Air Conditioning and Security Grills

Hi all

Can anyone tell me if they have had any experience of a company called Robin Hood Services.

http://air-conditioning.robinhoodpropertyservicesspain.com/

Approx costs for grills €1300 and Air Con (Panasonic Inverters) €2800, for a two bedroom apartment

Any comments would be appreciated

Tintin

we used 'Tommy Kindberg Nilsen' 0034 966 718 498 for the grills I mentioned in a previous post. We have had another grill to the front door fitted so we can allow the breeze to blow through without fear of opportunist sneak thieves popping in (but will not be leaving car keys in hallway!!). You can see his work at  number 487 and at our's 510 - cost 950 euros. You can see 'Joost' work at 451 @ 875 euros and Omac work at 459 and 481 at 1080 euros. There is also a ground floor apart (491 ?) in next block to 487 by Omac. You can make up your own mind from these examples. I was slightly dissapointed with the fixing of mine because there had been a mistake in the measurements hence the corrections yet to be done. As long as Tommy allows for the frame depth to ensure to fixings on the return arm it will be fine and the workmanship on the Grills is very good and stylish. Avoid the sliding grills that are being fitted if you can - ugly and a bit tinny! However each to their own. Omac grills look well made and good paint finnish but they like any real styling and no attempt to put the turned effects in. Also be careful or you will end up with a prison cell, ie fixed side panels and thick central column that prevents you from ever openning up fully.

Tommy does aircon but we are having a retro fit to our main bedroom done by 'Ambifuego' from Los Montesinos who fitted the gas fire in our lounge. Very neat and tidy work (they even touch up the paint work!) unlike some of the others and at a fair price for aircon but expensive for the fire but then they seem to have the monopoly on Gas fires. Gas fire and heating essential in winter. Get a gas fire fitted in the summer as they usually have an offer on on fires then. 

You can buy efficient wall mounted 500 watt or higher rated Digital Eco -Emisor white and very stylish heaters from Media Mart north of alicante (best price and choice) or from Carefour in Torrevieja for about 237 euros for the 500 watt model or 257 euros for the 750 watt model. These are better than the free standing oil heaters that are useually rated at 2000 watt and will cost the earth to run (when off builders supply!). Remember that each property is rated to accept a load of about 5 kilowatts only. So a few oil heaters, a kettle and the air con providing heating plus the cooker and everything will trip out long before its all on!!! So the energy efficient wall heaters are better. See www.fagor.com you can also download the english instructions from here.

Hope this helps.

Philip

Hi Everyone,

Hope that you have all had a good start to the new year.

I am off to la Finca on the 21st Feb to finalize and our property situated down near the new Algorfa link road. I have been reading the comments regarding the security issues and we are also looking at grills. Does any one have any info regarding the break ins ie; have they all been through the single door? Have the patio shutters seemed enough to deter any would be burgular or have the roller shutters been "Forced" Any ideas??

As I said earlier we are down near the new link road does any one know if the pool at the side of the road is now complete? In October I know it was tiled internally but the surrounding lanscape was still pretty Beiruty. Any info would be gratefully received.

Adios

Dean 

Hi , As it seems the same issues are being raised I am reposting an earlier comment  (updated) that I posted prior to the rejig of this site for the benefit (if anyone thinks it a benefit?) of others late to this site.

We are on on R5 b/2 . Security is an issue on all developments in Spain. You get 9 months free Alarm cover on La Finca but have to pay for additional sensors over the 1 set of contactors and 2 Pir'S already fitted. The alarm company currently appear to have one patrol during the day and now 2 patrols at night.(the additional one paid by the developer) The female security ladies are the best!

The thieves know what they are after having watched people moving in whilst working on the site! Plasma TV's, jewellery, passports, cameras, mobile phones credit cards etc, Anything quickly extracted before the alarm brings the patrol. They obvoiusly watch were the patrol is and then act. I am afraid the properties near to the ew algorfa road seem to have been hit the worst of late. All you can do is take sensible precautions such as a bolted down safe for small items, passports etc. Bolts through sliding patio windows and shutter clips to make them more difficult to force up from the outside (the shutters are not secure in themselves and can be cut and/or forced) .As prevoiusly posted we have had the dreaded grills fitted to the patio doors. A word of caution again. There are now numerous companies offering grills. Some are very ugly (the prison look)and expensive and others just totally ruin the effect of the building. We took some time comparing and in the end chose a company who took some care to blend in with the railings (see posting below) although even then they have had to correct a coupe of things.. They were not the dearest or cheapest!

 There is a danger of overreacting also in that it appears the thefts are targeted at those households who have the most to steal, ie those living out there on a permanent basis and the opportunist sneak thieves who in the season pretend to be fellow holiday makers looking for open patio or front doors to walk in on to pinch things lying about whilst you are on the solarium or around the pool!!

But then again my wife has had her handbag stolen twice in last 24months  in 2 different UK market town! My car broken into in a Peterborough hotel car park and our house burgled with us and guests in it in October 04. My daughter her flat door kicked in in a leafy London suburb with passports and jewellery stolen - So is Spain really that different?? Only less rain to deter but more daylight to make it more difficult but these thieves do not seem to care. Better occupation with less building work should help. So enjoy the sun, be observant and avoid paranoia

Pressure on the developer seems to have worked, a manned entrance gatehouse on the main way in is almost finnished with CCTV cameras being errected around the complex (??the Algorfa back entrance as well!) Best everyone exchange ideas and advice on sites like this. Apparently the story goes that the Mayor of Algorfa was orinally not keen to have the copmplex gated off from the locals?

Still the best complex in the Costa's!! But remeber it's Spain so everything takes longer.  Best to exchange experieces good and bad to avoid the heartache were possible - especially when you see some of the cowboy air con that has been fitted after completion!!!

Good luck to all.

Philip

Glad to hear that the entrance facility is coming along - lets hope we can get it manned!  It is a shame that the main road is a public one, or we could have security put in place the same as La Manga Golf Resort where there are very few thefts. 

We used http://www.robinhoodpropertyservicesspain.com for our airconditioning and grills.  They were excellent and very reasonable at the side of some of the prices I have heard from other La Finca residents.  Our unit outside is well placed and not hung right on the main wall with great ugly cables like some of the La Finca installations!!!  I must admit some of them are a true eyesore!