What does empreitada mean in Portugal?
An empreitada is a contract in which one party, the contractor, agrees to carry out a defined work for the other in return for a price. The contractor must build as agreed and without defects that reduce the value or fitness for use.
- Rests on
- Código Civil, art. 1207.º and art. 1208.º
- Law
- Código Civil (Decreto-Lei n.º 47344/66), consolidated text updated to Lei n.º 29/2026
- Official text
- pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?ficha=1201&ar...
- Sources
- pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?ficha=1201&ar...
- Checked
- 2026-11-05
What it means for the owner
- Unless the contract says otherwise, the contractor supplies the materials, which may not be below average quality (art. 1210.º).
- Unless agreed otherwise, the price is paid when the work is accepted (art. 1211.º n.º 2).
- When building on the owner's land, the building belongs to the owner, and the materials are treated as bought by the owner as they are built in (art. 1212.º n.º 2).
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