An advertised floor count does not establish development capacity: connect rules, geometry, project and applicable authorisation.
Identify the parcel and applicable rules
Before asking how many floors can be built, establish the folio, location, land classification and applicable regulatory unit. Law 388 organises planning and the licensing framework but assigns no single floor count to all Colombian lots. Obtain an enquiry tied to the actual property and retain the drawing and references used. In Medellín or a neighbouring municipality, verify jurisdiction and the current instrument; a proposed revision or public presentation does not establish adoption. If the seller supplies an old response, ask which site or regulatory changes may affect its usefulness. Also connect environmental and risk restrictions affecting the layout. The initial assessment should explain the rules consulted, why they apply to this parcel and what information remains missing. This avoids designing around commercial information that may describe another zone, date or holding. Each later design decision should be traceable to that identified regulatory and physical basis rather than an unsupported statement in the advertisement.
Assess the whole envelope, not only the floors
Capacity may depend on site coverage, floor area, setbacks, separation, density, frontage, access and other municipal conditions. A maximum floor count does not mean the entire parcel can be covered at every level. Request a preliminary layout applying the relevant rules to measured geometry and distinguishing parcel area from proposed floor surfaces. If road reservations, networks or protection areas exist, identify their consequences before calculating rooms or returns. Ask which conditions change between residential, accommodation or other uses. Do not turn theoretical capacity into an issued permission. An architect can assess an alternative and identify uncertainties without yet guaranteeing approval. Preserve the layout's assumptions so land offers can be compared consistently. Financial assessment requires the space actually feasible for the project rather than multiplying total land area by a floor count mentioned informally. The preliminary scheme should make its limitations visible and show which conclusions remain dependent on additional documents or authority assessment.
Ask how height is measured on this site
On sloping ground, counting storeys from one façade can mislead. Obtain an explanation of municipal measurement rules, levels, partial basements, roofs and other elements relevant to the design. Calling a level a basement does not automatically exclude it from the applicable count. The survey should connect existing ground, proposal, sections and entrances; proposed fill or excavation requires assessment of technical and legal consequences. Ask the architect to show height reference points and their justification. A façade image alone cannot establish compliance. If the seller points to taller neighbouring buildings, enquire about their conditions and history; their existence does not establish an identical entitlement for this lot. A useful answer explains the property's rule and the design assessed. That precision helps avoid ordering a model that fits only on an imaginary platform or under an unreviewed interpretation. Preserve sections with the preliminary drawings so later suppliers understand the same levels rather than designing from a promotional perspective image.
Determine the procedure matching the works
Describe new construction, extension, alteration, strengthening or other works according to the actual proposal and ask the adviser to determine the relevant category. Decree 1077 regulates licences and other procedures; selection does not depend solely on the project's commercial name. Review any earlier licence in full, including drawings, conditions, duration and amendments. Do not assume it authorises a different design or additional levels. If unsupported existing construction is present, assess its status before incorporating it into the proposal. September 2026 changes introduced by Decree 1448 affect certain categories and situations, so consult the operative wording when applying. Where an exceptional extension is invoked, verify relevant dates and scope instead of applying it to every file. Filing is also distinct from the authorised result. The timetable should establish when the act and drawings needed to execute the intended works will be available. Assign responsibility for amendments if the design changes after an earlier assessment or approval.
Coordinate design, structure, access and utilities
A proposal fitting the planning envelope still needs to address site engineering. Law 400 establishes the earthquake-resistant construction framework and relevant responsibilities; a lightweight-structure offer does not replace that assessment. Ensure architectural and structural design and necessary studies use the same dimensions and intended activity. Check construction access, water management, sanitation and networks because an extension may require additional capacity. For a prefabricated home, identify the proposed system and supporting technical documentation rather than treating every product alike. Ask the supplier to define its responsibility and the matters another professional must resolve. Coordinate technical and planning decisions before manufacturing components difficult to modify. A square-metre price may exclude foundations, transport or adaptation to the ground. Budget these items using evidence and identify outstanding results so a partial amount is not presented as the cost of a completed, authorised home. Material changes in layout or loading should be referred back to the relevant designers before proceeding.
Check the scope of exceptional 2026 measures
Legislative Decree 1422 of 17 September 2026 contains a temporary measure for housing whose seismic-resisting system is prefabricated. Read it together with article 2, limiting measures to emergency territories and people or entities with accredited direct impact from the earthquake of 10 August 2026. Purchasing in Antioquia or calling a house prefabricated is insufficient to establish eligibility. Article 20 also refers to rural siting parameters and technical controls requiring operational review. Have the professional verify scope, applicable implementation, current legal status and documented project circumstances before invoking the measure. This guide does not extend the exception across the national market or determine that an individual application is covered. Land-use, protection and safety requirements need assessment within their own frameworks. A commercial offer should describe the actual procedure and evidence supporting any exceptional treatment. Distinguishing published national provisions from project-specific eligibility prevents a narrowly targeted measure from becoming an unsupported promise to an ordinary buyer.
Example: three advertised floors and an insufficient footprint
A lot is advertised for three floors, and the purchaser calculates six apartments by multiplying brochure dimensions. Review establishes the need to assess setbacks, access, measured area and use conditions; the initial scheme provides a smaller footprint than expected. The slope also changes levels and necessary works. The buyer requests a complete alternative before paying the supplier and distinguishes theoretical capacity from the project requiring authorisation. This hypothetical example assigns no actual municipal rule and promises no housing count for Medellín. It shows why storeys are only one part of assessment. Changing design, reducing scale or comparing another lot may be reasonable. If price negotiation relied on an essential development expectation, the preliminary agreement should reflect professionally reviewed conditions. An informed conclusion identifies both estimated usable space and dependencies still capable of changing it. Preserve that conclusion alongside the scheme so subsequent quotations do not revert to the larger, unsupported capacity originally described in the advertisement.
Retain the conclusion and assess changes
The file should connect property identity, consulted rules, scheme, studies, responses and relevant instruments. Record each document's date and status and outstanding decisions. Before construction, confirm the applicable procedure and result; afterwards check execution against the reviewed design and conditions. Changes to floors, use or layout need assessment before being contracted or implemented. When selling, use descriptions supported by current information and distinguish an existing licence from an expectation of development. This guide received editorial review on 14 October 2026 and acknowledges measures published in September 2026 without assuming eligibility. It determines no height or development capacity for a specific lot. The professional and competent authority must apply current rules to the actual location, project and circumstances. A useful decision provides evidence about what can be assessed and authorised and the limits relevant to the buyer's budget. Keep that evidence available for later designers so project changes are examined against the same documented starting point.
Building-envelope and approval-route worksheet
Complete fields using the identified municipal rules and project. A drawing may explain the proposal but does not assign permitted floors. If an exceptional measure is invoked, document eligibility separately.
| Review question | Evidence to record | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Which location and rules define the proposal? | Municipality, property, classification, planning area or designation, rule version and relevant mapping. | Confirm that the source and geometry relate to this lot; do not transfer neighbouring-property parameters. |
| How is the proposed envelope measured? | Areas, footprint, levels, heights and drawing reference point compared with applicable definitions. | Mark each parameter as confirmed or outstanding; ask how basements and level changes are counted here. |
| Which area is constrained? | Setbacks, access, easements, protection, risk and supporting works affecting siting. | Review the complete design; total titled area is not the same as land freely available for building. |
| Which procedure applies to the complete project? | Use, new works or intervention, records, technical lead and category identified with the authority. | Confirm documents and current scope; a land-use enquiry does not itself grant a required licence. |
| Is there a basis to invoke Decree 1422? | Documented emergency territory, accredited direct impact, prefabricated seismic system and applicable implementation. | Have articles 2 and 20 and current status checked; buying in Antioquia does not establish individual eligibility. |
Sources & bibliography
Read the full document, its date, amendments and scope. The editorial review date describes this page; it does not establish an authorisation or a specific answer about your plot or financing.
- 01Ley 388 de 1997 · arts. 10, 35 y 99; ordenamiento y licenciascancilleria.gov.co · National
- 02Decreto 1077 de 2015 · arts. 2.2.6.1.1.1 y 2.2.6.1.1.7; marco y modalidades, con modificaciones posterioresminvivienda.gov.co · National
- 03Ley 400 de 1997 · arts. 1-4 y 12; construcción sismorresistente y sistemascancilleria.gov.co · National
- 04Decreto Legislativo 1422 de 17 de septiembre de 2026 · arts. 2 y 20; ámbito y medida excepcional prefabricadarelatoria.copnia.gov.co · National
- 05Decreto 1448 de 2026 · vigencias y modificaciones de determinadas modalidades del Decreto 1077normas.cra.gov.co · National