UK TV Abroad

[LICY]

" Been there, done that, wearing the T shirt " even holding back a performance payment did not seem to speed things up.
There are also 2 bank holidays in Portugal this month ( 1st and 8th ) in addition to the christmas shutdown.

We knew about Thursday, but not 8th. HEre we go again! They do work on a Saturday, but I am sure it helps we are here. we do have someone supervising like a turn key situation, only ours is the architect and structural guy. I am guessing the outside work will not complete till end of January.

As far as I know there will be spray pebble pool coating on, paint exterior, repair the last builders rubbishy rendering in one patch, do the front path/steps/driveway. Put left over soil back.

We do have some more work we want done in the garden. Will anyone be taking bets. We come again during the Christmas shut down, so hopefully when we get to the end of this week we will be feeling like we could actually stay with our friends, otherwise it maybe another Bruce Wallis call. Does anyone know the typical shut down here for Christmas? Do they usually work between Christmas and New Year? Do they have 3 bank holidays at that time?

[Jaylay]

Christmas Day and New Years Day are both Sundays this year, here we do not get Days in lieu so most businesses will be open as usual every other day, (only expact owned businesses usually give extra days off over Christmas) As companys have to stock take at the beginning of the year it is not unusual to find them closed for 1/2 day or a whole day sometime in the first week of January. Banks usually close the last working day of the year to do there end of year accounts.

[widge]

Banks usually close the last working day of the year to do there end of year accounts.

Shouldn't take long to count the cash in hand this year!

[mixerman]

i thought this thread was for uk tv abroad ? not a load of wittering crap about everything else ?

[James Faro]

" Been there, done that, wearing the T shirt " even holding back a performance payment did not seem to speed things up.
There are also 2 bank holidays in Portugal this month ( 1st and 8th ) in addition to the christmas shutdown.

So I take it you are another person who built a property out there and endured the same delay problems, then. I was to believe that the Portuguse builders were actually very good workers - slow in their workmanship but generally kept to a deadline give or take the circumstances dictating.

I know a few people who built properties in neighbouring Spain.One of them had to leave London stay out there and supervise the work because the local builders they employed(and recommended to them) needed motivation. Eh??? I am not sure if that was the excepton or the norm.

Still in the end if you get a fab house built to enjoy for a lifetime then the delays endured are a necessary evil. Doesn't make it right though!

[EMM]

Most of our delays were due to the time it took to get all the project approvals which was the most frustrating period, we were even taken to the Camara office in Lagoa by the builder so that we could see that the delay was not down to him.
There were two periods of delay during construction both weather related, periods of very hot and very wet weather.
We were fortunate in that the bank surveyor had to inspect each stage before releasing funds. we thought that getting a quick release of funds would have acted as an incentive but it did not seem to.

[mixerman]

what's all this got to do with UK tv abroad ?

[EMM]

Have you got anything to say about the subject or building a home in Portugal ??

[James Faro]

No word from Licy! She and hubby must be on-site all day sorting out the house furnishings and probably the builders too!

[Bruce Wallis]

No word from Licy! She and hubby must be on-site all day sorting out the house furnishings and probably the builders too!

You're right....they are!

[ron5000]

what's all this got to do with UK tv abroad ?

Welcome to the forum, this is how a lot of the threads go. You can start with an innocent question about how to buy a car and end up with heated discussions about just about anything

[LICY]

No word from Licy! She and hubby must be on-site all day sorting out the house furnishings and probably the builders too!

I'm the culprit on this one. Doing OK at the villa. I need the plug to charge the iPad and only brought the lead with me so not much juice to come on the forum. The stone for the sinks arrived last night. Kitchen should be finished in another week as restarting with worktops Monday. Most outside painting done, most pool tiling done, terrace needs to be tiled, sanitary ware to go in, plugs and sockets to be fitted then can be inspected, bridge floor and railings in 2 weeks, pool coating takes 2 days, but not sure when, alarm all fitted, SACL are finished save for commissioning, inside painting about Monday for final coat. No idea on drive and path though. Wished we were here another week. Forgot stair railings I think stRt Friday.

[James Faro]

Well, you and hubby are like Tarzan and Jane - you seem to be in the the full swing of things getting work done on the villa . Just make sure the little cheetahs get on with their tasks especially after you head back to the UK!

If it is any consolation to you, if you are breathing the aromatic aromas of plaster and paint the I know the exact feeling as I have builders and painters doing the upper three floors of my house and as they progressively work down the house so is the sound of their music as well as the smells of gloss and emulsion!

When it is all finally finished Licy, I will send you and Mr Licy to have what every fabulous brand new dream home needs - a lava lamp! They are £9.99 where I live((I am talking real class here). Just don't look at it, after a full meal!

Yes stair railings will would be ideal. My friends have stairs from one floor to another with no railings- it's a sort of minimalist modern design concept. It looks original and looks bloody dangerous! Health and Safety inspectors would think Christmas has come early for them!

Hope all continues to go well.

[EMM]

We had to have railings and a banister as part of our project approval which in hindsight was a good idea as stone steps can be slippery underfoot.

[James Faro]

Most health and safety laws today are in existence not because of foresight but because of terrible accidents in the past and laws were implemented to prevent future similar occurences.

The best example I can think of was due to the BBC's That's Life programme which highlighted the dangers of taxis having the inner door handles easily been turned. Children would open the doors while in transit and fall out. Many fatal casulties I am afraid, happened. When the BBC highlighted it, this caused outrage which is why taxis now have that plastic covering over it so children cannot access the door handle so easily. From that day onwards many young lives have been saved.

Good to know Portugal takes health and safety issues seriously as well in project handovers.