Most people who walk into their shell form for the first time feel the same thing: excitement, then quiet panic. The space is yours. But it is completely empty, and every decision, from where the kitchen goes to where each socket sits, needs to happen before a single tool is lifted.
Get it right and you end up with a home built exactly around your life. Get it wrong and you pay for it twice.
You bought the shell.
Now comes the hard part.
I am Céline, interior designer based in Gozo.
I work with expats and international buyers who want their shell form designed properly before works begin.
Not decorated after the fact.
Designed from the start, with technical precision and a clear plan that your contractors can actually build from.
Understanding “Shell Form” in Gozo
In Gozo, a shell form property typically includes completed structure, roof, façade and common areas, but interiors are left unfinished. There is no flooring, no bathrooms or kitchen, no internal doors, and utility points are only brought to the entrance of the unit.
This flexibility allows you to shape the space as you wish, but it also requires careful preparation. Without a clear design package, contractors may quote based on assumptions, which often leads to extra costs, delays, or compromises in quality.
Design Meets Compliance
When works involve structural modifications or require a planning permit, a Perit (warranted architect/engineer) is responsible for submitting the application and later confirming compliance with the approved permit once works are finished.
For water and electricity supply, the required certificates are issued directly by the authorised contractors licensed by REWS who carry out the works. These documents are needed before utilities can be connected. They are not provided by the Perit.
As an interior designer, I prepare the complete design intent package and coordinate with your Perit and contractors, ensuring that responsibilities are clear and the process runs smoothly.
The Shell Form Design Process and timeline
A shell form project of around 100m² follows four phases. Each phase begins only once the previous one is approved.
Phase 1 - Concept and Layout (around 3 weeks)
Online onboarding questionnaire, then site survey at your property. I take all measurements, document drainage and shaft positions, and verify natural light. From this I produce your layout plan with optimised room positioning, coordinated kitchen and bathroom layouts, built-in storage positions, and a moodboard establishing the visual direction.
Phase 2 - Selections (around 3 to 4 weeks)
Finishes plans and elevation drawings for every surface. Showroom visit in Gozo for kitchen, bathroom, door and material selections. Delivery of a complete shopping list with every reference documented. Photorealist 3D views available as an option at this stage.
Phase 3 - Technical Design (around 4 weeks)
Electrical and lighting plan, plumbing plan, air conditioning plan, ventilation and extraction plan. Full work description with quantities for every trade, contractor quotes collection and verification, and contractor brief.
Phase 4 - Design Verification (during construction)
For clients working with a turnkey contractor, I carry out regular site visits to verify that dimensions, positions and finishes match the approved drawings. After each visit you receive a structured photo report so you have full visibility of progress, wherever you are.
For clients managing their own contractors independently, the design package is handed over at the end of Phase 3 with a full contractor brief. Site visits are not included in this case.
Total design process before works begin: approximately 10 to 11 weeks.
Your Questions About Shell Form, Answered
1. Do I always need a Perit for a shell form project?
Not always. A Perit (warranted architect or engineer) is required only if works involve structural modifications or need a planning permit. For interior layouts without structural changes, no Perit is required. As your interior designer, I prepare the complete design package and coordinate with your Perit and contractors when one is involved, so responsibilities are clearly defined from the start.
2. Who provides the certificates for water and electrical connections?
The certificates are issued directly by the authorised contractors licensed by REWS who carry out the works. These documents are required before utilities can be connected and are not provided by the interior designer or the Perit. All contractors in my network are familiar with these requirements.
3. Can I hire my own contractors?
I work with a selected network of trusted contractors in Gozo.
Over time, I have built relationships with partners who understand how to read a technical brief, execute to specification, and communicate clearly throughout the process. Working within this network is what allows me to keep my fees at their current level and deliver a consistent quality of service.
If you already have a contractor in mind, let's talk. In some cases, a hybrid approach is possible.
4. Can you help me choose finishes and furniture?
Yes. Phase 2 of the process covers all material and finish selections: tiles, flooring, wall finishes, lighting, internal doors and hardware. I accompany you to partner showrooms in Gozo so every choice is made with the layout and technical plans already in hand. Nothing is ordered until every reference is confirmed and coordinated with your drawings. A complete shopping list is included as standard.
5. How long does a shell form project take?
The design work is structured in four phases.
Phase 1 (concept and layout) takes around four weeks.
Phase 2 (selections and finishes plans) takes six to eight weeks.
Phase 3 (technical plans and contractor brief) takes four to six weeks.
Phase 4 (design verification during site construction) : I come on site when there is something to verify, a decision to make, or an issue to resolve. Frequency depends on progress and what arises. This applies to clients working with a turnkey contractor only.
6. What makes a shell form project different from a renovation?
With a shell form, there are no existing finishes to remove, which gives you complete freedom over layouts, materials and systems. But this freedom comes with more technical coordination from the start. Every decision, from drainage positions to ceiling heights to electrical routing, has to be made before a single tool is lifted. Getting this right before works begin is exactly what the design process is built around.
7. When is the right time to start the design process?
As soon as you sign the promise of sale. Starting early means the full design package is ready before contractors are engaged, which gives you accurate quotes, a clear brief for every trade, and no rushed decisions under time pressure.
8. Do I need to be in Gozo during the process?
Only for two steps: the site survey at the start of Phase 1, and the showroom visits during Phase 2.Everything else, including kick-off meetings, layout reviews, moodboard presentations and technical plan approvals, can be done remotely. The process is specifically designed for clients who are not based on the island full time.
9. How do you control the budget?
Budget control starts with the design, not after. Phase 3 includes a full work description with quantities for every trade, which gives contractors a precise brief to price from rather than assumptions. I then collect, review and verify the quotes before you commit to anything. This gives you comparable, transparent proposals and eliminates the hidden costs that typically appear when contractors work without a proper brief.
10. What happens once the design package is delivered?
Phase 4 begins when construction starts. I carry out regular site visits to verify that dimensions, positions and finishes match the approved drawings, flag any discrepancy before the next trade moves in, and handle the on-site decisions that arise when construction meets reality. After each visit you receive a structured photo report so you have full visibility of progress, wherever you are.