lOS ALCAZARES

Hi,

Just found this message web site by accident. We have just completed on 2nd block 22nd January. Nice to know we weren't the only ones to wait so long!!!  We were over from boxing day to 4th Jan so had to rent in Polaris world again. Still managed to get into our apartment to measure up and found Ikea (how I don't know) We are from Cardiff and are coming over April 1st (hope that's not an omen) just hope the lifts are working. My name is Gina and my husband is Gerard. When we were over Christmas we met some people that had already completed so would like to get to know more. Is Bridgend boy from Bridgend down the road from us? The pool looks good will be better with water, although not 18 metres as sales girl said, have to say at the time I was wondering how they would have got an 18 metre pool in that space. Has anyone tried the chinese restaurant on the roundabout? It's fab and really reasonable. Look forward to getting more information about everyone.

Gina

Hi there Gina.

I'm Bridgendboy (real name Gary) and I actually live in Pontyclun, just outside Cardiff.  I was born in Bridgend.

I'm heading out to the apartment on 2nd Feb to tie up all the lose ends.  The furniture is in and I just have to buy a few extra bits and bobs.

I'm in the first block, ground floor, nearest the second block ( # 5).

Look forward to meeting you.

Gary.

Hi Gary,

Nice to hear from you. Not far from us then (over there and over here) We can't get over until April 1st to sort things out. Had a bit of an episode today, the lighting people went in to fit lights and they rang me to say we had a leak and bathroom ceiling was damp. I have e mailed my solicitor and will ring Maria from Golf Invest. Is she your contact if anything goes wrong or is there anyone else we should be speaking to that you know of? When you come back let me know if telephone entry phones are in and lifts working if you could, that would be great.

Gina

Hi

We bought at Los Balcones in Feb 05, expecting completion in March 06. We were finally told just before xmas that everything should be ready in January 07, so we are coming out at the end of Feb to complete. It has been a long wait & hopefully will be worthwhile. When we were over Feb 06 we were told that we could complete in June, so all our furniture was ordered!!  Hope the store still has it in storage for us. Our estate agent has kept us up to date with photos of the site & it is looking good. Bob (my husband) & I look forward to meeting you all. Glad to know we are not the only ones kept waiting. Any advice on the installation of air conditioning?

Eileen 

Hi Eileen,

Yes I can recommend a great company for air con/heating and they also do lighting. They are called Ilucom and are at Torre Pacheco near Polaris world. The girl there is called Sadie (very helpful) and their e mail addres is info@ilucom.com We chose our light fittings when we were over last. They do have a web site but a bit limited. There is a good choice in the showroom The web site is www.ilucom.com and they also do shower screens so I have ordered a cubicle. They are next door to Muebles direct the furniture shop. Hope this helps.

Gina

Hi Gina

Thanks for the reply. We have put Ilucom on the list of places to visit when we are there at the end of the month. Hopefully they will be able to install when we are over. I hope the damp problem is sorted for you now.

Has anyone given thoughts to having locks changed? Not sure if security is an issue, but in other developments it appears to be advisable.

Eileen

Hi Eileen,

Yes I thought of this as well so spoke to my agent about it. That's why I wanted to know from Gary if intercom telephones had been installed yet. Golf Invest had said that they will be installed when the stairwell is finished. I held off my completion until I had that answer. So builders still have a key. Once this is done my agent said that he would have the locks changed as that was what he did. Have you had window grills put on your front windows? We hadn't but a couple (we met when we were over) were asking whether we should. If you have could you tell me the cost? Will you be over the same time at Easter? We are going 1st April.

Gina

Hi Gina

I think we shall talk to our agent re locks. There are already grills over the windows so I am sorry I cannot advise on cost. We will be over the same time as you & look forward to meeting everyone.

Eileen

All,

I have just arrived back from a weekend at the apartment.  Very pleased with it.  There are a few teething problems, but on the whole it's great.

the video intercom has not yet been fitted but Maria told me this was imminent.  We've already had the locks changed but we have a management company that the builders can liaise with to get access.

One word of caution, we had a water leak from the water heater in the kitchen when the water was on.  Talking to a few others at the site, it appears to be a common problem, so watch out for it.

I've posted some updated pictures (but it rained the entire weekend so they don't look as good as they could have!)

Regards,

Gary

To give you a guide price - we have had the grilles over the kitchen and the bedroom window (on the front walkway) put in by the builder and they charged 160euros for each one.

C&R 

Hi

Thank you for the info on grilles. I will ring Maria tomorrow and sort them out. Think it's best. I have to ring her about the bathroom ceiling leak anyway, still haven't heard about that. Just hope it's not serious. That was good of the lighting company to let me know, I have to say if anyone needs the air con/heating or lighting done they are marvellous and so helpful. Great photos Gary getting exciting now, looking good isn't it. Shame it was raining for you . Did you happen to notice if the mail boxes were fitted? Apparently my insurance policies are being sent to the apartment so did you have any mail, do the builders pop it inside the apartments I wonder. Also did you notice if lifts were working at all? Thanks for info on leaky boiler, we spoke to a couple when last over and they had the same problem, did they sort it out straight away for you? Looking forward to meeting everyone for a pool party, got a great recipe for homemade sangria . Keep in touch.

Gina

They haven't sorted out the water heater yet.  It happened after Maria had left on Friday evening and I couldn't get in touch with her on saturday.

The mail boxes are fitted, at the entrance to the complex, but are not operational yet.  I didn't notice any mail in them.  As for the lifts, we are on the ground floor so I did not have cause to check them sorry.

It does look great.  The pool area is much bigger than it looks in the photos and the pool is really deep!

Gary.

Hi

Hi All,

Thanks for the info Gary. If you have a problem and others have with the water heater I'll mention to Maria as I wouldn't have thought they will check them all as a matter of course. Also on completion did you receive a buyers pack with your keys and contacts for after sales? I'm presuming the contact would be Maria. It's a pity she doesn't have an e mail address as I have tried all day today and couldn't get through. I'm still concerned about the bathroom ceiling. Did it rain heavily when you were over?

Gina