# Gardening jobs around benalmadena



## scottywils (Apr 16, 2017)

Hi, i am considering moving to the benalmadena area and wondered if anyone knows if there are many gardening jobs around there or if anyone has worked in this area as a gardener and knows if work is available, what the hours are like and the average pay for this type of job.

Any information you could give will be of great help.

Thanks, scott


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

:welcome:

I'm not in Benalmádena, but in my area (one of the more expensive areas on the CB) gardeners charge about 10€ an hour. 

Factor in self-employment costs of upwards of 260€ a month, income tax, transport, equipment, & you'll see that you have to work a lot of hours to make it viable.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

You are unlikely to get a legally contracted job as a gardener. Working legally will be hard enough post-Brexit, it's being clamped down on now. Not speaking Spanish would limit work chances.

Most urbanisations have their own full-time gardeners and many, perhaps the majority of Brits live in these urbs. Those of us who don't have a huge field of applicants to choose from. We get cards and sheets of typed A4 every week from people, chiefly Moroccans but also Spaniards, offering to look after our gardens and pool. The going rate here is 10 euros an hour but I've seen flyers offering work for half that amount.

Gardening work is casual and low paid unless you have a contract with an urbanisation, hotel or similar. If you work for yourself as autonomo you have to pay a monthly sum of around 250 euros regardless of earnings plus tax. 

Not a good way to make a secure living, tbh. We had about five different gardeners, had to sack each one for doing a poor job and are so pleased with the one we have who's worked for us for four years now. He was recommended by a trusted friend. That's how you usually get work here, through contacts and it takes time and local knowledge to build up contacts.


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## scottywils (Apr 16, 2017)

Thanks for the info, i have researched on self employment out there and its looks pretty stressfull, i saw a job posted on thinkspain website for a gardener but might have to do a bit of looking into the gardening services out there as my spanish is pretty basic, dont think id like to try self employment out there, id like to find employment idealy with an english buisness.

Cheers


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

scottywils said:


> Thanks for the info, i have researched on self employment out there and its looks pretty stressfull, i saw a job posted on thinkspain website for a gardener but might have to do a bit of looking into the gardening services out there as my spanish is pretty basic, dont think id like to try self employment out there, id like to find employment idealy with an english buisness.
> 
> Cheers


If you don't want to work for yourself you'll need a contracted job. It's rare for gardening jobs to be on anything other than temporary contracts, six months or one year. Gardening/pool maintenance work is mainly casual here.
To work in Spain you need to register which means you have to prove an income of around 650 euros monthly paid into a Spanish account plus savings and arrangements for medical insurance.
Post-Brexit non-EU nationals will be offered jobs only if there is no EU national available.
So the situation isn't good.
You really need to make a visit to Benalmadena and see how things are yourself. Benalmadena is according to Spanish statistics one of the poorer towns on the CdS with a large proportion of British and other immigrants living on low retirement incomes. I don't know how true that is and obviously not every retiree is on the bread line but on the occasions I've visited it hasn't struck me as a place where people throw money about.
But you need to see for yourself. Better than second-hand opinion.


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## scottywils (Apr 16, 2017)

Thats the problem with gardening if your not contracted its a bit hit and miss for work, its the same in the uk really, i used to work as a gardener for the m.o.d so had full time work all year round which was a blessing lol. Im definitley with you on a research trip though, i can get an idea of the situation out there, the job i found was in estapona that did say full time contract maintaining private villas and comunal areas but didnt give much more information about it, but like you say going there and seeing for myself would be the best bet.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

scottywils said:


> Thats the problem with gardening if your not contracted its a bit hit and miss for work, its the same in the uk really, i used to work as a gardener for the m.o.d so had full time work all year round which was a blessing lol. Im definitley with you on a research trip though, i can get an idea of the situation out there, the job i found was in estapona that did say full time contract maintaining private villas and comunal areas but didnt give much more information about it, but like you say going there and seeing for myself would be the best bet.


I live very near to Estepona. Not one of the less expensive places to live.
The words 'full time' mean little. The word 'indefinitivo' (permanent) is important.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

scottywils said:


> Thats the problem with gardening if your not contracted its a bit hit and miss for work, its the same in the uk really, i used to work as a gardener for the m.o.d so had full time work all year round which was a blessing lol. Im definitley with you on a research trip though, i can get an idea of the situation out there, the job i found was in estapona that did say full time contract maintaining private villas and comunal areas but didnt give much more information about it, but like you say going there and seeing for myself would be the best bet.


I guess all you can do is apply for it & find out more.

Let us know how you get on.


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