Building your villa in Djerba from abroad: how construction management works

Short answer: Yes, you can have your villa built in Djerba while living abroad. First secure the plot (land title, zoning, governor's authorisation if you are a foreign national), then obtain a building permit from the municipality based on an architect's plans, and finally entrust site supervision to a local construction management professional who represents you: site visits, photos, written reports, sign-off of each stage and of payments against supporting documents.

In brief

• First: check the land title, the zoning of the plot and, for a foreign buyer, the governor's authorisation.
• No building work without a building permit issued by the municipality, on plans bearing an architect's stamp.
• Compare several written, itemised quotes based on the same plans; no verbal changes.
• From abroad, construction management gives you a representative on the ground: visits, dated photos and videos, written reports.
• Pay stage by stage, against an invoice and after the actual progress has been checked.
• Keep every document: bank exchange certificates, invoices, handover reports.

By the MY VILLA RISE team, estate agency in Midoun (Djerba) — updated 6 November 2026.

You live in France, Belgium, Germany or Canada and want to have your villa built in Djerba without moving to the island for the duration of the works? It is common and feasible: what matters is not distance but organisation, written records and a trusted representative on site. For an overview of the service, also read our guide to construction management in Djerba; here we focus on projects run from abroad.

What are the steps to have a villa built in Djerba from abroad?

1. Check the plot: title deed, zoning, governor's authorisation if you are a foreign national.
2. Design the project with an architect: brief, sketches, final plans and specification.
3. Apply for the building permit at the municipality.
4. Consult contractors and compare written quotes.
5. Supervise the works: visits, reports, stage sign-off, stage payments.
6. Take handover of the works and list snags in writing.
7. Connect and furnish the villa (STEG, SONEDE, ONAS, internet).
8. Move in or let the property, if that is your plan.

What should you check about the plot before drawing up plans?

Three checks come before everything else:

• The title deed: a registered plot has a land title (the "titre bleu", or blue title) held by the Land Registry (Conservation de la propriété foncière). It shows the registered owner or owners, the boundaries of the plot and any encumbrances (mortgages, easements). Ask for a recent certificate of ownership, which the ONPF (national land registry office) issues online. An unregistered plot ("titre arabe") is riskier. Our article on the blue title in Djerba explains these checks.
• The zoning of the plot: agricultural land cannot be bought by foreign nationals. The certificate of land use ("attestation de vocation") is requested from the municipality (e-Citoyen procedure).
• The governor's authorisation: as a foreign national, buying property in principle requires the prior authorisation of the governor (for Djerba, the governor of Medenine), under the beylical decree of 4 June 1957. Without it, the sale may be declared void, and the process can take several months. Tunisians living abroad buy as Tunisians. Everything is explained in our article on the governor's authorisation.

Also check what the local urban development plan allows: height, setbacks, footprint. On financing, a non-resident finds it very hard to obtain a mortgage in Tunisia: most projects are funded with money from abroad, converted by a Tunisian bank that issues exchange certificates you must keep carefully (see paying for property in Tunisia in foreign currency).

Do you need an architect to build in Djerba?

Yes. The building permit application includes plans that must bear an architect's stamp. Beyond the legal requirement, the architect turns your way of living into plans: number of bedrooms, living areas facing shade or the garden, the position of a possible pool, natural ventilation, materials suited to the island's very sunny climate.

When you are far away, ask for:

• dimensioned, signed plans in PDF for each new version;
• a written specification of materials and fittings (joinery, insulation, finishes, sanitary ware, air conditioning);
• a dated "final" version that will serve as the reference for quotes and for the works.

How do you obtain a building permit in Djerba?

Nobody builds without a building permit issued by the municipality in which the plot lies. The application includes in particular:

• the title deed;
• the architect's plans, bearing the architect's stamp;
• the site location plan;
• the other documents listed in the 2007 order of the Minister of Equipment, which also sets the validity and extension of the permit.

If the works cannot be completed while the permit is valid, an extension must be requested from the municipality at least one month before expiry. A national digital platform, "Taamir", is being rolled out for submitting and tracking permits (launched in Tunis on 14 September 2026): for Djerba, ask the municipality which procedure applies.

This information is general and dated November 2026; rules change, so have your situation checked by a Tunisian notary or lawyer.

How do you choose contractors and compare quotes from abroad?

Consult several contractors on the basis of the same plans and the same specification. A usable quote is:

• written and itemised, line by line (structural work, waterproofing, electrics, plumbing, joinery, finishes, pool if any);
• dated and signed, with the contractor's full details;
• accompanied by a schedule broken down by stage;
• clear about what is excluded (utility connections, landscaping, boundary walls);
• linked to a payment schedule based on actual progress, not on the calendar.

Be wary of a quote that is much lower than the others with no explanation: items are often missing.

How do you supervise building works in Djerba when you live abroad?

This is the heart of construction management. Your representative on site replaces neither the architect nor the contractor: they make sure that what was agreed is actually carried out, and they report back to you. In practice:

• Regular site visits, at a frequency agreed in advance;
• Dated photos and videos at each stage, including of what will later be hidden (reinforcement, conduits, waterproofing);
• Written reports: progress, points to correct, decisions to make;
• Stage sign-off: foundations, walls, roof, services and fit-out, finishes, each checked before moving on to the next;
• Stage payments, only against an invoice and after progress has been checked.

Agree from the outset on the communication channel (WhatsApp, email) and the format of reports. Any change, however small, must be approved in writing, together with its effect on the timetable and on the quote.

What are the most common pitfalls?

• Paying without an invoice or in cash without a receipt: you lose all proof and traceability, including for a future transfer abroad of resale proceeds.
• Starting without signed plans: everyone interprets, and disagreements surface too late.
• Accepting verbal changes: "we agreed on the phone" is worthless in a dispute.
• Starting without a building permit: risk of the works being stopped and of difficulties on a future resale.

What happens at the end of the works?

Handover is a key moment. With your representative and the architect, you go through the villa room by room, test the electrics, plumbing, waterproofing and the pool if there is one, then list in writing the snags the contractor must fix. The final balance is paid only once the snags are fixed, as provided in the contract with the contractor.

Next come the permanent connections: electricity and gas with STEG, water with SONEDE, sewerage with ONAS, internet with an operator (Tunisie Telecom, Ooredoo or Orange Tunisie).

If you want to let the villa when you are not there, note that rental income from a property in Tunisia is taxable in Tunisia and that furnished holiday lettings are in the process of being regulated: check with the ONTT (national tourist office) and an accountant. For day-to-day organisation, read concierge service or property management in Djerba.

How can MY VILLA RISE help you?

MY VILLA RISE is an estate agency based in Midoun. Our construction management service means representing and informing clients who cannot be on site: we do not sell a finished house, we supervise your project on your behalf. In particular, we can:

• help you look into a plot before buying and refer you to a notary or lawyer;
• coordinate the architect, the permit application and the tendering of contractors;
• supervise the works: visits, photos and videos, reports, stage sign-off, checking of supporting documents before each payment;
• organise handover, utility connections and furnishing, then, if you wish, property management.

Discover our support for a bespoke villa, browse plots for sale in Djerba, or see a real example: this three-bedroom villa being completed in Midoun.

Frequently asked questions

Can you build in Djerba without ever coming over?

Much of the project can be followed remotely thanks to PDF plans, video calls, photos and reports. We nevertheless recommend coming at least before buying the plot and for the handover.

Can a foreign national buy a building plot in Djerba?

Yes, with conditions: the purchase in principle requires the prior authorisation of the governor of Medenine, and agricultural land is excluded for foreign nationals. Check the zoning with the certificate issued by the municipality and have the file reviewed by a notary.

How long does a villa project in Djerba take?

It depends on the governor's authorisation where applicable, the processing of the permit, the size of the villa and the availability of contractors. Insist on a written stage-by-stage schedule and have it monitored on site.

How do you pay the contractor when you live abroad?

Funds from abroad are converted by a Tunisian bank, which issues exchange certificates that you must keep. Then pay stage by stage, preferably by bank transfer, against an invoice and after progress has been checked.

What is the difference between construction management and buying a finished villa?

When you buy a finished villa, you acquire an existing property from a seller. With construction management, you are the project owner: you choose the architect and the contractors, and your representative supervises the site and reports to you.

Sources: idaraty.tn — building permit extension; Business News — Taamir platform; Legal Doctrine — property purchases by foreigners; idaraty.tn — certificate of land use; idaraty.tn — land title online; Central Bank of Tunisia circular 2018-14.

A question about your project? Contact the MY VILLA RISE front desk on +216 99 573 082 (phone and WhatsApp) or at contact@myvillarise.com, or via our contact page.