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View Full Version : Business Chat My recent experiences of good and bad workmen in Tenerife



TenerifeTeddy
18-11-2011, 00:14
We have recently opened a new business, the Callao Learning Centre, next door to Witzend. We will be announcing more about this new business later, but the purpose of this post is to tell you of my experiences of the very best and very worst of the professionals and tradesmen I have had dealings with over the last few weeks, whilst getting the centre open for business.

We took out an ICO business loan to cover the cost of the work on the centre, and as part of that all the costs have to be visible and legal workmen employed.

Here are details of those I would heartily recommend and those I would advise any one to steer clear of!

Firstly my accountant and gestor Irkus Gaztañaga Cobeaga, he is Basque and speaks excellent English, he is also a mobile accountant and comes to you. He has worked for us for 5 years and has always been very straight and honest in all his dealings with us. He has also given us much useful advice and deals with all our business & tax activities, he has also been the driving force in getting our new project underway. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a new accountant.

Next the Engineer, Juan Antonio González Armendáriz, who drew up the plans and has project managed the setup of the new centre, the building & electrical work, boletin and the paperwork etc. He has been great at getting everything done quickly, even with problematic electricans (of whom more later). He´s not afraid to get stuck in and get his hands dirty. He also speaks broken but readily understandable English. If you need an Engineer, he´s your man :)

Andy (Van Man) Logan (Andy0210 on the forum) and his workmate Ian, who did all the moving, humping and dumping on our move last Saturday. Couldn't do enough to help and was fantastic. Many thanks and again highly recommended.:)

Mike (AP&SS on the forum) What hasn´t he done for us in the last 2-3 weeks! A man of many talents! He´s put up obscure film on the windows, installed new locks, fitted metal eyes for padlocks, rehung metal doors, made a door open on the opposite side for easier access, put up sundry mirrors, clips, holders, installed heavy metal grills on an unprotected window. I'm sure we´ll find a few more things for him to do :) Always turns up on time, very friendly & helpful and he gives a forum discount - what more can you ask! :)

Those were all the good guys and I can pass on contact information if anyone would like to use them.

Now for the bad, Litoral Sur S.L . electricidad y telecomunicaciones from Villaflor. :confused:
In a time of "crisis" when work is hard to find, you would think that the prospect of earning a good whack for 2 days work for a crew of guys would make them enthusiastic.

These guys were employed by the Engineer for whom they had apparently done good work in the past. He says he will never use them again. It would take a small novel for me to fully describe my experiences with these people, particularly the head electrician.

Suffice it to say that I wanted to punch his lights out (and anyone who knows me, will find that a surprising statement as I am generally a mild mannered chap). A job that should have taken 2 days they still haven't finished after 7 days!, and at one stage looked like preventing us from opening on time.

They were rude to both my wife and me, lazy, and on 3 different days they didn't turn up at all. They eventually finished about 75% of the work, and a very apologetic Engineer finished off the rest. I had paid for some of the work, I am glad that I kept a good proportion back, because they can whistle for it! My advice - avoid like the plague.

So there you have it, the very best and the very worst. Finally would like to say a huge thank you to all those that have helped us get our new venture underway, and for all the good wishes we have received.:tiphat:

MrsTT
18-11-2011, 09:08
And can I add one very special person to that list of highly recommendeds! Tenerifeteddy has been AMAZING!:director: :superman: :juggle: :coffee: :chillpill: thanks XX :hail: