i am thinking of moving to the algarve region having spent some wonderful hols out there. i am a fully qualified gassafe/corgi plumbing , heating and gas engineer with 2 x sucessful companies running in leeds. having played golf on hols with a few expats out there they have all told me there is a market place for somebody with my trade. i have a friend who will rent me his villa in ferrerias area. i have a wife and 2 x boys 12 & 14 who would stay back in the uk of yorkshire for the time been. i would love to hear from any construction / trade lads who are out there in the region or people who could let me know their thoughts or pass on any advise.
Darren :

Im not in the Algarve so can advise on the area but it sounds like you have nothing to lose by giving it a go?! Go for it and if it don't work out at least you wont look back and wonder "what if"

I agree, life is to short for what if's good luck

[QUOTE=gedscottish;8205755]Im not in the Algarve so can QUOTE]

cant

[quote=gedscottish;8205755]Im not in the Algarve so can QUOTE]
Don't say that gedscottish is already on the Hogmanay pop!

Couldn't agree more!

Need a new tap so let me know!

My husband is a decorator, we moved here 3 months ago and have had no work. Oh and he's Portuguese.

We've done flier drops given business cards out left right and centre, he's from where we live so already has all the contacts...but he's not been here the past 15 years so people have other decorators they use and they're not about to change...

You will have more luck with expats but only move here if you have enough money to support yourself fully for at least a year. Once you get work then word of mouth hopefully more will come in and I think you need at least a year.

Sorry to be a downer, everyone said to us the same and we were like 'yeah right he's Portuguese!' doesn't help (he's fluent English too).

Also you have to pay €150 a month social security whether you have work or not...you can apply to reduce that but only in October I think.



Oh and I know your in plumbing trade, very different here, we have many PT friends who are plumbers all tend to end up doing pool maintenance!

I think you are right to just come on your own for the time being, rent a place and see how it goes. The jobs are not so forthcoming as they are in UK and the money you can charge will be no where near what you can charge in UK. Good luck
Joao

is this yet another thread where someone come on wanting information and us good hearted bastards give our wisdom only for them never to log on again?!

Yes luv...normal

whoops scared him off I think!

G

Obviously not got is heart into making a go of it. You have to believe in what you want to do. Well done to all who bothered to try to help.

Takes more than belief here...when there are loads of immigrants willing to work for €25 a day.

G