Furniture

Hi

We would really appreciate any ideas for furniture as we are buying on Hacienda.  We don't know whether to buy here and drive out ourselves or get a company to do it for us or to buy in spain.  Would love to hear what our future neighbours have done on a limited budget.

Thanks

Hi , if you have time take it from uk and drive over there. The euro definitely is too high.

Regards

Raj

If I had to furnish our apartment now I'd definatly buy in the UK and ship things over. Things in Spain are more expensive and that's before the euro got stronger. We bought ours in Feb08, and I recon I could have saved 3k by buying in UK. Costs about £1500 to ship it over.

Careful when buying beds as the bedrooms on HR are quite small and UK single beds are too big, so worth getting those in Spain. We got all our furniture at DFS, San Javier, who were very professional and as good as anyone if you decide to buy in Spain. Very convenient and they fit all lights, curtains etc.

A UK company to be avoided are Villapak, based in Bolton and Milton Keynes, terrible experience with them.

cheers

Gary

Personally I think the choice of furniture available throughout the Costa Calida from Torre V down to Cartagena is exceptional with scores and scores of outlets. If time is on your hands, dont rush for a package, you will always find something better when out and about and since the apartments are not huge, the right furniture in the right places can make a big difference to your living space. Never go out without a tape measure.

Never had a problem with any deliveries or service, apart from PW Homestyle !!!!

As for buying in the UK, wouldn't comtemplate it, there are plenty of good deals locally and you can negotiate as there is plenty of competition during the credit crunch. I like to support our local economy and friendly traders.

Graham

I agree with Graham,  buy locally, get the essentials first and fill in the gaps as time goes by.  Furniture packs are all very well, but you dont always want everything they suggest, and as Graham says - the apartments aren't huge so you want to get the feeling of as much space as possible with as little clutter!   The one thing that we did get as a pack was the household stuff which includes all the bits and pieces that you forget - and the only thing we did take over from the UK were some good old British saucepans as all of the saucepans I saw were rubbish.

As you're out and about on subsequent trips you'll always see things to finish off and personalise the apartment,  and it's nice to pick up the additional pieces to make the place like home.   My husband still can't resist getting another shelf for here and there,  and some nice cushions..... and so it goes on.

I'd say the hassle of hiring and driving (and petrol)around 1200 miles each way, or paying someone to do it - is not worth it.   Buy locally and support the local economy.

One place I can recommend for electrical stuff is Electro Regalos in Roldan,  family company and so very helpful - couldn't fault them.

Good luck and hope all goes well,

Maggie

If you do decide to buy in Spain, buy it from a company very close to the resort. As the crisis hits, companies will not travel from different Costas on a regular basis and so any problems will not get sorted. This is from real experiences.

Hi there,

I have been requested,by my very best friends on Hacienda Riquelme to inform

you all that if anyone who may be interested in buying second hand furniture

please contact them on telephone No    0034968038317

All their appartment furniture is for sale with most items less than 6 months old.

Im still here on the resort and wish everyone who visits a great time

Best wishes Lennie

Hi there.

I totally agree with Graham and Maggie. Buy in Spain there is a lot of choice and it should be part of the whole experience, You will also get to know the area much better.

Even with the euro-pound rate I would still furnish locally.

Also as Gary said, avoid Villapac, we did not use them after checking them out and visiting them 3 years ago, plus packs can work out expensive. One pack we saw in Spain and really liked would have cost 10,000 euro, (without white goods) and you dont always want everything in the pack.

We have managed to get the specific look we were after ourselves for 7,000 euros this included everything from white goods, to ornaments. We used Carrefour, Primark, Ikea, Novalux lighting and Yorkshire Linen in Torrevieja among others.

If I was advising friends on Furnishing an apartment I would tell them to allow 10,000 euros, that should definately get you everything You want comfortably including your running around, and money left over for a nice meal to celebrate.

Hope this helps, good luck and welcome to Hacienda (The Best Resort, Despite our problems)

I belive Villapac have gone under now, please be very careful.  Stay Local

Hola All,

I'm not sure if this will get posted or if what I have to say affects anyone but here goes. I had the misfortune to come across a certain  'so-called interior designer' whilst I was sorting out furniture etc in the summer. He certainly came across well and had the gift of the gab and foolishly I succumbed to his pitch.

He promised so much and as he was always around the bar area with other 'clients' I trusted him with kitting out our apartment. I'm sure you know where this is going, I gave him the cash required as a deposit and transferred the rest to his girlfriends account (I know, I know). After a few months of not being able to contact him I got a friend who was on holiday to have a look at what our apartment was like. Having paid good money for top of the range furniture and fittings we are left with a few badly painted walls, basic Ikea furniture shelves etc, no curtains, no patio furniture, some lights, no linen, and a filthy apartment no-one has been in for months.

I have tried every way possible to contact him but to no avail so I automatically thought he had done a runner,until a few days ago when my keyholder informed me he had been seen showing prospective clients around. This is why I pass this onto you all, I certainly have been ripped off and do not want to see the same happen to others especially at this time when we are all struggling financially.

If anyone wants to contact me pm me offline and I will give you his name.

P.S a clue, he's short, got long hair, late 40s and has a Scottish accent.

Sorry forgot to say, I've been stung for around 2000euro, and have since heard from a few people I met whilst there that the list is growing of unhappy and angry people he has done the same to so be careful.

Dont be another victim.

Mr Burns,

Sorry its a bit late but this is some information I  posted last year, and in the current climate it is probably even more relevant.

If you are furnishing a property in Spain just be a bit careful. Here are a few tips.

1. Make sure the company you use is situated within 70km of your property. If something goes wrong with the delivery or subsequently, companies will be unwilling to drive from one Costa to another to sort it.
2. Use a respected and established company, a company that has been in business for over five years didnt just spring up to cash in on the boom of the past few years.  There are many fly by night operators who used to be post-men, pub Landlords, estate agents etc etc and now are trying to sell furniture which they know nothing about, or even care about. If you cant come over and visit the actual store, check the following.
3. They should have a land line phone number (begins with a 9) rather than just a mobile. Ring the number a couple of times at different times and ask to speak to your contact . Some people pretend they work for a store but are actually just agents getting up to 20% for taking you in. (you are paying this).
4. A website with company name and address, contact numbers etc. 
5. A CIF number (this is a business identity number).
6. If you do decide to go ahead with a company dont pay anymore more than 30% or 40% deposit initially. This will be sufficient for any established company to place the order.
7. Just be careful generally, dont do anything you wouldnt do in the UK.

hi polaris quoted me 16000 euros for my appartment , my wife and i together with pat and will our key holders  managed to buy everthing locally in 2 days for just under 6000 euros, pat  arranged for the   furniture and electrical /white goods to be delivered  as we were back in uk. we choose all our beds sofa etc on one visit  once they had been delivered to our appartment we flew back out and paid for them . pat and will then set everthing out , put up curtain poles/ lights . i made the mistake of paying upfront once by buying ofplan on hrgr  never again.

Mr Burns,

I know the so-called interior designer you are talking about and unfortunately have also been conned by him, not us financiallybut clients we referred him to. We are a LEGAL property managment company and during the last year we were inundated with clients wanting furniture, decor etc. We had not time to do all this and came across D** who seemed to know what he was talking about and we could trust with our clients needs.All started well but unfortunately this didn't last long, to cut a long story short he has not finished any of our clients properties to the standard he promised and was paid for. Some only need the finishing touches but the others are nowhere near ready to be inhabited or rented. To date I reckon he owes in excess of 12000 &euro worth of furniture and labour to my clients and I know for a fact one furniture supplier is after him. I thought he had done a runner but spotted him in Sucina on his bike the other day and know he is still touting for 'fresh meat' as someone else had seen him with people giving them the sales patter.My advice would to be to do as hairbear says and for gods sake do not use this guy or anyone who cannot provide you with all the necessary legal requirements.