Tawayne

Hi guys, my names Wayne and I'm new to this site so forgive any questions that's have already been answered.
My wife and I have a static caravan just outside Marbella, and after visiting our site and taking in the Spanish lifestyle, we're looking to move to the costa del sol. Everyone we have spoken to on our daily walks have said they do not regret moving, retiring to the Costa del sol. I myself am not ready to retire, but I am ready to leave England and build a life in Spain, I feel if I was to out as much effort into building a business into Spain as I do here in England, I'd like to think my wife and I could life a nice life in the sun, and by this I dine mean the materialistic life, i mean slowing down the pace and not working so many hours like we do in the uk. After the great people we have met so far I believe the building trade is on the up in Spain. I myself am a heating engineer, plumber. Bathroom fitter and tiler. I'm going to do an air cindyioning course before we move out, so hopefully this will add another string to the bow, as it were, so I guess I'm asking for anyone's sensible opinion and experiences that will help my wife and I to make a decision and moving to the Costa del sol a little easier. Thank you in advance

Wayne & Tara Cummins

BEVS

Hi and welcome to BE.

Please contact me for a username change.

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Thank you for your prompt response.

As your first post and thread is very much about a move to Spain , I shall move your thread over to Spain forum.

rspltd

How is your Spanish??

Tawayne

Hi,

My Spanish is limited, but I'm working on that, and my wife and I are going to start evening classes, I feel it's very important to learn the language.

Regards,

Wayne

MikeJ

I'm surprised you think that the building trade is on the up. Spain is littered with empty property, half-built estates and bankrupt property developers. Your best bet would be to hook up with an established British builder in Spain who concentrates on conversions, upgrades and restorations for the British expat market. The chances of breaking into the Spanish market are very small - unfortunately your professional skills and qualifications will have no value in Spain unless and until you have them formally acknowledged - which involves a lot of time and education. You'd be better off getting Spanish qualifications, but of course you'd need good language skills. Building work in Spain has to be signed off and licenced by Spanish qualified people.

PS: don't believe all you hear in the British Pub.

Tawayne

Hi mikej,

Thanks for your message, can I ask do you live in Spain at present? My information isn't from a British pub, my source is from the expats that live in Spain at present, they seem to think the economy is picking up in Spain, you obviously don't know me very well, but I will do whatever it takes to build s life in Sidon if taking Spanish qualifications is what it takes I'm not afraid of a boy if hard work, however, we recently had a new boiler fitted in our caravan and as far as I'm aware the fella needed no qualifications, and unlike England, the boiler does not need a certificate not, does it need to be inspected for at least five years. As for work being signed off, it's the same in England for any building work it will need to be inspected along the way and signed off, I'm actually quiet relieved that that's the case as I was starting to think that's Spain was like England when I left school and had no health and safety and no building standards. Which I'm pleased to see they have. If you have any other great advice I would be willing to hear it.

Wayne

cricketman

This is completely false

You have no chance of getting any work in Spain from Spanish people due to your lack of language and qualifications and experience in Spain, age and high unemployment rate

Your only chance would be to help an expat builder

Tawayne

Hi cricket man,

I was thinking of starting my own business, from networking with other British expats, I don't intend on relying with anyone else, the only to get on in life is by working hard, and as I said in my previous post I believe if I put in the effort in Spain as I do in England I believe I'll be able to do that. But thank you for your input.

Wayne

cricketman

OK, you had better do some research on how to legally start a business in Spain

It is not straight forward - or cheap

Tawayne

Hi

Thank you, I will be doing a lot of research, we're not moving for at least two years, in the meantime I'll be visiting Spain a lot as we have a holiday home there, can I ask do you live and work in Spain yourself? As any information would be greatly appreciated

Wayne

mikelincs

I would concentrate a lot of you spare time to learning Spanish, you might well want to work for Brits in an expat area, BUT all your dealings with officialdom will have to be in Spanish, you will be ordering stuff from Spanish suppliers, and, has already been said to do things LEGALLY you do need all work signed off by a Spanish qualified specialist, so I suspect your boiler replacement might well be classed as illegal, not a problem while everything is OK, but whan it breaks down, of, god forbid, causes a fire, then the lack of that certificate might well invalidate the insurance, and you would be left to foot the bill, and if it involved other mobile homes, then that bill would he immense.

Spanish plumbing etc isn't anything like plumbing in the UK.

Tawayne

Mikelincs,

Thanks for your post, I fully intend to learn The lingo, for us it's a must. And I'm glad there are regulations in Spain, if that is the case with the boiler then I contact my agent at the caravan site and discuss that with him being a heating engineer myself. I'm guessing he would have to be a lpg qualified too. To be honest I don't mind who I work for, preferably myself the. I know things will be done the right way. Can I ask why is Spanish plumbing different to English plumbing? In what way?

Wayne

Moses2013

I think other posters have made some valid points and we're all different. Economy is certainly picking up (on paper), but it doesn't mean you'll find more building work, get a job, or will have more money than before. Unless you're retired, or have enough funds, most people actually work longer hours in Spain and life is more stressful. I don't know your monthly budget/how old you are, but it's important to know peoples expectations? Apart from weather, what do you think will be better and what kind of life are you giving up in the UK?

Tawayne

Moses,

Do you live in Spain at present?

mikelincs

Weel for one thing, just try finding a pipe from your tap to the supply through the wall, the pipes do not run where you expect, and they certainly do not run in straight lines, which makes it very easy to hit a pipe when trying to hang a picture, or do anything else, it can easily defeat a plumber trying to install aircon. Also any water leak from a pipe can take several holes to find, even if you find the pipe easily it's unlikely to run stright, so the leak that is causing the water to run down the outside of the pipe can be in a totally unexpected place, believe me I've suffered from both of those.