Pratdip, Catalunya 2008

In the early 70’s my parents, who had raised their family in Germany, acquired a holiday home in Tarragona, Spain. The house proved relatively inexpensive, compared to property prices in Germany at that time. This was to be my first experience of the Spanish construction business: standards were variable and, at their worst, very poor. For example, there were no earth-wired sockets or double-glazing. In properties of this age, and younger, these problems can still exist today. New-build properties can also suffer from a level of expertise and workmanship that has not kept pace with current customer requirements.

As a young man, I developed a passion for perfection, regarding the manufacture and finish of goods, whatever they were. I looked for style and quality in bikes and cars, and came to appreciate the same in materials such as wood, metal, masonry and others. The detail and finish of workmanship proved fascinating to me.

As a skilled technician of electronics I left home in the early 80’s and went to do some technical studies in England and later in the Unites States and South America. I also gained experience working on cruise ships around the world. This proved an invaluable opportunity to develop knowledge and technical skills, whilst at the same reinforcing communication skills and an appreciation of integrity.

Coral Gables, Florida 1988

At the end of the 80’s I returned to Europe and, having established a relationship with Spain/Catalunya in my youth, I decided to settle down in the “sunshine state of Europe”, prepared to accept the positive and the negative.

By the beginning of the 90’s I had gained a wide experience of, and insight into, the Spanish construction business. Owning, developing and restoring my own properties led to others seeking my advice. A number of holiday homes and permanent residences of friends of mine were constructed, fitted and finished according to my personal instructions, delivered to local builders. I was able to observe closely how materials and styles of construction change over the years, and to therefore assess the long, or often short term durability of both.

Over 20 years I have learned what influences any construction, the positive and the negative elements relating to both the internal and external features of a property and home. I have kept in my mind developments of the last 20 years and a sense of how these relate to today’s costs. I am concerned about the enormous increase in costs that the would-be property owner in Spain is having to meet. I want to make it my business to ensure that where these costs cannot be reduced they can be accepted as a guarantee of top class materials and workmanship.