getoutquick

Hi

This has probably been discussed before but what are the chances for an english builder (fully qualified & 20yrs exp & loads of refs, not a cowboy) moving to Spain and working.

Thanks

jdr

If you know your job, and do good work and get known as work is always by word of mouth you will be laughing.
The money is not as good as England, but then the cost to live is much less.
Go for it, good luck, but dont move near me...

Chiclanagir

Where we have been looking in Costa de Luz all the new houses are built without patios of any description. There should be loads of work for a good builder just to specialise in patios.
We hope to be moving out there as soon as we have sold and will need one ourselves!!!

sibsie

Patios? In Spain? I think you'll find we only have terraces out here.

Good gardeners make a small fortune too.

jdr

getoutquick

Hi

Thank for the replys. I have sold up already in the UK and we are just looking for the right location, and I am concerned of the boredom factor as I like to be kept busy. Location wise - I have read interesting comments about parts of Spain in the last few days!! I would be more than happy to speak to anyone wanting the services of a reliable exp builder.

Thanks

jdr

Have you been to Spain before...?
You will find the techniques, and the buying of materials very different here....
Yasoo comes to mind, a type of plaster but it goes off like out of date siropite...
Also try and get some money up front, cos you get a lot of late payments...

zads

jdr.. are there any rules and regs on gas installations similar to CORGI over there, would I need a Spanish equilivant to let me work on boilers etc..

jdr

Most of the gas is bottled, not sure but i think there are corgi type regs, but i dont get involved with it myself.
They are quite up on regs out here, you even need hygiene cert etc to carry food to a table in a bar..

vickijlbrook

My husband and I are going to be moving out and he is a plumber! and also does some building work, perhaps we should get togther!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where about are you going???

zads

have a week booked on the del sol (mid march) to check out various places in that area. its odds on that is where we are heading for, inland a bit, price dictates, though we will be renting first. Still not sure if spain is the right place anymore. check out La Sur on the net (surinenglish) classifides section and look for plumbers/builders. eighteen months ago you'd find a couple, not checked this week but last time i looked their were loads.whats that tell yer. not so much work about or the costas are being flooded with the likes of ourselves. If sibsie reads this could you expand on your views on international schools over there, read your comments in another thread last week and would appreciate any more info....

COWBOY_BUILDER

It depends where in Spain you intend to go ,most costal places are well catered for and BRITISH BUILDERS are in abundance , im lucky because im a Cowboy builder , and live inland (40 mins from Mojacar ) .Spain is a good country to live in ,but remember things take much longer to happen .
I Have been in the Building trade 35 years , but in Spain im still learning about the materials and their application .When you get to Spain you will find evryones a Builder or Estate Agent ,but most show their true colours after a few meetings ,hope this is of some help....Allan .

(Manana dosnt mean tommorow it just means not today )
ps.. if you want to contact me for any futher help , i also live in Notts my email [email protected]

sibsie

Hi Zads. I can only go on personal experience of two intl schools in the Javea area.

My niece goes to one and my foster daughter to another. Both are dreadful in terms of academic study. The main probs are.

Zero discipline. It's more like a college. Great fun for the kids not so great for parents picking up the pieces.

No homework. I was staggered that even kids in GCSE years get no home work. Not a jot. This is a major complaint from all the parents.

Dreadful academic results. My niece went from grade A to below average. Same with my foster daughter though she's a nightmare all round.

My friend's two kids both have dyslexia and they've been given no special help at all. They've been more or less left to their own devices.

I think that the prob, as I've said before, is that these places are just money making schemes for the owners. There is no board of governors, no league tables, no regular inspections. There is nothing to put these places under pressure to perform. All they really have to do is open up shop, sit back and take the money.

For kids of teenage years as well the life revolves around the bars and beaches. Kids go out much later timewise here and so come home much later. Drink and drugs is far more accessible to them.

My foster daughter is no longer with me but dealing with her and trying to get any sort of support from the school was a nightmare.

My 7 year old niece has been at Spanish school for over a year and it's a very different story. The school is lovely, takes a real interest in the kids welfare and she's going great guns in Spanish and Valenciano. The only prob with that is that her English isn't quite as good in terms of reading and writing as it was, and the future with the senior school and later career doesn't look good.