Reliable Builders

[ladyintown]

We've been away for a while, so I've not been on this site for a bit. I''ve noticed that people are always looking for builders they can trust, and communicate with. We've just had quite a bit of work done on our house, by a local English guy, who was great value, and did a fantastic job. If anyone needs details just send me a pm!

[aylesbury]

hi ladyintown . we are tinking of getting some work done to our appartment
can you give me some contact details , ray

[LoobyLou]

I'd also be interested in contact details. We need some work done to our villa and getting a few quotes at the moment. It would be good to use someone who comes with high recommendation.

[sam]

I don't mean to be a killjoy. Both Ladyintown and her local English guy may well be genuine. However people have had problems with people/companies that have made recommendations or solicited on this site. Some people have more than one user name, so you have no idea who is posting. Please take care when employing anyone, particularly if you are not resident to keep an eye on things. Some recent topics were timely reminders:-

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=18090

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=18046

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=18105

[ladyintown]

I undertand where you are coming from Sam, but I would hope that most of the people on this site are in 'the community spirit', and do not want to deliberatley mislead people. I wanted to recommend this chap because of the good work he has done for us, and save other people from some of the nightmares you hear about. But I'm sure if you don't trust him, you can always protect yourself by getting your own references.

[shanagarry]

Ladyintown - word of advice - do not touch any building company run by expats - with the proverbial 'barge-pole'

[Lesley Jean]

I think that is a little unfair to the builders who are expat and are very good, you can't give a sweeping comment like that, very unfair

[pickwick]

Shanagarry

I hope your comment does not mean that you have been let down today finalising your new home????

Pickwick

[LoobyLou]

I agree Lesley. You can't label all Expat builders as bad. I know some people who have bad experiences with the Portuguese builders. One of the reason I joined this forum was so I could get advice and recommendations for things such as builders, plumbers, doctors etc. I have found it very useful and all the information I have ever been given from other forum users has been very helpful. I have used an English plumber, an English gardener and an English decorator and they have all been great and reasonably priced. I will be contacting the guy you recommended to me Lesley, thank you very much for the info.

[Lesley Jean]

yes, you just have to be sensible about getting references and recommendations, we have used Portuguese builders before and got well and truly ripped off, others have been good. The guy I have recommended to you is very good.

[Sharen Crane]

yes, you just have to be sensible about getting references and recommendations, we have used Portuguese builders before and got well and truly ripped off, others have been good. The guy I have recommended to you is very good.

Everyone should use sensible judgement for any work they are having done. Recommendations are all well and good, but you do need to also take a look at the work they have carried out previously. It has already been proven that recommendations can be flawed as can references. My suggestion is proceed with the same caution you would use when looking for work carried out in the UK (or wherever you reside ).

[shanagarry]

I speak as I find - if there are honest, reliable and competent expat builders - I've never met any.

Let me widen the 'advice' I gave to include Property Management companies. I also accept that there are Portuguese 'cowboys' as well and am equally wary of them but what really gets to me is the expat-cowboys who believe they are doing you a favour - while relieving you of your money.

However, if there are expats who are doing a great job and are honest in both of the categories I have singled out - clearly you have no reason to defend yourselves - so keep up the good work.

[sam]

I have used a number of expats for services and apart from two have not had any problems. The good ones have always been from personal recommendations, not through this forum, or other sources. Not used many portuguese, but no problem with any I have used. I will stick with personal recommendations from people I know and trust in future. There are good people and bad people in all walks of life, the trick is trying to tell the difference.

[DaveK]

Never employed builders as such, but nearly four years ago the appartment on Gramacho needed redecorating inside. At that time it seemed quite sensible to ask on the forum for recommendations. We replied to a response and found the perfect guy for the job; in fact he went on to do other appartments on the same site. He did recomend an expat plumber/tiler when we purchased the property in Mato Serrao. He has done quite a lot of work for us, together with an associated electrician, with excellent results. Also used Portuguese gardeners and have never seen people work so hard. I think we have been lucky to find such people that we can trust with a key whilst we are not there.

In this respect we were lucky; in other respects we were not so lucky responding to a certain property management person.

[shanagarry]

Dave - spot on - we have an excellent maid and gardener who have been with us for 12 years+. There are good and bad everywhere and fortunately we have only ever encountered the good.

My comment on 'iffy' builders is based on the experience of friends (we had to live through some dreadful times with them because of 'cowboys' - Brits and Portuguese) as I cannot bring myself to go through the trauma associated with building. We are in the final stages of a negotiation to acquire a new property - brought about by a decision as to, do we refurbish and enlarge our current property (which we love to bits) and live with the uncertainty that entails or buy new.

All being well we will move into our new place in Mato Serrao in the next 6-8 weeks - it was a no-brainer and will do wonders for my blood pressure