24 Apr 2008 11:21 AM:

An interesting thread........

Well, all seasons are no longer in business i think. We were quite angry with them as they were one of 2 companies in spain illegally using MY company name!!!!

However, let me put the record straight and give some of you posters here some advice, hope its appreciated.
** EDITED - Please respect terms of posting **

We are mainly UK based although we do a little bit of work in Spain, but mostly england.

Be very wary of any of the companies operating in Spain who do exterior textured coatings. I would sugegst only about 10% of the people involved are committed experts and professionals, the rest are highly dodgy cowboys, who, as one poster rightly pointed out,, tell homeowners that the coating will last up to 25 years, well in spain in particular it will NOT due to the construction of most spanish homes.

I myself have written in several expat magazines and newspapers in Spain warning consumers about the exploits of some exterior coating firms in spain, but somehow the con men and cowboys always seem to be able to find more victims,.............. i mean customers!

Most modern houses in Spain are more suitable to have a coating applied than the old ones.

Whenever WE do a house exterior in spain, almost always it is reccomended that we install whats know as a chemical DPC or damp proof course, which is a chemical injected into the lower parts of the house walls and stops damp rising. If this isnt done, the coating almost certainly will not last and you wished you HAD called Pedro down the road to come and do it for a song!

An exterior coating has many long term  benefits, but ONLY IF THE WORK IS CARRIED OUT CORRECTLY.

Unfortunately by the time you find out it hasnt, the company is long gone...........which is also what has happened here in england.

I have campaigned for many years against bad selling of exterior coatings, even though i work in the industry myself, but time after time, customers are taken in by conmen, and i have to say a good 50% of all reports that have been passed to our organisation with reference poor work in spain, THE CUSTOMER HAS NOT HELPED THE MATTER BY PAYING THE FIRM IN CASH NOTES instead of a cheque in Euros.

I know we all like a bargain, but if you pay for ANY work on your home in spain using cash notes, you almost certainly will not have a leg to stand on if it goes wrong. This is the same in england too, so please be warned.

There are admitedly a few good coating companies in Spain, but make sure you follow up any references they have, check they are licensed, make sure they are in spanish registered vehicles, or they could be fly by night brits, who will return here when the you-know-what hits the fan, so be warned.

I am not just referring to having someone paint the outside of your house in spain, i mean any home improvements, whether its roofing, extensions, double glazing etc. CHOOSE A REPUTABLE COMPANY AND FOLLOW UP REFERENCES, AND IF POSSIBLE GO AND SEE AN EXAMPLE OF THEIR WORK.

and if you have an old house, if a company will not inject a DPC as stated above, please mr and mrs consumer DONT get them in to paint your home as it wont work and you will have wasted your money. Wallcoatings are more expensive than paint, but in general, you get a lot more work for your money, for example a reputable company will carry out a lot of preparation such as render repairs and fix cracks before they do the coating work, but a painter and decorator will not, they will just paint what they are told to do, which suits some people but not others

.why not learn some spanish if you havent already and get a real local to do the work instead of someone only in spain for a few months, making a quick buck before they leave.

i hope the above is useful.
** EDITED - No self promotion **





Thread: paint

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