Cyprus-Forum.com

[MDH]

FOR THE PAST 5 MONTHS WE EMPLOYED A BRITISH WORKER TO BUILD THE PART OUR HOME. NOT KNOWING THAT HE WAS NOT REGISTERED WITH THE CYPRUS AUTHORITIES AS A BUILDER, WE PROCEEDED. BASICALLY IT TURNED INTO OUR WORST NIGHTMARE AND ARE LEFT WONDERING WHERE HE TIED UP HIS HORSE! OF COURSE WE PARTED WITH A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF CASH AND NOW HE HAS WALKED AWAY FROM THE JOB. TRYING TO FIND OUT IF WE CAN GET THE LEGAL SIDE MOVING HAS BEEN DIFFICULT AS IT FALLS BACK ON THE FACT THAT HE IS CLASSED AS AN EX-PAT HERE ON A RETIREMENT BASIS.

I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SOME SIMILAR PROBLEMS. NOT MENTIONING NAMES BUT HE IS WELSH SO BE CAREFUL AND I ADVISE TO CHECK OUT CREDENTIALS BEFORE EMPLOYING. IT WOULD HELP IF THERE IS GUIDE OR CITIZENS ADVICE FOR MATTERS LIKE THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO WARN OTHER WOULD BE PRAY AS I HAVE SINCE LEARNED WE ARE NOT THE FIRST.

[nhowarth]

Hi MDH,

I'm sorry to hear of your problems, but as you may have guessed by now, there are more cowboys in the construction industry than all the John Wayne movies put together - and not all of them are Cypriot!

In Cyprus, all building contractors are rquired to register with the 'Council for the Registration and Control of Building & Civil Engineering Contractors' (see: http://www.contractors-council.org.cy/index.php?lang=en )

As well as licencing contractors, the Council also grades them according to their 'class' and 'experience' and contractors are required to display the Council's 'logo' and their registration details at the site of their projects.

Regards,

[cyprusgrump]

This whole area can be a bit of a mess – I gather that getting a licence is a little like getting an Equity card in the UK, you can’t legally build without one but can’t get one until you have completed a number of projects...

It is further complicated because having a permit doesn’t require the contractor to employ builders of any particular standard.

Consequently, there are some superb projects completed by unlicensed builders and some terrible ones completed by licensed ones (and vice versa of course).

As always, ‘buyer beware’ is the best advice that can be given – if you are embarking on a project of any size it is best to get references and actually view work that has previously been completed.

Remember also that the larger developers don’t actually employ their own builders – they subcontract the work. If a developer shows you a project by way of a reference, make sure that your house will be built by the same builder. I know of one project by a large developer where six villas were built by one contractor and one by another – the difference in quality between them is absolutely staggering.

[TheCabbie]

Unfortunately there have been a lot of British (and other) Cowboys coming over and (because a lot of Cypriot builders/contractors are crap) convincing Ex-Pat home owners that the only way they'll get a good job done is by employing another ex-pat.

I heard of an ex-pat "electrician" who did a very bad and dangerous wiring job on a house in Oroklini, he over charged and disappeared leaving the owners to find a registered Cypriot electrician to rewire the whole job.

Best to be careful and try and get a personal recomendation before you hand over your hard earned readies!

[andri_cy]

Well that sucks doesnt it?

[nhowarth]

> Well that sucks doesnt it?

It certainly does Andri. Of course, Cypriots know who the cowboys are and avoid them like the plague (have you ever seen Cypriots buying properties from any of the developers who target the expatriate market?)

The problem virtually all foreignors face when buying or building here is getting the inside knowledge and knowing who they can and cannot trust to do a good job and not rip them off.

Regards,

[lysi]

MDH, why didnt you employ a cypriot builder ? are you a little englander ?

[andri_cy]

Thats true Nigel. I have never heard any of my family and friends that built their houses complain about their laborers. Maybe people should ask advice from people that completed their projects, they would be able to let them in on some useful stuff.

[nhowarth]

Hi Andri,

The problem is that there are so many poor quality property developers targeting the expatriate market, they give the whole of the Cyprus construction industry a bad name.

It's quite easy to find reputable property developers and builders, but most expatriates don't bother to look. They see a few (hundred) signs in English and then get led like lambs to slaughter.

I have people telling me 'of course the house will be damp', 'of course the windows will leak', 'of course they don't insulate or damp-proof houses properly', etc, etc. - this is Cyprus, that's the way they build here.

Regards,

[MDH]

Hi thanks for the replies to date. Yes I did actually emply Cypriot workmen too. I still have them working on one section and they have done a great job. The other area needed specialist work and yes, it was very special to the point that it may need to be rebuilt! It was very difficult finding information out on what is available on the local net, even going through yellow pages, web searches etc.



By the way, no I'm not a little Englander. Are you a Little Anti Brit?