jonesy7

thinking of going to Spain to tile. been tiling for 22 years now in the u.k. mainly in the new build, housing market eg (redrow, persimmon, wimpy,) wanting to get out of the rat race. does anybody no of any body who has made a similar move, and how they are getting on in there foreign environment

Dan

Hey Jonesy, welcome to the forums. I'll copy this post for you and stick it in a more active forum. I'd be interested in any response just out of curiosity I think.

Dan

THERE IS ACTIVITY DAILY NOW - TILERS WANTED - JOBS FOR TILERS TOO

Concept PHT

There is plenty of tiling abroad available from the job centre website under the 'World Wide' search facility they have.

jonesy7

cheers mate have you got a link too that website..?

Concept PHT

M D HUGHES

I worked in Andalucia on cortigo renovations for 6-7years. Obviously everything is tiled out there. If you want to go to a traditionally Spanish area and expect to get into tiling without the lingo then you wont basically, unless you have a mate already out there tohold your hand for a while and introduce you to people. Builders inthe predominantly Spanish areas do pretty much all the work themselves, top to bottom. They get things done very quick considering they seem to spend alot of time chatting and eating most of the day. On the construction side, everything is alot easier, its all concrete, blockwork, render and the only people we got on site besides ourselves were electricians, usually on the older houses a good chippy is needed to make the windows n doors up. Not as much thought seems to go into the products used for tiling these places as they don't have the weather, everythings a concrete structure and everything goes onto yeso (aweful stuff) or a render.
If you want to go with the idea of getting into a bit of everything and not just tiling you'll find it alot easier. If your thinking about going at it yourself I would advise you to stick to the Ex Pat areas, they are always looking for English speaking workers as they are lazy and can't be arsed to learn the language.
Germans are an excellent way to get your foot in the door, they always have work on and are very usually very skilled at thier business. Once established within an ex pat community your gunna have work forever. Be careful wher eyou choose to go though. The market is changing all the time and these new builds are moving away from the coast and into the hills.
If I can help with anything.........

jonesy7

thanks for that mate some very usefull information there. my in laws allready live there, inland about (30miles) in albox, almeria , there is a large expat comunity there which is growing fast.they have had alot of work done on there property all by expat builders, thinking of building my own place to sell on out there on a leagle plot of land and doing my own work on it . what i can not do we will get the expat builders to do (electrics, pluming,roofing) what made you leave and come back?

M D HUGHES

Lots of things.I went to Spain to live in Spain, not a hotter version of the UK.Over the years I found the social scene become more and more British, less and less Spainish and I was looking at the area change very quickly very fast, all the coastline ruined (although they managed that 30years ago they are almost making the place a fortress), the mountains were starting to get hit with developement and the whole feel of the place was just not what I moved there for. I really cant stand the Brits who go and live there and never make the effort to fit in,learn a bit of the lingo and generally be a little bit more spanish. I know people who have lived there 25 years and still don't speak spanish, I find that shocking. I know Albox, got some mates working there at the moment, a very popular place right now, you can see it in the prices as well, if you bought there 10 years ago you'd make an absolute killing now.
Investing over there now? I'd rather buy a boat and live in dock, at least I'd know my moneys pretty safe, I can't see people carrying on with the moves over there for much longer its getting way expensive and like I said, not like living abroad along with all these other oportunities opening up with new countries now on the cards for a fraction, and unspoilt, I reckon the prices might drop quite a bit within the next 15 years or so, not the investment it was 15 years ago. Some of the properies on the market now for £90 -100.000 were being knocked out for £15-20.000 back in the mid 90's. I'm shocked at the prices out there now. My mates are still out there and reckon the workforce is being flooded by E european communities moving in all over the place, even hugging the Spaniards work in places. Thats life though, Glad I left when I did really.
I've been looking in Bulgaria for the last 18month, I'm just waiting for a bit more feedback, signs of security from investors from last year. Suss out what to avoid,make sure I don't get stung as well. Slovenia is another place I'm thinking of. Lots of work to do but considering you only pay a skilled tradesman to help with the build £100 per week max, materials are peanuts etc. you can't really go wrong, even just to hang onto the land for 10 years, your gunna make it worth the investment if you buy in the right location.
Good luck with Spain, I'm sure it'll all go well for you.

jonesy7

agree with alot your saying. my inlaws have lived there nearly 2 years and have just started to have spanish lessons. were not going there to make our fortune. just for a better way of life. from this tax to the hilt country. just want to make enough to have a similar layed back life style to the spanish and bring the children up in a spanish way of life. this country is getting flooded with migrants that are killing our trades with their cheap wages. how did you get on with the different building materials out there when you were renovating your properties. were they hard to get hold of, when we went out there last year to albox there was pretty much everything you would need in the buiders merchants. are your friends in albox renovating like you did or retired. didnt find many nice tiles in the new builds we went to have a look round or the builders merchants pretty basic . i think they export most of there nice stuff. the firm i work for here has inported some quality spanish tiles. but there now inporting theres from thialand same top quality half the price. Hope you find somewere new to move in the not to distant future thanks for the advice. KEV

M D HUGHES

You'll pick the materials up pretty quickly, apart from yeso (plaster equiv). If you can imagine knocking up a mix and having less than 60 secs to get it on the wall before it goes off!
The good thing about building out there is you will pick up the lingo much quicker than you would normally as you have to to order, ask advice, have a bit banter with the other tradesmen.
My mates are on reno job on a shop in Albox, maybe even finished by now. They still work all over the place, well they have to move around a bit now to get the work.
I think bringing the kids up in a more respectful family orientated surrounding is a brill idea, give them the values kids over here just don't have anymore.
Best of luck mate!

Concept PHT

I totally agree with the kids values bit...

Don't know that much about spanish though