Moving to Spain

My family and I are looking at moving to the south of Spain maybe soon , I could do with any info on schools for a 16 year old girl plus a 11 year old boy . And work , I know things are quite slow and work is hard to find . I have been doing driveways , patios and landscaping and most aspects of ground work for 25 years and have had my own company for 10 years .
Would I be able to find much work out there . I also have a 360 degree digger license and have drove them for over 20 years . My website address is as follows . darrelleverestpaving.co.uk please feel free to have a look . Any help given would be much appreciated . Many thanks

Darrell Everest

Welcome Darrell.

I am sure someone will be along regarding schools.

As far as your type of work is concerned, it would help if you mentioned which area are you going to move to?

As long as your Spanish is reasonably good, you should be fine working here.

Good luck!

Mariposa wrote:Welcome Darrell.


As long as your Spanish is reasonably good, you should be fine working here.

Just set your earnings expectations at reasonable levels. This is a poor area and every (unemployed) man and his dog are "builders". On the days when you can get work, you'd be very lucky to make €10/hr even with experience and a reputation.

Totally agree with Pete's comments. If you need to make a good living, then this area of Spain might not be the right place.

I personally know of several families who moved here expecting to work in the building trade and live from those earnings. They didn't last long and have returned to the UK having lost a lot of money.

If it is just to keep you busy and a few extra beans on top of any other income you have, then as I said above, you should be fine - I should have made that a bit clearer!

When you have decided on an area and come over to look around, during each trip maybe you could ask people you meet what they think of what you do, or if there is another trade that is lacking in that area? People here can be fickle though, so don't rely totally on this, but it might help.

If you move to this area, then I need a good gardener and know of a few others who would like one too!

Thank you very much , that will be one of my next moves is find a place and look around the area . And yes gardening and all aspects of landscaping are what I've done for many years . A gardening round for people sounds perfect , I like to think that I'm young enough at. 43 to still do anything . Many thanks to those of you who have replied to me .

Thank you so much James. , I'm really grateful for your advice , me and my daughter have been having spanish lessons for about 2 years , not fluent bug a great understanding of the language . I've actually got my own company doing patios drives and all groundwork , so not a builder but I suppose it would look like one ish . We are thinking of the Malaga area what's your vies mate

Farrell, I wish you all the best. It is al,ost imposinle to find work here and many Ex Pats without an income or pension have also returned to the UK.
The education system here appears sound, but I don't know of ANY children of Ex Pats who have secured employment here in the 10 years we've been residents.
No doubt one or two might have, the majority haven't.
I hate to be a killjoy but that's the reality.
If you are going to have to rely on finding work until you reach retirement age. Think hard. Why not come and rent for a while and see the situation for yourself, but think about your children too.
If you do come here and work on the black, no tax or social payments, you won't have a full pension when you retire. Currently in the UK YOU NEED TO CONTRIBUTE FOR A MINIMUM OF 30 years to get the basic state pension.
It really is a great place to live and retire to,........if you have the finance to fund your living expenses.
Whatever you do I wish you luck. Look on the British Embassy Website in Madrid under Living in Spain.

Thank you ken for your view I think that is a very good idea , to rent somewhere first and try and get to grips with things before loosing a lot of money maybe . Thank you very much

As we are several hours away from Malaga, I wouldn't be able to help you personally with advice about the area, maybe there is a local Forum there that could help you?

Thanks Mariposa , I want to be down that way certainly in the anderlucia area . I've learnt spanish for at least two years so hopefully enough to get by to start with . Thanks again