Calgary Canada
Jan 6th 2014 | 12:41 am
#46
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 361
From: St Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
Re: Calgary Canada
No, but I am looking into a few ideas that I can expand my business, as well as a sideline business that my wife can work in.
It isn't that I can't physically work outside here in the cold, some of the work I do requires temp above -5. At least in NS the winters are 2 /3 months shorter than here. I have 3 jobs at present that have been sitting since before the holidays that can't be finished. In previous winters I have had jobs sitting for 3/4 months waiting for the weather to warm up. Besides, at -15 or below, jobs that take 4 days in summer, can take 2 weeks. Unfortunately the pay is the same no matter how long it takes!
I got your PM Dave, I will reply later as I am off to work now!
It isn't that I can't physically work outside here in the cold, some of the work I do requires temp above -5. At least in NS the winters are 2 /3 months shorter than here. I have 3 jobs at present that have been sitting since before the holidays that can't be finished. In previous winters I have had jobs sitting for 3/4 months waiting for the weather to warm up. Besides, at -15 or below, jobs that take 4 days in summer, can take 2 weeks. Unfortunately the pay is the same no matter how long it takes!
I got your PM Dave, I will reply later as I am off to work now!
Jan 6th 2014 | 1:12 am
#47
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,402
From: South of Calgary
Re: Calgary Canada
No, but I am looking into a few ideas that I can expand my business, as well as a sideline business that my wife can work in.
It isn't that I can't physically work outside here in the cold, some of the work I do requires temp above -5. At least in NS the winters are 2 /3 months shorter than here. I have 3 jobs at present that have been sitting since before the holidays that can't be finished. In previous winters I have had jobs sitting for 3/4 months waiting for the weather to warm up. Besides, at -15 or below, jobs that take 4 days in summer, can take 2 weeks. Unfortunately the pay is the same no matter how long it takes!
I got your PM Dave, I will reply later as I am off to work now!
It isn't that I can't physically work outside here in the cold, some of the work I do requires temp above -5. At least in NS the winters are 2 /3 months shorter than here. I have 3 jobs at present that have been sitting since before the holidays that can't be finished. In previous winters I have had jobs sitting for 3/4 months waiting for the weather to warm up. Besides, at -15 or below, jobs that take 4 days in summer, can take 2 weeks. Unfortunately the pay is the same no matter how long it takes!
I got your PM Dave, I will reply later as I am off to work now!
Jan 6th 2014 | 3:25 pm
#48
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 361
From: St Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
Re: Calgary Canada
Also, I have never heard of snow in NS in May or June, ( although I may be wrong) but I have seen it first hand here in Calgary, more than once. To clarify, when I say NS, I am referring specifically to Halifax. Perhaps the weather in Cape Breton is as unpredictable as Calgary?
Jan 7th 2014 | 2:35 am
#49
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,402
From: South of Calgary
Re: Calgary Canada
I have a friend in NS and they didn't get their first snowfall until the second week of December, we had our first snowfall at the end of October, so that is almost 2 months shorter already. Should I re-phrase that to " the months of the year that you can expect snowfall" instead of "winter" ?
Also, I have never heard of snow in NS in May or June, ( although I may be wrong) but I have seen it first hand here in Calgary, more than once. To clarify, when I say NS, I am referring specifically to Halifax. Perhaps the weather in Cape Breton is as unpredictable as Calgary?
Also, I have never heard of snow in NS in May or June, ( although I may be wrong) but I have seen it first hand here in Calgary, more than once. To clarify, when I say NS, I am referring specifically to Halifax. Perhaps the weather in Cape Breton is as unpredictable as Calgary?
I suspect that there are more construction workers missing work in NS this past week than those in Calgary. I accept that you don't like the weather in Calgary. I hope that your move to NS will prove to be all you anticipate it will.
Jan 7th 2014 | 7:43 am
#50
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 32
Re: Calgary Canada
Hi Dave, there is one aspect of planning a move such as you are contemplating that often gets overlooked and that is what would you do if there was a family emergency back in the UK (or here and you needed your family to help, do they have the resources to hop on a plane if you needed them)? I have lived in Canada for 26 years, local to the Calgary area and when I read threads such as yours planning to come out on a tight(ish) budget I always want to whisper in the writers ear to give this some thought, and once they have done that, to think about it some more. Bums on seats back to the UK cost $$$$, times that by a spouse and children and it could be crippling / or distressing not to be able to go (I have had both scenarios over the years). It is certainly something on reflection I wish I had thought about in more detail.
On a brighter note Calgary is an awesome city and Canadian's certainly do love their golf!
All the best to you as you work through this decision.
On a brighter note Calgary is an awesome city and Canadian's certainly do love their golf!
All the best to you as you work through this decision.
Jan 7th 2014 | 2:09 pm
#51
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 361
From: St Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
Re: Calgary Canada
I have seen snow in May in June in Calgary too. From memory, it remained on the ground until mid morning. Did you really have to miss a day or two off work because of that?
I suspect that there are more construction workers missing work in NS this past week than those in Calgary. I accept that you don't like the weather in Calgary. I hope that your move to NS will prove to be all you anticipate it will.
I suspect that there are more construction workers missing work in NS this past week than those in Calgary. I accept that you don't like the weather in Calgary. I hope that your move to NS will prove to be all you anticipate it will.
I regularly work outside in -20 and below, if the work in hand isn't affected by the temp and/ or snow. Most of the companies that do the work I do shut down between Oct and March.
I know NS gets snow and bad weather, it is Canada after all, but in NS, all going according to plan, the work I plan to do won't be so weather dependant,
work that isn't available to me here in Calgary.
Believe it or not, I quite like the winter, going skiing, skating etc, but at 5.30am on a Tuesday in January, it isn't so appealing. The weather is only a small part in the decision of moving to NS.
Hopefully this can put an end the the weather talk, as we have somewhat hijacked Dave's thread. Sorry mate!
Jan 8th 2014 | 9:58 pm
#52
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 447
From: between Calgary alberta and sunny doncaster
Re: Calgary Canada
where abouts in NS you bound?
Jan 10th 2014 | 5:04 am
#53
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 466
Re: Calgary Canada
My wife and I have been in Calgary for over 5 1/2 years now, came over on a TWP to work for a construction company. In the first couple of years I was earning $75-$80k, which was almost double the equivalent pay in the UK.
As it is only the two of us, we can live reasonably comfortably on that amount, we are not extravagant, however, rent costs us about $22,000 per year alone. Since the floods, our house would easily cost us $5/600 a month more if we were trying to rent it now.
Household bills, heating, elec, tv/internet, food, ins, car exp. etc are approx. the same again. We sold our home in Scotland 9 years ago, with the view to buying here after a few years. What we want to buy, and what we can afford is very different. At the current exchange rate, your UK 22k = $38k.
As a result, we are leaving Calgary in a few months to move to Nova Scotia.
Calgary is a great city, it has been good to us, but not a place to be living week to week. And as my work is outside all year like yours, I often only work 3/4 days a week during Dec to Feb, and have even lost days to the cold weather in May! For your type of work, have you thought perhaps the west coast of BC, or Vancouver Island?
As a footnote, it is 11am just now, and the temp here in NW Calgary is -31, and -40 with the windchill!
I am not saying give up, just look at all the options, and make sure the figures add up!
As it is only the two of us, we can live reasonably comfortably on that amount, we are not extravagant, however, rent costs us about $22,000 per year alone. Since the floods, our house would easily cost us $5/600 a month more if we were trying to rent it now.
Household bills, heating, elec, tv/internet, food, ins, car exp. etc are approx. the same again. We sold our home in Scotland 9 years ago, with the view to buying here after a few years. What we want to buy, and what we can afford is very different. At the current exchange rate, your UK 22k = $38k.
As a result, we are leaving Calgary in a few months to move to Nova Scotia.
Calgary is a great city, it has been good to us, but not a place to be living week to week. And as my work is outside all year like yours, I often only work 3/4 days a week during Dec to Feb, and have even lost days to the cold weather in May! For your type of work, have you thought perhaps the west coast of BC, or Vancouver Island?
As a footnote, it is 11am just now, and the temp here in NW Calgary is -31, and -40 with the windchill!
I am not saying give up, just look at all the options, and make sure the figures add up!
I would think very carefully about moving here if I was you. Happy to chat via PM if you like.
Jan 10th 2014 | 5:27 am
#54
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,878
From: SW Ontario
Re: Calgary Canada
Jan 10th 2014 | 12:31 pm
#56
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 361
From: St Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
