published 5 November 2026, 03:36
empreiteiro (contractor), contrato de empreitada (construction contract)
A firm or person who undertakes to build or rebuild something for an agreed price. Construction work is licensed: permits for firms are issued by IMPIC and are divided into classes according to the value of the work a firm is allowed to take on.
Where you come across it. A contract for building work or a major renovation, looking for builders through recommendations in group chats.
For a building, the law makes the contractor liable for five years (Article 1225 of the Civil Code), but you must report a defect within a year of noticing it, and then you have another year to claim compensation. Miss these deadlines and you lose the right, even if the five years have not passed.
Official website: impic.pt/impic/acesso-a-atividade-da-construcao/empresa-nacional