;D Hi all I think the link to building products is a great help I hope to see more suppliers  joining the list ,it will be a big help to me when I eventually get started on the finca.
Thanks again Nigel your doing a fantastic job for us all
Phil
Skipton
North Yorks

Hi Phil,

I'm working on it!  Hopefully one will be the catalyst for others - I'm going to 'do the rounds' as soon as I have time.

Nigel

Thanks in general to Nigel and all others involved for an informative site.  Anyone who has clicked on our website will see what a ridiculously huge project we are undertaking  :o so the more info the better, especially as we are hoping to be entirely solar/wind powered eventually and will also want to bore a well!

When our planning consents are finally granted we are hoping to move out permanently and I would be interested to read anyone else's experiences.  Especially if you have lived on site in a caravan!

Penny

Hi pondgirl, I know exactly were you are ,we have a very small finca just up the track from you in Matomoras,I  noticed the mill a couple of years ago and just dreamed ,it will be one of the best properties in the area when you have fixed it up,   all the best and hope we meet up some time.
Phil Martin
Skipton
North Yorks

Hi Phil

What a nice thing to say  :)

When we came out last November we were determined that we were only going to look around the area and see if we felt that we could live there, we even refused to look in estate agents windows!  On our last morning we were taking a second look along the Mas de Barberans road as we liked the area at the foot of Els Ports and pulled off the road to let one of the quarry lorries thunder past.  Martin got out of the car to take 'one last photo' and wandered up the road to get a better view of the mountains and as he got over the crest of the road there it was!  He came back to the car to tell me and we drove down and stopped to get a better look.  As we wandered over the bridge we suddenly realised that there was a new(ish) hand painted 'En Vente' sign with a tel no.  And the rest, as they say, is history  8-).

We are determined to renovate it as beautifully as possible and will certainly be doing loads of research and using local craftsmen (if there are any!)

Is your finca a holiday home?  I managed to find matamoros on the map and you are certainly in beautiful area.

I hope too that we are able to meet up, we are hoping to move out in October but it is all dependant on planning permission being granted by a listed building committee that only meet once a month, but not in April (Easter) or June, July or August (summer)!!

We are very lucky that our vendors are a local family, with connections on the council, who are more than happy to hold off signing final contracts (we've only paid a 10% deposit)  until they have obtained all the permissions.  

Penny

(Henley on Thames - Oxfordshire)

::)Hi Penny, Well our finca/cassita, or some might say 'donkey shed' is far from being a holiday home !!!!  The roof is a couple of tarps I fixed on the week before Xmas (hope they're still on) and very little else, but it is a start and all we could afford at the time.  We stay at the Corona in Tortosa when we manage to get over which is a great value for money hotel , my wife goes shopping in town whilst I potter around at the finca, it really is peacefull up there, just the odd buzz of a chainsaw/strimmer and no one bothers you I love it there.  I was hoping to get out there soon but we are going to swamp land - Florida for our summer holidays (sorry to sound ungrateful) so money is tight at the moment and the kids come first, they are not as keen on remote living as I am, but I do hope to get over before the end of the year, if only for a break from the UK!!!!!!
All the best for the future
Phil/Julie Martin ;D
PS. I took a picture from possiby the same spot as Martin first saw the mill just on the brow of the road above the old bridge looking towards the mountains - what a coincidence.

hi penny,
just back from our finca in barranc de lloret
went on to the tortosa forum and noticed you had bought a place near us
when i clicked on to your website i couldn't believe it.
we noticed the bridge and thought we know that and low and behold you can see our little casita in the distance.
what a suprise. ::)
if you travel along the road to the small bullring, on the left is a blue house right on the roadside directly opposite is our finca not as big as your project 16,500 square metres 150 olive trees pines,carrobs etc with a small house
oh sorry my name is norman my wife is julie and we have two sons one is 22 yrs he is staying in  england the other Ben is nearly 12 very important that nearly bit  ;D  and the three of us hope to live there one day !!! can,t wait it is a beautiful area very peaceful and quiet.
maybe we'll bump into each other one day
good luck with your project i hope everything goes weel for you
kind regards
norman

Hi Norman,

And we thought we were moving into a non-Brit area!!  Seriously, that's quite a coincidence that you are so near, I'm pretty sure I know which is your property, have you had it long?  We really love the peace and quite up there (apart from the Sunday morning hunters  :o ) and are looking forward to making our home there, manana.

Our son is 18 in July and will (hopefully) be starting Uni in October and is really looking forward to having such an amazing 'bolt-hole'.

Local people keep telling us that it gets very hot out at the Barranc de Lloret, have you been out there in the Summer?

Nice to hear from you and look forward to 'chatting' soon.

Penny

hi penny,
we just bought the finca in january we thought no brits either, but if there's only us two families that's not so bad is it?
we were out last summer and it was really hot.
beautiful for lazing around drinking red wine laying in the hammock (if we had one)
julie won't let me put one up until we live there  :-[
back out again next month to try and get some more work done.
when are you next out there ? your place looks wonderful.
a lot of work though, but worth it don't you think
well bye for now hope to hear from you soon
regards
norman

Hi Norman,  

Honestly don't know when we will be out next as we are in the process of putting our house over here on the market, trying to 'House Doctor' it a bit first  :o , and are also waiting to find out when we can actually sign final contracts on the mill.

We have a hammock ready and waiting to come over, although I think I might have to be tough, like Julie, and insist on work being done first.

Hope you have a good trip next month,

Penny

Just wanted to say that we had a phone call today to say that planning permission has been granted on our renovation.

Yaaaayyyyyy!!!!!!!  :D :D

This has come as a bit of a shock as we were told we would be lucky to get it before September!

We will have to come out in the next couple of weeks to sign final contracts and would love to meet any of you guys who might be around.  I'll post dates when I know more.

Looks like we shall be needing the names of good architects, builders, project managers, builders merchants and therapists sooner than we thought  :)

"I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it.  I'm about to lose control and I think I like it"

PG  8-)