Newbie

Hi Newbie post!

We have just moved to Rojales having owed our villa for just over 3yrs. We had been visiting family in the same area for many years and know the area well hence moving over.

I myself have been managing pubs in and around London's West End, Mayfair, North London for over 14yrs and having been with the same company for 17yrs. My husband is a carpenter by trade but can do anything building wise. All of his work completed to top spec. He has managed sites in Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Park lane, Soho etc most of which worth millions of pounds.

We are both looking to start Spanish lessions as soon as possible and work so any recomendations appriciated.

We understand the wages are a lot lower than the UK and the building workmanship is also not as great but we both want to work and intergrate into the Spanish community. 

Regards Terry

Good luck Terry.

Terry I will give you a tip ,If your hubby is looking for work in the construction industry dont start by telling them how shoddy the work is over in Spain ?

Was there a question in there you were wanting to ask Tiger?

georgie1

Thank you for your reply on my post. I didn’t mention ‘shoddy’ i said my husband is used to high spec work different to expectations in Spain. He has worked with Spanish on job in London. Snagging could be worth thousands of pounds if the job is not completed to the highest standard which is what he is used to. But we both want to work and asking for advice. 

Regards Terry

So the question you are asking people to respond to is presumably is there enough work in which your husband is  qualified in the region where you are living to sustain an income?

Might there be a shortfall of skilled labour in this regard for your husband to realistically sustain a longer term income, either from the general public seeking remedial or even additional carpentry work or perhaps companies seeking this level of skilled labour?

Likewise the same for your own level of abilities in the local tourist community?

Will you have to be fully fluent in Spanish or are there enough expats in this region requiring  this level of skilled labour before you can realistically achieve your aspirations?

Good luck.

This message was last edited by ads on 07/01/2018.

Thanks for those who have replied.

I was just introducing myself to the site as requested so no questions to answer only recommendations if anyone had any to give.

Thanks again. 

and work so any recomendations appriciated.

You asked for 'Recomendations' it was 'Recomended' that you didn't mention to Spanish builders how shoddy the construction work is in Spain..It can be.. due to the poster reading that your husband only works to top spec,  to you that was no good.

You should do well on this forum.

I see what you are saying and i never mentioned the word ‘shoddy’ you did. I’ve either not explained myself clearly or you have misunderstood my post. 

Basically the building industry is alot different in Spain and we are willing to give anything a go.

Terry, IMHO any logical person, reading your post, would understand exactly what you meant. 🙄🙄 But that's forum folk..........

Truth is though, unless you are in an area surrounded and smothered by Brits, work will be hard to come by....and even then with many Brits believing the Spanish price structure  on any/everything ( which  apart from utilities is a fraction of what one would pay in UK ) is a "rip off" don't expect to earn much.

Wish you all the best though.

In some ways it's easier to get established than in the UK as word spreads far more quickly.   

I'ved used an electrician for 10 years or so - but he's got so popular that he's booked solid for the next couple of months. 

Most folk communicate more through their local urbanisations, Facebook etc and if someon'e good word gets round far quicker than in the UK.

In Spain you need to be registered etc but I don't believe they look for qualifications (part P etc).

You would think that anyone who is skilled, honest reliable and conscientious will gain a good reputation to gain work in the expat community, but only if there is a shortage of skills in this regard and the need for remedial or additional work will you be able to sustain an income. 

So perhaps the question then becomes....is there enough demand in the region when money becomes stretched due to  the pounds currency rate depreciation? No crystal ball in that regard but a present trend that needs to be taken into account perhaps? There's a distinct difference between essential remedial work and non essential work when money is tight.

All the best.

Fascinating post, ads, albeit utterly baffling (as usual)  Is it just me?

"looking to start Spanish lessions as soon as possible and work so any recomendations appriciated."

Spanish lessons: check with your local town hall, they may offer free lessons to foreigners. Otherwise, ask around the expat hang-outs for a private tutor.

Work: My good friend Tony down the pub can do anything building wise, too (although he's pretty remedial); his standards fall way short of typical Spanish levels, but he's never short of work. For payment he usually accepts a sofa to crash on for a few days / weeks (depending on how long he can stretch the job out). I'm sure you'll find similar opportunities in Rojales, although since you clearly own your own sofa, you may have to be a bit more imaginative (beer & wine, for example). 

"we both want to...intergrate into the Spanish community." Good luck with that; unless you're prepared to get divorced and re-marry into Spanish families, don't hold your breath...

Mark

Thanks for your reply

“Integrating into the Spanish community” not meaning marring a Spaniard lol but being part of the community.... 

To rephrase, Roberto ;)

....when money is tight in the expat communities, then perhaps opportunities for skilled work decreases, because clients are not so willing to take on additional non essential work. So the opportunities for skilled workers to sustain a living decline.

As for building a reputation if good honest workers are in short supply in the region then it goes without saying that word spreads fast when you come across reliable honest and hardworking individuals. :)

All the expat tradesmen I know that are working in Spain.. are self employed and struggling to make a living...the monthly NI contributions for the self employed is around €250.00 you also have to charge VAT from the first euro earned ...unlike the UK where  you pay around £25.00per month NI and you don't charge VAT until you earn over £85,000...the Spanish don't seem to encourage you to start a small business up....I suppose this is why you get so many expats of working age living below the radar ( working on the side) driving white vans/cleaning pools/odd job men / illegal taxi's/  working in Brit bars and the likes for cash in hand...this seems to be the norm in highly populated Brit area's ..so Tony down the pub said.

Not utopia then, this Spain malarkey 

Naaaa...there's a few on EOS who forever paint a bleak picture. 

In the last 12 months I must have used at least 6 different tradesmen and the word VAT has never been mention.  I've just received a written quote for a larger job from a Spanish builder - again no VAT mentioned.

These days you are in the queue for a start date and that's always at least a few days - sometimes a couple of months if it's not urgent.   There is a massive amount of work for good contractors in most trades. 

This bloke Tony doesn't know what he's on about, sounds like he's suffering from some kind of depression to me.  Better to speak to Antonio down the taberna.

Acer ...all leagaly run  companies/ self employed working in Spain.... have got to charge VAT from the first euro earned and give you a  receipt  ....the people that you know are working in the black economy and will take your money with a smile as long as it is cash ...you may think you are getting a cheap job done ...but the truth be known .. when it comes round to selling you Property and you have added  value to property with the large job you have been quoted for ...if you have had this job leagaly done ...the cost of the whole job including the VAT can be set of against what you would have paid in (profit Tax )when you sell the property on ...or is this something that Antonio the builder has forgotten to inform you about.         You seem to be a bit thick so look at the example below.           You originally paid €100,000 for your property you spend €30,000 on building work ..you sell your property for €130,000 ...you will pay Tax on the whole amount .. because you don't have a Vat registered bill for the €30,000 ...the Tax man will charge you tax on the whole €130.000.

This message was last edited by windtalker on 10/01/2018.

Windtaker, I'm reasonably experienced in property work and similarly conversant with Spanish law.  All I can say is that VAT has never been mentioned to me by contractors and I've had two good sized extentions in the last 10 years, plus multiple small jobs.

But the main issue was work for contractors - which for sure is available in abundance for good firms in the Murcia area.