Hi One and All
I'm a very new member, who's in need of some advice. Does anyone know of a reliable builder in the Benifallet/Xerta area. I've tried a Spainish builder and what should have taken 3 months ended up over 2 years, and I wasn't impressed with the end result. I've also just been let down by the english solar engineer, who took my deposit and disappeared with it. I can't be there to oversee them so I have to take them on trust. Obviously, I am not a very good judge of character.
Please can anyone help an aged damsel in distress?

Hi
I can recommend xxxx for solar installs. He has done them for myself and several friends and is very thorough,neat and professional. You can call him on .......... I am sure there are other people on the forum that have had him help them too.
Sue

Edited to remove details as if he's reputable, legal etc. then suggest he advertises on the forum.

Sorry to hear of your problems, i'am not sure if it's allowed on the forum, but if we have a rogue english solar installer, i reckon he needs naming and shaming. As does the spanish builder. The nigel sue mentions also did my install, and the nigel who runs this site also installs.

He comes from the Peñiscola area so I believe.. I have heard that he has 'done a runner' with a few deposits and his shop has been emptied etc..

If someone does a runner with your deposit then please let others know!

Alternatively, if someone does a good job and you want to recommend them to others then suggest they advertise on the forum.

Nigel

Hi Nigel
It almost seems, on your editing of a previous post on this subject, that anyone not advertising on your site may not be legal and reputable???
Quite understand you not wanting to post details of businesses but if someone is asking for recommendations we also aren't allowed to mention anyone by name or give contacts? Does this include PMs too?
Bruixot

PS Love the forum and find it a very useful,interesting and fun resource.
Thanks

Hi Jacquie,  I know a reliable Builder,email me,if you want on  ebrorob@hotmail.com & i can supply details & when you are next over could also show you some of his work.I think he is also available to work at present.    [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]

So if you pay to advertise that makes you reputable legal and good at your job ? If you dont advertise then we assume your not either  reputable, legal or good, and other independant forum members  who speak for themselves and choose to express an opinion on here  are censored ? Guess this guy who has 3 recomendations from 3 different people for solar installs is no good   .........    time 4 deletion WoO

WoO has previoulsy offered advice on battery care and MPPT controllers for successfull off grid living !

Regarding the solar guy I recommended which has been edited, and Nigels post. I just want to confirm that the guy I recommended does not come from Peniscola, has not done a runner with anyone's deposits and as far as I am aware has never had a shop.

I want to make this clear as Nigels post does not state whether he is talking about the Spainish builder or the guy I recommended. While i believe this forum is a good place to name and shame bad or shoddy workmanship.

How come you cannot name people who have given good professional service without risk of editing. I dont see places like the reclaim yard on the N340 or Mayor building suppliers getting edited posts when someone recommends them to others on here. Is this not the whole idea behind the forum to help others in overcoming the problems we have had and share in lessons learnt.

So why one rule for one and another rule for others. I work as a a professional e-moderator for on line content for a UK University if I carried on my e-moderation activities like this I would soon be sacked. Maybe some new ground rules should made available to all members, so we all know which way the wind is blowing.

Sorry for the rant, perhaps some of you may get to read this before it is removed. But I do beleive in freedom of speech.

I'm sure he doesn't - and I can't remember his name or I would post it as nobody deserves to be ripped off - and I believe this guy has several people from this areas money..


I'm sure your university pays the fees for your web site.  It doesn't pay mine.  Any offers so we can all advertise for free at your expense???

Mayors do, and always have, pay to advertise on the site..

oh dear oh dear oh dear,i noticed JACQIUE  as not replyed to this post and maybe she wont,she as more than likely been turned off by nigel  ::)jacqiue i have sent you a message kind regards nen

Very good point Nen!
Hi Jaquia and welcome to the forum! These sort of discussions about a wide ranging variety of subjects are common and nothing to be worried about. I tend to regard it as done in good humour. And to the best of my knowledge there have been no fatalities involved yet. :)
Bruixot

Hi,
We can recommend Andy Welsh. He has completed work for us over the last year and has done a very good job. I don't think he does solar installations but he probably knows a man that does!
Regards,
Hen_Fox
PS He was recommended to us by Nigel of this forum

Well last year I had my two storey house completely rebuild with new roof  upstairs bathroom and windows, and a large sun shadedterrace replacing the original patio by a fantastic guy, he is english, lives near Tortosa he did everything I wanted and advised me when he thought he could improve on my designs. He paid great attention to insulation and water proofing of my property which was something I hadnt fully considered :-[.

I now have a warm in winter cool for summer  and dry house (He even recomended and organised and had the roof spray foamed by a spanish contractor which not only makes it waterproof but insulates as well.)  This was an added expense which I choose and I considered it very good value for the amount it cost me. I didnt even know it was available. He even used special Polystyrene blocks between the vegas (concrete roof beams ) on the bathroom extension 10 inches thick  We all have friends with leaking roofs and poor insulation so I took on board this guys recommendations.

I am also looking forward to enjoying  the fly and Mosquito free sun terrace this year at last.  :)

He has  all the proper equipment including English Scaffolding ,Whackers, Electical Hoist , Mixers Laser Levels  Stone Saws the lot  :) He  embraces Spanish building materials and has the facilities to bring materials with him The job was complete on time including my added design changes and within budget. I will gladly forward you his details and pictures of my house if you wish. You can contact me on my UK number 0191 6450434  which saves you ringing Spain and through the power of Skype and the internet it will get to me over here.

A good job deserves a worthy recomendation. PS this guy was recommended to me by Bruixot who has posted on this thread, I had never met this builder b4 he came to give me an estimate and he wasnt a friend although I would like to say he is now.

HTH WoO

Hi Guys,
I'm really sorry-I didn't mean to start an arguement, but thank you all for your help. I've made a note of all the recommendations and will be contacting them a week or two before I'm back out there.
Sue, I know you were censored (my fault-I didn't realise you shouldn't name people)but if you would like to e-mail me your man's number, I would be grateful.
Can I name and shame the rogue that ran of with my deposit?

Now another problem for you all to solve-where can I either hire or buy a cement mixer?

hi jacquie the person i recomened will use is own mixer and tools so you wont need to hire one regards nen

Hi Nen is right,any "real"builders will have all their own equipment. But if you are looking for your own personal mixer then you can buy them in most ferreterias(Hardware stores) and in Gisberts builders merchants in Tortosa. If you are concerned about the language barrier and want to keep it easy then you need to look in Bauhaus in Tarragona(not far from Reus airport) or Leroy Merlin  on the same estate but the other side of the A7. If thats too far then you can get one in Brickorama in Vinaros. They start at about 185euros and as long as you can secure it safe when you are away I would recommend buying over hiring. The spanish word for a mixer is Hormigonera. Personal recommendation is if you are buying one get one with metal teeth not plastic for turning the barrel and the most important thing for a decent life from your mixer which so many people don't seem to do is CLEAN IT AS SOON AS YOU FINISH!!!.
Best of luck.
Bruixot

Thanks - you guy's are a font of knowledge. You've really saved my spanish life.

There will be more questions later -just to test you all.

Jacquie

Great! Now that's settled maybe we can move onto a less controversial subject like politics or religion!
;)

PS  to Nigel
I would still like to know whether the "editing"(censoring??) of posts extends to PMs please?
::)

wrote on Apr 7^th, 2009 at 8:58pm:

Great! Now that's settled maybe we can move onto a less controversial subject like politics or religion! ;) PS  to Nigel I would still like to know whether the "editing"(censoring??) of posts extends to PMs please? ::)

ahahah i like you bruixot  :-*

No I don't read pm's.. should I? Maybe there's some juicy scandle there that I'm missing out on  >:(

Ok, tried hard to resist so as not to be called pedantic but can't stand it anymore!
Scandal.
Sorry if I am being patronising.
Patronising means you are talking down to someone.
:)

Does it count as naming and shaming if you give the name as a cryptic crossword clue?

Sorry - bored this evening