Case Study: Mobile Home Installation in the Algarve

By Matheus Agueda · 28 August 2026

Last updated: 5 October 2026

From a park in the UK to a plot in the Algarve

This case study is a representative example, built from installations Green Village has carried out in the Algarve: a Willerby Sheraton mobile home (2021, 12m x 4m, 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom) on a private plot in the municipality of Loulé. The figures are indicative and vary with the plot, the câmara municipal and each client's written quote.

The unit

The Willerby Sheraton is one of the most popular models from the British manufacturer Willerby, produced in Hull, Yorkshire. Key specifications:

• Dimensions: 12.19m x 4.00m (40ft x 13ft)
• Floor area: ~44 m²
• Bedrooms: 2 (1 master, 1 twin)
• Bathroom: 1 full
• Kitchen: fitted with fridge, oven, hob and extractor
• Heating: gas central heating (converted to Portuguese gas bottle)
• Insulation: residential grade (walls, floor and ceiling)
• Weight: ~8,200 kg (empty)

The unit came from a residential park in the south of England; its price is part of the delivered value shown in the written quote.

Transport

Transport followed Green Village's standard process between the UK and Portugal: collection from the originating park, the journey organised by Green Village, customs clearance in Portugal (23% VAT on the declared value plus transport, and a clearance fee), and delivery to the plot for a 4m-wide unit.

The transport cost is included in the final delivered price — Green Village does not charge separately for transport. The entire logistics, customs and delivery process is handled in-house.

Site preparation

The plot in Loulé (800 m², agricultural zone whose PDM land-use class admitted the installation) was prepared with (indicative 2026 values):

• Clearance and levelling: backhoe, 1 day. EUR 450.
• Foundations: 16 concrete pillars (40x40x60 cm) in a 3x6 grid, laser-levelled. EUR 2,200.
• Support platform: IPE 120 steel beams on the pillars, with level adjusters. EUR 1,400.

Total site preparation (indicative): EUR 4,050.

Utility connections

Connection to the utility points already on the plot was included in the Green Village delivered price: distribution board with 30mA RCD wired to the existing EDP meter, HDPE piping from the existing borehole to the mobile home's water inlet with filter and pressure switch, a compact biological septic tank (4 persons, 2,000L) with infiltration field, gas bottle conversion (regulator and valves) and a 4G/5G router for connectivity (no fibre coverage in the area).

Licensing

Article 1-A of the RJUE was repealed on 1 October 2026 (Decree-Law 108/2026, art. 10). The RJUE treats as a «building» (edificação) any construction incorporated into the land with a permanent character, regardless of the construction system (art. 2(a)); whether your installation fits that definition is decided case by case by the câmara municipal. The RJUE does not regulate rural land (solo rústico) itself: it defers to the plans — a licence is refused if it breaches a municipal or inter-municipal plan, an administrative easement or a public-interest restriction (art. 24(1)(a)), and a comunicação prévia must comply with the land-management instruments (art. 34(4)). The câmara municipal decides case by case; request an informação prévia (art. 14). The process with Loulé Municipal Council included:

• Statement of responsibility from a qualified technician
• Location and site plan
• Descriptive report
• Municipal fee

Cost in this example: EUR 350 (fees + technician's charges); fees vary with each council's regulation.

Cost summary

Result

In this example, the mobile home is habitable as a holiday home. Registering it as short-term rental (Alojamento Local / AL) in the low season is a common option; profitability depends on the occupancy rate and the average nightly price in the area, so we do not estimate it here.

Green Village manages the entire process, from choosing the unit in the UK to final delivery on the plot.