Recommending a Portuguese builder

Posted By Castelo Construction Lda in Building in Portugal, buying property in portugal, Construction land, How to . . ., Living in Portugal, property problems, refurbishment, Security in Portugal, Swimming Pools: All you need to know November 2, 2012 0 comment

Recommending a Portuguese builder

People often tell our clients that they have heard good things about the quality of our finishing work and attention to detail.

We all like to think that our refurbishment or new build is well built and finished to a high standard. But do you actually know what is considered a high quality build in Portugal and what type of interior and exterior finishes you can expect here.
Here is a true none related story of the cultural difference between a British client and a Portuguese supplier. When he bought a car the English guy said to the garage that he would pay the agreed price for the car if the garage put in a new battery. Three days after the car was purchased it duly broke down due to the battery. The owner lifted the bonnet of the car and saw that the battery which had been fitted was not brand shinny new but an old one taken from a car in a breakers yard.
After much swearing and spanner wielding the battery was taken back to the garage and a brand new replacement demanded. The garage owner said that he had fitted a new battery *new to this car* as requested. The fact that it wasn’t brand new and unused escaped him.
Both people were right just caught up in a cultural difference …..Cultural differences that could cost you dearly in something like a house build or refurbishment. It is very often this tat is at the heart of the occasional horror stories we hear of.

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About Castelo Construction Lda

Castelo Construction Lda are builders in Central Portugal. We have 12 years’ experience of working with and delighting clients in Portugal. Tel 00351 927168247 or kelvin@casteloconstruction.com If you need an English speaking builder for renovation or new build work we will provide free estimates, fixed prices and carry out your work to a very high standard. Many of our clients are not in the country full time so rely on our regular photographic updates and written reports. They are always surprised when they make inspection visits. New Construction and Refurbishment of Portuguese Property It’s exciting for both our team and of course our clients to mark out on the earth the site of a new home. We will have been with them during the design process and have spoken to the architect many times so we will be comfortable with what we are about to do. For many clients, this stage is a little daunting as it’s hard to see without experience just where the house is going to be in relation to other things on the property. Once the foundations are dug out the house normally looks smaller than they thought, As the pillars and foundation wall start to go you get a much better idea of scale. You can see with your mind’s eye the location of the kitchen, bedrooms and so on. Once the walls are up and the first floor is in place the rooms start to looks smaller again (something to do with the light absorbing properties of the bricks) once the walls are plastered the rooms look a lot larger and it starts to feel more like the home our clients imagined building. As the build progresses we are involved with many specialist subcontractors and it is our job the get them on site at the right time so that the trades do not overlap and time is not wasted. Once the roof is on and tiled it is traditional in this area to have a dinner on site. Everyone who is involved in the build is invited to share a suckling pig dinner with local bread, oranges and of course wine. This is a great way for the clients to enjoy some local hospitality and meet the craftsmen who are building their new home. We also invite the near neighbors so that they get a chance to see what’s going on (when the house is at a very basic stage) and it gives our clients a relaxed opportunity to make their acquaintance. As we always accompany our clients to choose, kitchens, tiles, bathroom fittings or whatever they want. We can help with translation and of course negotiation! As the house is coming to completion we always have them professionally cleaned so that when we hand over the keys it feels more like a home than a building site. 2 months after the house is finished we are back to check for any small faults that may need attention and of course we are available to help and advise should that be needed. Central Portugal builders

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