lrtiling

I've just recently come back from a short break in spain over xmas.. A family member is looking to sell their place so he paid for me to go across and tile the patio like roof ontop of his villa.

The reason for the tiling

1) the tiles were crappy
2) floor wasn't level and walls weren't straight
3) somehow the concrete under the tiles was letting water through and dripping inside the villa

He got a quote of 3000 euros (36 sq m), but that included re-concreting the roof to make it level then re-tiling the lot.

Being english, he had a budget, this included JUST the tiles, adhesive and grout, which i insisted on him having. One thing i noticed about spain, they don't use grout for whatever reason, and it's the second villa he's had problems with, the roof leaking because the water just falls between the tiles.

Also, before i got there.. he'd already baught all the materials so i pretty much didn't know what i was using, at all. The english weber wasn't able to give me a data sheet for it either. But apparently it's for tile on tile.

Using old tools, borrowed tile cutters.. the job was just one big pain in the harris, even got burnt in winter being on the roof ! Adhesive was good, didn't dry too quick, infact it was pretty good. Grout was a pain,Only thing that's still a bit wafty is the level but i done the best i could with what i had.

If you're going to work out there, maybe a good sales pitch is using grout? I noticed alot of the english bars/resuarants had grout, done properly and looked somewhat professional. You'll be doing alot of levelling whilst you're out there aswell, nothing's straight and the spanish don't have standards or regulations.

I thought i'd share my experience with all you, was definatly an adventure for my first ever tiling job. I'm pleased with the results though so it can't be that bad.
The roof no longer leaks.

Lee

brian c

did you get paid?

lrtiling

Sadly, no. But i got to see my neice who i've not seen in months, so payment enough.

GazTech

Well done Lee...it goes to prove that the grass isn't greener on the other side....with the availability of materials in UK, you lot have never had it so easy.....Ay when I were a lad, we only had sand and cement ...and had to soak tiles in water before fixing...and wash grout off with our tongues.....and another thing........

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten"

jonesy7

You can get decent materials out there if you have time to look..........irtiling had to work with what he had but infront of him and did a very good job by the sounds of it ..and i bet that will get him more work for him out there if he wants it.........( so he can see his neice alot more) if you can do a half decent job out there, people are crying out for you because everthing they do is sup-standard ......... i no a joiner come handy man who has gone out there to retire and in the first week he was there was asked to fit a cat flap for a neighbour.... it has snowballed since and is now working full time..........doing jops for all the brit expats......

lrtiling

Before we started






Then when we finished, pictures aren't so good because it was raining. (no leaks though! )





And yeah, alot of work out there is from word of mouth. My brother/family live in a big expat area, everything's done from someone they "know", from tilers to electricians to hairdressers etc.

GazTech

Great job Lee...but where does rainwater go ? just curious.....gaz

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten"

lrtiling

last image at the bottom.. there's a drain in the far corner the whole roof angles towards that

jonesy7

how did you mange to do it without a head (picture 2 ) lol.. were do they live in spain ...... and is that a big drain in the corner picture 4 ( gaz @ tops) maybe needs to invest in some glass.........lol
----
your miss must be fit with your eye sight lol

lrtiling

haha i just noticed the head thing, and that's my brother They live in a place called Quesada, about 35 mins from alicante airport. Big expat area with a few golf greens scattered about the place. It's quite plesent there, bit boring for us youngens tho!

jonesy7

Thats right by were he,s gone to live...... he's getting to much work and his mrs is playing hell with him...let us no if you get more work from it..... Going to live there my self in the next 12 months if i can sell my house(albox allmeria spain) going to open a little shop with a dozen bathroom dissplayes to services the british expats out there..

Fekin

Looks a good job there