Tiling abroad - mainland spain

[Wolfie9878]

Perhaps not in the right forum but I’m currently in the very first stages of moving abroad.
Have a young family and we have decided to try and search for a better life in mainland Spain (south).
Any tilers out there have any experience with a move like this?
Any advice taken and gratefully received

 

[WetSaw]

I've been here ( Malaga) 9 years. I'm fortunate to have a good client base now and I'm never short of work. Having said that, I'm not a tiler but a dreaded multitrader. I do whatever needs doing.
I've found that if you do a good job you'll have work. Don't expect to earn what you do in the UK. You'll need to be in an expat area because it's highly unlikely you'll work for Spanish people. Generally life is good, weather is so much better.
Make sure you have enough money to live on for a couple of years because it will take time to build up a reputation and get enough work. There are signs of the economy picking up and quite a lot of building going on again.
My wife hated it and was terribly homesick for a couple of years, now she wouldn't go back. Having kids will help you make friends. Speaking Spanish will save you loads of money and open lots of doors.
A big risk with a young family ( I don't have kids) but what's the worst that can happen? You have to go back and start again? At least you'd have tried.

 

[Tommcd]

No experience personally although I know a few people working in Spain and France that get lots of work as they have built up a reputation for reliability which can be hard to come by in some parts of the med.

If you find yourself inundated and need to take someone on, I'll gladly come out!

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Wouldn’t be my choice of location - everyone’s a tiler in Spain!
I’d go for all the other reasons that have been stated but better research is required and Australia would be a better option.

 

[Wolfie9878]

I think Australia is just a step too far for the mrs!
It is very early stages in that we have decided it is going to happen.
Now just deciding where and when really.
A lot of research to do for sure!
It is inspiring to hear from someone who has taken the step -even if you are a jack of all

 

[Time's Ran Out]

It’ll be Civil War out there soon as Catalonia breaks away.
From what I hear there is no building work going on, and with Brexit I doubt if the Ex Pats numbers will increase greatly in the very near future.

 

[WetSaw]

From what I hear there is no building work going on, and with Brexit I doubt if the Ex Pats numbers will increase greatly in the very near future.

I don't know where you heard that there's no building work going on, there's a lot going on, around here anyway.
Expats aren't only British either, I've got Swedish and Argentinian clients.
Australia and New Zealand ( which was my first choice ) are tempting because of the language but you pretty much have to say goodbye to everyone because it's not somewhere you can pop to ( or back ) for the weekend.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

I went to Tenerife a year ago and there wasn’t a crane or building site to be seen! The total building work consisted of tidying up pavements with a few slabs.
Sister in law lives in Spain and they complain about economy more than they did here and they’ve been there before and after Euro.
There may be maintenance but building is still in recession and how much a metre is tile labour out there.
With video phoning (or whatever it’s called) nowhere is far away.

 

[Italy]

I went to Tenerife a year ago and there wasn’t a crane or building site to be seen! The total building work consisted of tidying up pavements with a few slabs.
Sister in law lives in Spain and they complain about economy more than they did here and they’ve been there before and after Euro.
There may be maintenance but building is still in recession and how much a metre is tile labour out there.
With video phoning (or whatever it’s called) nowhere is far away.

the cranes .... haha
in Italy the cranes sell them by weight.
they are worth like iron.
not to throw them away,
they sell by weight.
95% of jobs here in Italy are renovations.
fortunately, the state reimburses 50% of the expenses
incurred for the renovation of the house.
otherwise we will all be mowing grass in the fields.
john, in uk there are many construction sites with cranes?

 

[Perry]

Not many countries pay what tilers get in the UK. Many of the tilers in the UK could not earn enough to live on abroad. IMO

 

[Dumbo]

Not many countries pay what tilers get in the UK. Many of the tilers in the UK could not earn enough to live on abroad. IMO

And now you have put that on the interweb for every tiler in the world to see

 

[Time's Ran Out]

This is the best country in the World, so let them in - no one should shy away from real competition.

 

[Italy]

This is the best country in the World, so let them in - no one should shy away from real competition.

now you're exaggerating

 

[Time's Ran Out]

now you're exaggerating

.... and we make the best pasta!

 

[WetSaw]

I don't know where your Sister in law is in Spain TJ, but it's a big country! Around here, Malaga, there's a lot of new development. Both of my local builders merchants have expanded and are carrying a lot more stock now so that must indicate something.

 

[WetSaw]

Another thing @Wolfie9878 , if you own your house in the UK keep it and rent it out. That income could potentially pay your rent in your new country and also means you haven't burnt your bridges if you need/want to go back.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

I don't know where your Sister in law is in Spain TJ, but it's a big country! Around here, Malaga, there's a lot of new development. Both of my local builders merchants have expanded and are carrying a lot more stock now so that must indicate something.

Yes they’re not selling it!

 

[Del W]

Good luck if you go ahead with it. Couldnt do it myself. I sweat enough in this country,,,,,

 

[Italy]

the cranes .... haha
in Italy the cranes sell them by weight.
they are worth like iron.
not to throw them away,
they sell by weight.
95% of jobs here in Italy are renovations.
fortunately, the state reimburses 50% of the expenses
incurred for the renovation of the house.
otherwise we will all be mowing grass in the fields.
john, in uk there are many construction sites with cranes?

@timeless john

I translate, when you see Christmas lights
hung on the terraces, but you're from Bergamo
and you want things done well ...
ps. the photo is real.
ahahha