British Summer

[WetSaw]

Having left 8 years ago I've forgotten when summer starts in England. I got off the plane at Gatwick yesterday to 13°C and rain, I suddenly remembered why I left!
The only positive is that everywhere is lush and green....

 

[Andy Allen]

What British summer ?..🙁

 

[Spud]

It's been poor so far hope it improves soon

 

[Andy Allen]

I spent £300 on my motorcycle 4 weeks ago...new chain , sprockets ...mot ect
And I've still yet to take it out !!

 

[Time's Ran Out]

But that's why you came - to appreciate the decision you made 8 years ago!
Who in their right mind would want to spend their life sitting in the sun with a cold beer and their feet plodging in the Mediterranean. 😀

 

[Andy Allen]

Having left 8 years ago I've forgotten when summer starts in England. I got off the plane at Gatwick yesterday to 13°C and rain, I suddenly remembered why I left!
The only positive is that everywhere is lush and green....

What's it like working in Spain?
Do you speak the language , is there plenty of work ? Do the locals welcome you or do you just work for x- pats.
Is Britain coming out of the EU going to effect you.

 

[WetSaw]

So many questions!!

I've been lucky to find myself a little niche and have a handful of expat owners with holiday homes they come out to 6 or 7 times a year. I do all of the maintenance, repairs and try to preempt any possible problems so they don't have to think or worry about anything. I also do other work in between that.
I speak enough Spanish to get by with day to day life, builders merchants, plumbers merchants, my Oncologist etc but I wouldn't be able to have an in depth political discussion!
I have no problem with the "locals" as we try to mix in, speak to them in their own language and give them work. All of my work is for expats.
The EU question is a bit of an unknown but there are international statutes in place and obviously a vast number of EU nationals living and working in the UK so I can't see anything changing. There will clearly be new rules/laws if or when the UK leaves but they should only apply to new migrants not applied retrospectively.

 

[Andy Allen]

Thanks for that...
Find it very interesting making the move to a different country and setting up on your own.
My old apprentice lives and works in Germany now....loves it, went out there doing the ' auf wiedersain pet ' thing and never came back...married a German lass got a family , house , speaks the lingo.
I talk to him on Facebook, he says he would never come back here to live....sometimes think he got the right idea myself..

 

[Colour Republic]

I found the builders merchants out near you to be a bit of a nightmare, they just don't seem to stock much and it's not like the UK where if you go on to an industrial park you'll find a plumbers, electrical, timber merchants etc etc in one area, they are spread out all over the place unless I was looking in the wrong places?

The builders merchants in La Cala don't stock anything and about the best place I could find that had a selection of stuff is run by ex-pats which was AIM builders out near Marbella, past that I found myself using the DIY stores like AKI and Leroy Merlin, which has to be said are better than the likes of our B&Q, homebase etc.

Or maybe like I say I just didn't find them, knowing you're just up the road in Mijas (beatuiful little place BTW) where should I be using?

 

[Marvo]

I was back in the UK over Christmas for a few weeks and I found it very claustrophobic and oppressive. It's a very different kind of life with small houses and doors and windows closed, security and surveillance everywhere. I left there in the early 80's and lived in the US, South America, North Africa and eventually South Africa. I've still got a house in the UK but probably only been back half a dozen times for short visits since I left and have no desire to live there.

**edit** reading the post back it sounds a bit harsh and wasn't meant to. No disrespect to everyone in the UK.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

You make the best of what your dealt in my opinion or do something about it like you have.
For me this is the best country in the world - I love it!

 

[WetSaw]

it's not like the UK where if you go on to an industrial park you'll find a plumbers, electrical, timber merchants etc etc in one area, they are spread out all over the place unless I was looking in the wrong places

I only work locally, La Cala is about 25 minutes away and more than twice my maximum commuting time! Big Mat on the Coin road is about the biggest over that way although the one on the road to La Cala golf is a fair size.
The other thing is to get used to Spanish products ( or the ones you can get easily)

It all depends what materials you're after, it is very different from the UK as regards merchants. Some of the bigger plumbers merchants I use are in ridiculous places, i.e Proinco in Las Lagunas is right opposite a school on a one way street with very little parking. Serrano just around the corner has a small yard and stocks Kerakoll. They're also a Schluter agent. I can easily spend a day collecting materials so always allow that on a job.
For wood I use Maderas Santaella on the Camino de Coin.

 

[WetSaw]

TJ, if the UK had better weather or at least a summer and a few million less people and less traffic I'd still be there now. When I flew in there was a bit of blue sky and it looked beautiful but by the time I'd landed and picked up the car it was grey,pouring with rain and the motorway heaving with traffic.
Don't get me wrong, it's far from perfect here. July and August can be quite unpleasant with the heat and all the bloody holidaymakers getting in the way but I know if I say "Come over, we'll have a BBQ" I won't be standing under a gazebo with my coat on!!

 

[Italy]

I only work locally, La Cala is about 25 minutes away and more than twice my maximum commuting time! Big Mat on the Coin road is about the biggest over that way although the one on the road to La Cala golf is a fair size.
The other thing is to get used to Spanish products ( or the ones you can get easily)

It all depends what materials you're after, it is very different from the UK as regards merchants. Some of the bigger plumbers merchants I use are in ridiculous places, i.e Proinco in Las Lagunas is right opposite a school on a one way street with very little parking. Serrano just around the corner has a small yard and stocks Kerakoll. They're also a Schluter agent. I can easily spend a day collecting materials so always allow that on a job.
For wood I use Maderas Santaella on the Camino de Coin.

there should be. BRICOMAN
in spain, good prices, materials of the best brands. Opening hours 7.
Here one 7/8 kilometers from my house. (A year that opened)
Tutti i prodotti Bricoman - Scegli il tuo negozio

 

[WetSaw]

Bricomart

 

[Italy]

Bricomart

is same

 

[Sean Kelly]

If I printed out this thread and gave it to my wife to read she would want to sell up now and move to Portugal or Spain. In fact the only thing keeping us here are the kids (12 & 10!!).

I set up my cutter outside a house when the sun is shining. The adhesive is there on a tarpaulin and there are tools spread around. I climb two flights of stairs to the bathroom in the loft and then I hear the rain. By the time I reach the garden it is pelting down. I move everything inside and the rain stops 5 minutes later. Repeat this process 3 or 4 times a day x 5 or 6 days a week.

The same applies to hanging out washing, and cleaning the car, and going to the shops. All seasons in one day!

I won't go on about all the other things wrong with the UK, but I would love to have a small house here and a medium villa in Portugal or Spain. One day!

 

[John Benton]

If I printed out this thread and gave it to my wife to read she would want to sell up now and move to Portugal or Spain. In fact the only thing keeping us here are the kids (12 & 10!!).

I set up my cutter outside a house when the sun is shining. The adhesive is there on a tarpaulin and there are tools spread around. I climb two flights of stairs to the bathroom in the loft and then I hear the rain. By the time I reach the garden it is pelting down. I move everything inside and the rain stops 5 minutes later. Repeat this process 3 or 4 times a day x 5 or 6 days a week.

The same applies to hanging out washing, and cleaning the car, and going to the shops. All seasons in one day!

I won't go on about all the other things wrong with the UK, but I would love to have a small house here and a medium villa in Portugal or Spain. One day!

Where I live we can have rain, hail, snow and sun, never mind in one day, that's just crossing the road!!