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HOUSE CARE / REPAIRS / GARDENING

                  

  • Find out who's responsible for what maintenance when buying or renting your property.


  • Equally find out who's is responsible for the garden areas, many are communal


  • Seek advice if you plan to change the outside color of your property


  • Wall paper & carpets are rarely seen in Spain- tiles & paint are plentiful


  • Garden sheds are very expensive due to the shortage of wood.

                                     

 

  • House hold repairs & maintenance differ slightly to those common to the UK


  • The drier hotter climate helps preserve wood for longer but can crack paintwork


  • Most windows are single glazed wood or usually aluminium double glazed


  • Houses are usually built without Gutters & outside drain pipes


  • Most  homes are painted on the outside therefore requiring attention every few years


  • Many varieties of paint can be bought and usually cheaper than the UK


  • Metal security grills are common over windows & doors these require periodic painting


  • Install smoke alarms and plan evacuation in case of fire, Security grills can work against you


  • Most houses suffer from internal damp spots during wetter winters


  • Houses are built with little consideration for rain - small leaks are therefore frequent


  • Central heating is not common in Spain however heated air conditioning units are very good


  • Expect to pay around £1000 to have air conditioning put into your home


  • Most urbanization's employ a gardener and maintenance man for small jobs


  • Very old properties tend to hold damp in the clay cavities & is very difficult to cure


  • Modern properties will have air cavities thus eliminating damp problems


  • Most materials & tools found in the UK can be readily bought from the excellent DIY Stores


  • Prices for the above tend to be cheaper than in the UK

TIP: Large B&Q type stores exist in most busy areas

GARDENING

  • Spain is a gardeners paradise with many exotic plants/trees to be found


  • There is usually plenty of water throughout the year to water your garden


  • Some years water is in short demand and this does cause some problems


  • All types of fruit trees grow rapidly in the tropical sunshine


  • Many plants/trees can be found growing wild in the Country side for easy cuttings


  • The big DIY stores have good English type garden supplies


  • The ground gets very hard & dry in the hot summer months & can be difficult to dig


  • The Spanish tools may look a bit dated but they are very effective in doing their jobs.


  • Most gardens rely on Sprinkler systems for watering


  • Lawns are laid from very tough rough grass unlike that of the UK


  • Pests differ from the UK & local knowledge is best consulted

TIP: Many large garden centres exist but most specialize in plants only

TIP: If you are not green fingered then there is no shortage of good gardeners to be found (most will look after your pool also) cost expect to pay around £60 month for twice a week call

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