# work for Decorator



## gary decorator (Feb 12, 2013)

Hi, I am a qualified Painter and Decorator with 12 years experience, I also do freehand Wall Murals, and at present living in the UK. 
I am looking into moving my family to Portugal, and was wondering if there are work oppotunities for Decorators. I would plan on learning the language and finding work before we moved. We would be looking at the Algarve area. If anyone can give me information on earning potential and any other advice would be great. Many thanks


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Wage pretty low with plenty of locals looking for work, the tightening up on invoicing, receipts even harder for expats trying to break into an area where you'd be up against established competition


----------



## gary decorator (Feb 12, 2013)

Thanks for your reply, I would look to work for a company that is already established, so was wondering if there are many decorating companies in that area.


----------



## robc (Jul 17, 2008)

gary decorator said:


> Thanks for your reply, I would look to work for a company that is already established, so was wondering if there are many decorating companies in that area.


Having lived in Portugal for approximately one year now and spent some time in the Algarve, I would recommend that you come over and have a look around.

The word crisis is used a lot over here, what it means on a daily basis is that many, many people have lost their jobs, House building is massively reduced, Builders merchants have closed, belt tightening is happening everywhere and any expense that can be avoided will be.

There are decorating companies, such as the one that decorated our new house build, but when I spoke with Luis and mentioned the employment situation, he laughed and said "what situation" There is no work volumes to support his family let alone anyone else, and he has good links with the Builders here.

If I were you I would spend a lot of time here rummaging around before making any decisions.

It is challenging to say the least !!!

HTH

Rob


----------



## gary decorator (Feb 12, 2013)

Thanks Rob, If we were to move it would not be for at least a couple of years as I would want to learn the language and do much more investigating to see if we could make it work, I would not rush into anything. Its just trying to find out how to go about things and what we need to do to make it possible. We hear the same thing over here concerning jobs, large high street companies that have been around for years are folding with thousands of job losses, I have been self employed for 12 years and I have had no work for 4 months, every day is a struggle. I realise it is not any easier, maybe worse in Portugal at the moment, I am just trying to get to know what its like. I want a better way of life for my family, as the weather and this country is so depressing.


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Just bear in mind, there is far less disposable income here, most Portuguese will have a family member or know someone to do those jobs so it's extremely hard to break into the circle for non Portuguese, self employment is far more expensive than UK and there's a limited amount of people that might require a decorators services, maybe base your research around a "niche" trade or profession that could well command a clientele, appreciate Algarve always seems like a mecca but there other areas in Portugal although not the density of expats that the Algarve has.
If you want an idea of companies operating look at Portugal News online or get a copy from W H Smith's


----------



## oronero (Aug 24, 2012)

Gary I share your sentiments and with snow falling outside for the third week running I have also had enough of the weather here as it impedes my work.

The UK has been getting worse daily over the last few years, though the papers are reluctant to state how bad it really is and the Government continually manipulate figures to hide the true state of things.

Where I am at the moment in West Yorkshire, houses down my street have dropped around 30% in selling price, over the last two years and finding well paid and long-term work employment is a challenge...in fact I would go as to say that those days have now gone forever! 

I believe that interest rates in the UK are deliberately being kept low to avert a housing price crash...so many people would lose their properties if the mortgage rate interest where to increase the market would collapse with the glut of repossessed houses. I believe that the UK is balancing on the edge of an abyss.

Fortunately for me my work can be undertaken anywhere and I am not tied to the UK by property which I need to sell, so I can leave as soon as I have finished my current task (which the snow and cold is delaying) !

I would much rather be in Portugal with no work than the UK, especially if you have a garden where you can grow some produce and keep a few chickens etc...at least you will not starve and with a milder climate at least you are not having to spend a fortune on heating...just my opinion.


----------



## gary decorator (Feb 12, 2013)

I agree, I dont own my own house as I live in a council property. I am getting benefits of £100 a week plus rent paid, for 3 of us, we are struggling to live on this, heating, electric and food come to more than this each week, we have to choose between heat or food, people dont believe you when you tell them. At least you have nice weather in Portugal so you can still go out. I have worked hard over the past 12 years and still have nothing to show for it, we never have a holiday. I have applied for so many jobs, all types, but they never reply to me. I am looking at other countries to move to as well.


----------



## robc (Jul 17, 2008)

In response to Gary and Oronero. I appreciate your sentiments with regards to the UK as would most people who have made the move to exit the UK.

Just be aware that the grass is not always greener on the other side, life over here without income is tough, very tough, even for the Portuguese who have the advantage of having a large local family based support network.

The associated cost of living is not cheaper than the UK, utilities are as expensive if not more so, just about anything you need from Local Government Services will cost you money, such as Doctors appointments, Residency certificates, pretty much everything is choked in bureaucracy which will be frustrating if you dislike waiting and almost intolerable if you are waiting for something that has a major impact on your life.

There are many threads on this forum dealing with expenses of living in Portugal, worth a read maybe, there are even one or two dealing with the practicalities and viability of living a self supporting life here.

Whatever you decide, go for it, but please be aware that you could be jumping out of the frying pan....................

Rob


----------



## Guest (Feb 13, 2013)

Hi gary decorator, There's a problem asking about work on this forum as a number of expats do not work but live on private incomes/pensions or have a "may like to start a buisness" attitude. They are not out here struggling to find something to pay the bills with. The only way is to try and find work by being here and looking, which in your case is difficut, and the only places worth looking are where there's a lot of people and maybe building work going on which narrows down the search. The weather also varies and is not always like an idilic postcard picture. A couple of weeks ago where I stayed for 3 days there was rain rain wind wind and rain, water comming through the roof, no electricity, no ATMs working and no petrol pumps working, trees blocking roads and a mud slide. Obviously in some areas people just turned up their central heating and carried on watching the BBC on the internet. I know of several expats who have returned to the UK after trying to make a go of it here, several more who are struggling and probabily going under, and others who live here but go to the UK to work every couple of months. The summers (or spring) here are wonderful especially if you don't have to look for work. Good luck.


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Why do you think that those that do fall into the category of "do not work but live on private incomes/pensions" try to point out the reality to people who don't have this safety net or the same benefits as they would have in UK, just because some of us fall into this section doesn't mean to say we don't have knowledge or experience in this area.
I wish I knew just a few but unfortunately I know and have met a lot who have returned or are struggling because they overestimated their resources and the difficulty of employment, it's one thing for a single person to have a go, but totally different for a family to risk all without some considerable resources behind them.


----------



## oronero (Aug 24, 2012)

robc said:


> In response to Gary and *Oronero*. I appreciate your sentiments with regards to the UK as would most people who have made the move to exit the UK.
> 
> Just be aware that the grass is not always greener on the other side, life over here without income is tough, very tough, even for the Portuguese who have the advantage of having a large local family based support network.
> 
> ...


Thanks Rob for the warning, however I'm still coming over!

I do have more than half of my family living there and have been going there since I was born so I remember the place from a small age, certainly the 70's onwards and have very fond memories of going with my grandfather to his various hortas on the back of his donkey.

I am aware of the bureaucracy there and how you have to go with the flow as trying to fight the system causes little but stress!

The reason for being on this forum is to see a perspective of Portugal from an outsider's point of view, which is probably how I would feel moving from the UK to there. 

If I listened to my cousins who live there, they just say that it is difficult and expensive to run a business, though some of them still believe that most people in the UK earn £800 per week, so cannot understand my desire to leave.

As I may have stated previously my work involves composites, the climate is more suited to that type of work around the Lisbon and southern areas, than it is in the UK. Over 80% of my work is currently exported from the UK, so manufacturing location is of little importance in my line of work, I rarely meet my customers face to face.

Having worked in this field for the last 4 years I am getting tired of being unable to work for 4-6 weeks without having the expense of warming the workshop up so that my resins can work, especially as the bills continue to increase here! All I need is an average day-time temperature of 10 deg Celcius and I can work without heat.

Portugal offers me that possibility, I can speak the language and read most things though my written Portuguese is poor. I have a rather large family infrastructure there and the use of one of the family factory units there...so what is there to lose? 

I also have a couple of people in the UK who wish to distribute my product, so I will be over every once in a while dropping off product and collecting consumables. I have some other business activities that I wish to start in Portugal that will give me some other income streams, again relying on the export of Portuguese goods and these so far appear viable.


----------



## robc (Jul 17, 2008)

oronero said:


> Thanks Rob for the warning, however I'm still coming over!
> 
> 
> 
> Portugal offers me that possibility, I can speak the language and read most things though my written Portuguese is poor. I have a rather large family infrastructure there and the use of one of the family factory units there...so what is there to lose?


It was not a warning, more of a please approach with eyes wide and fully open. Which you seem to most definitely be doing.
Portugal is a wonderful place to live, I cannot think of anywhere else I would prefer to be at this time in my/our life, which makes it all the more heart rending when we hear of yet more people whose dream has turned in to a nightmare. 

Sadly this seems to happen all too often, when I were a lad we were reminded continually of the 5 P´s
Perfect Preparation Prevents Poor Performance....................seems just as relevant today. 

Good luck and you know where we are if you need anything.

Rob


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Not quite the normal immigrant scenario then oronero you certainly have a head start in many areas that could present problems or challenges for others, you might find this link useful as I had the devils own job finding resins etc in Portugal. Resinas resins


----------



## oronero (Aug 24, 2012)

*Canoeman* thanks for the heads-up on the resin supplier, though I notice that they are located in Spain. 

Finding suppliers in Portugal is difficult and according to some forums users located in Portugal, some suppliers there will only deal with other commercial companies. This can cause the low to medium user of composites difficulties in securing supplies, business opportunity number one...I have done all the leg-work over the last few years and obtain my materials from source now here in the UK, textile mill and chemical companies, so I can become the middle man over there.

Yes my scenario is not of the typical expat, though I do have to view matters from the perspective of an outsider...as I still do have a lot to learn and understand despite having a strong link with Portugal.

However as *RobC* says preparation is the key and I am trying to do things so that I do not stumble at too many hurdles, though I expect I will trip along my journey...I'm only human!


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

They have places both sides of border and distribute across Portugal, because of difficulty in finding product here I tried UK but carriage was rather unrealistic

Another site you might find useful AICEP - Portugal Global when investing in Portugal


----------



## oronero (Aug 24, 2012)

*Canoeman* thanks for that very interesting and useful link, it will occupy me for a few hours over the weekend!


----------



## Foota (Mar 1, 2010)

gary decorator said:


> Hi, I am a qualified Painter and Decorator with 12 years experience, I also do freehand Wall Murals, and at present living in the UK.
> I am looking into moving my family to Portugal, and was wondering if there are work oppotunities for Decorators. I would plan on learning the language and finding work before we moved. We would be looking at the Algarve area. If anyone can give me information on earning potential and any other advice would be great. Many thanks


Hi Gary i moved here 6 years ago having ran my own renevation.decorating business for 28 years! i have tried alsorts to get work decorating with no joy i signed up with the job center i offered free volantary painting work and have had nothing.
I also approched working painters on sites and get the i can't understand what yiou are saying routine! It is extreamly hard to find work in portugal due to the very low wages 450-500 euro's a month for fully qualified painter!
I would sugest you learn the language thoroughly befor approching the portuguese and maybe work for yourself using word of mouth as your advertising if you are regesterd as a business in england keep it that way and go work for yourself I don't mean to put a dampener on things but for warned as they say!
Hope this was of some help to you
foota!


----------

