Cowboy Builders Channel 5

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Unicorn
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Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby Unicorn » Thu Apr 17, 2014 9:12 pm

Just watched Cowboy Builders. I do feel sorry for the people involved but cannot believe they would trust someone 'because they are British'! And why do all these presenters of the programmes wear, as a badge of pride, their lack of Spanish? There must be someone available who can speak the language. Maybe Michael Portillo would be available?
There have been so many programmes like this how come people still buy having done no research? The story of dodgy buildings/builders here in Spain has being running for ages.

In the campo do buildings not have to be okayed by someone re sewage etc? They do in town. Surely there are some checks?

katy
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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby katy » Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:38 pm

Yes it was a rubbish programme. The guy who bought the "hotel" didn't use a Lawyer. Strange how the Guardian Civil came and taped it off...how did they know, it was in the middle of nowhere, yet they have built huge apartment blocks all over the place in built up areas that did not have licences. Had to fell sorry for him even though he was an idiot....but when was being an idiot a punishable offence.

The other seemed a bit trivial. No heating in the bedrooms, fireplace not working. Them and thousands more :lol: wonder how they manage to live. Didn't seem the type that would have an income from anywhere. Said they were going to keep chickens etc. but had done nothing until the TV bought them three :roll:

BTW the TV company do employ Spanish speaking researchers. Presenters only come in for the kill :)

Their was also a programme earlier called "escape to the Continent" tonight was Portugal...same old.

Unicorn
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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby Unicorn » Thu Apr 17, 2014 11:05 pm

Yes Katy, I am sure they have Spanish researchers, but it always makes all British seem really ignorant about speaking another language. There have been other programmes where people try out a foreign country for a week, the presenter comes back after and one kid says one word in Spanish and they say 'Oh, they are speaking Spanish/Italian' or whatever. It gives us all a bad name.
BTW, anyone who uses no lawyer, or one recommended by the seller or agent, God forbid, needs their head examined. And I agree, those chickens were going to have to work really hard to keep that house going. I bet they were huddled up by that generator.

Who couldn't see there was no chimney and minimal solar panels? Or a seriously dangerous first floor French suicide window?

chrissyboy
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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby chrissyboy » Thu Apr 17, 2014 11:08 pm

The second one was more like a makeover.
I feel sorry for the chickens.

Unicorn
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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby Unicorn » Thu Apr 17, 2014 11:11 pm

Yes, the poor old chicks' house had not arrived.

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scampicat
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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby scampicat » Fri Apr 18, 2014 6:45 am

I have heard Kevin Macleod on Grand Designs speak in both French and Italian, and understand what was said back to him. So not all the presenters lack language skills.

I agree that Miguel Xavier Denzil Portillo would be excellent. Such a charming man with beautiful jackets. :)

I don't think he's interested in house building though.

chrissyboy
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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby chrissyboy » Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:17 am

Unicorn wrote:
In the campo do buildings not have to be okayed by someone re sewage etc? They do in town. Surely there are some checks?
To get the water connected to my house I had to comply with 'Medio Ambiente' regulations and install a three stage septic tank before the Junta would approve the connection of the water. The house had an existing soak-away but this did not comply with the regs. Fair enough.

However, there are plenty of houses in the campo that have a soak away and have done for years but any new connection or reconnection will have to comply with the regulations. I have no idea as to whether these houses are being checked or being compelled to upgrade.

I'm guessing the house in the program already had water connected when they bought it but the builder just bodged the work. Considering the fact that raw sewage was going directly into the water course I'm surprised the authorities did not get involved.

regards
chrissyboy

MartinEB
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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby MartinEB » Fri Apr 18, 2014 4:05 pm

katy wrote: Didn't seem the type that would have an income from anywhere.
How on earth could you possibly know that, good to see that stereotyping is alive and well :thumbdown:

katy
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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby katy » Fri Apr 18, 2014 4:46 pm

Tell me how many couples in their 40's can afford to retire in the middle of nowhere. I assume if they had any money then they would have done those improvements without relying on the TV company to do them. They did say they didn't have any money. But by all means have a go if it makes you happy :crazy: NEXT

BTW those houses will probably be illegal anyway as it said they were in a protected area.

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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby carrowcrin » Fri Apr 18, 2014 5:52 pm

the reason the tv channels put on silly programmes like these is that silly people like me love watching them and we tell ourselves how clever we were when we bought our properties... I did not see this prog but most of the uk builders I came across in spain were chancers...
there was one prog on about 5 years ago about two couples who went over to start a B & B... one of them got broken down before they left the uk... they ended up falling out and one couple went back to uk... from memory I think it went back and checked in on the guy that stayed for a few years... I remember towards the end him saying he had crashed on every corner as he used to stop for a beer on his way back from work... does anyone remember the name of this prog...

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patricia
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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby patricia » Fri Apr 18, 2014 6:57 pm

What BBC channel was it on. I shall try to look at it on "catchup" iplayer!
Torrox Costa "El mejor clima de Europa"

El Cid
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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby El Cid » Fri Apr 18, 2014 7:21 pm

patricia wrote:What BBC channel was it on. I shall try to look at it on "catchup" iplayer!
The clue is in the thread title and it wasn't the BBC.

SID

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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby anyroads » Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:16 pm

carrowcrin wrote:the reason the tv channels put on silly programmes like these is that silly people like me love watching them and we tell ourselves how clever we were when we bought our properties... I did not see this prog but most of the uk builders I came across in spain were chancers...
there was one prog on about 5 years ago about two couples who went over to start a B & B... one of them got broken down before they left the uk... they ended up falling out and one couple went back to uk... from memory I think it went back and checked in on the guy that stayed for a few years... I remember towards the end him saying he had crashed on every corner as he used to stop for a beer on his way back from work... does anyone remember the name of this prog...
Top Beer ?

anyroads

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patricia
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Re: Cowboy Builders Channel 5

Postby patricia » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:09 am

El Cid wrote:
patricia wrote:What BBC channel was it on. I shall try to look at it on "catchup" iplayer!
The clue is in the thread title and it wasn't the BBC.

SID
True :crazy: Just as well I have never been called to be a witness :mrgreen:
Torrox Costa "El mejor clima de Europa"


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