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Building and Renovation in Bulgaria

Building and Renovation in Bulgaria / The Guide

Building and renovation in Bulgaria is big business with so many pitfalls a guide is an invaluable resource to steer you clear of these. Okay, so you've bought real estate in Bulgaria but the place isn't built yet, it needs building, renovation and isn't fit to live in, where do you go from here?

There are a few things to bear in mind before even considering such projects.........

Here we have tried to give you a realistic and objective view of the possible problems that you may encounter. At the same time we are trying to give you a clear picture of how things are here in Bulgaria as to regards to attitudes and practices in the process of building or renovation. Things can go wrong but hopefully a guide should warn against these situations. Your Bulgarian property that you have bought should leave you excited with the project ahead.

Builders worldwide have never had a good press and in many cases for good reason, this is a fact of life. Whether you have projects in Bulgaria, Britain or anywhere in the world for that matter, you will take a risk on in terms of budget and time scale forecasts.

Many people coming to Bulgaria for the first time have the notion of building or renovating their newly acquired dream home. They usually have a picture in their head that everything here is cheap, the people are good and everything will go to plan.

Well clear these thoughts up straight away, it doesn't often happen like that in Bulgaria, just as it doesn't often happen elsewhere.

Building and renovation is a complicated process involving many factors and many things can go wrong. People have to realize that things are no different in Bulgaria than anywhere else in the world when it comes to the nuts and bolts of building and renovation.

Another fact of life in the process of building and renovating your own property is to mentally prepare for living out of boxes if you are on site; that is assuming your boxes arrive. Your personal goods and possessions from the UK may well not arrive on time, get delayed by weather or be held up for reasons only known to the authorities at customs.

In fact, prior to Bulgaria's EU membership, this was a common problem and just adds another step up in the stress factors of the moving here and is another part of the process you have to go through in settling here.

Back in the track of building and renovating in the main, there are of course many options you can choose, ranging from doing it all yourself to getting a company that does everything for you.

There is some middle ground where you can either try and employ and organise Bulgarian builders or even import British builders to do the job. Do you look for saving on costs or pay a premium for what you may think to a proper British job being done?

On both these options there are potential pitfalls, both from the lack of experience in Bulgarian workforce management skills and the lack of Bulgarian building experience from British builders.

It may well end up as a project that has to be started from scratch again after the experience! Where is the cost going to go from there?

Let's take things objectively and look at the advantages and disadvantages in each case and each option open to you.

Doing It Yourself

You may well be skilled in many areas of the DIY scene and have loads of confidence in what you are capable of doing. You may also sense that this will be the cheapest and most accountable way to do the build or renovation, but think again?
This is Bulgaria and things are very different here including the building methods and techniques used to both build a new house and renovate. What goes in the UK does not necessarily work here.

Building materials are different or the material you are used to is not easily available
The electrical, plumbing and drainage systems are made to different standards.
You may wish for an entirely British styled and standard house but can it live up to the extreme Bulgarian weather in the summer and winter?
Can it survive the very different environment where many properties can rise and fall over the seasons with the mud base they are founded on?
Can they survive a minor earthquake that the area may be prone to?
Will the build or renovation be practicable in term of living a life in Bulgaria?

You may think it will save you money but can you afford to take the chance of your inexperience in Bulgarian build or renovation techniques?

Employing Bulgarian Builders

This employing of Bulgarian builders is not a slur on the Bulgarian workforce available here. Many are very good at what they do but are essentially Bulgarian and do and think very differently and your expectations are not their reality. Quite often there are people here in Bulgaria calling themselves builders, plumbers or electricians offering their services on your doorstep. In many cases these are not legitimate or qualified masters of their trade but neighbours who see some potential work. If you ask to see their home then you will get some idea of what to expect if you take them on!

To many, this is the next best thing to doing it yourself with the advantage of native workers who are presumed masters of their trade. But think again! Bulgaria being Bulgaria churns out workers who sometimes have no experience in building or renovation work other than being a Jack of All Trades on their own home front.

It has been well documented that on many occasions many Bulgarians that confess to being "maestros" are found not to be after the work had been started, (and probably never finished!)

Here is a list of some of the problems found from many builders here in Bulgaria.

Many Bulgarians builders naturally don't speak English and those that do usually don't understand much that is of use. You don't usually get University graduates in the English language on a building site
They do what they feel is best for you, not what you want; they don't listen to your requests or instructions....... Well they do but they try so hard to help and please to the degree of thinking they have done you a big favour after being absolutely resolute that their way is best
A couple of slight differences in the word comprehension such as thinking that the English words "tomorrow" and "later" mean "never" in exact Bulgarian translation
Jobs are never completely finished, actually, never started and in some cases with money up front.
Quite often Bulgarians' sub-contract gypsies for cheap labour but in the main, the gypsies do even more of an inferior job.
The standards expected from the British are not at all understood by most Bulgarian builders. They have no insight to the building standards expected of them or that exist in the UK
Management skills in most Bulgarian builders and even building managers are lacking or non existent, (still very much a hangover from the Communist regime where they had to be told what to do at every stage)
Health and safety is an issue that is generally not addressed to UK or to Bulgarian standards in some cases.
Quite often the cost is upped from the original quote. This is due to firstly knowing that they get away with it and secondly making it apparent as things go along that the original figure was never an inclusive price. Brits usually assume that a price is for everything associated with the job, i.e. windows, but the glass extra. It's a bit like buying a car and finding out that you didn't state you wanted to buy the wheels as well but they are extra.
Finally and probably the most common problem for the Brits is a failure to understand the way most Bulgarians think. It is very different to the British way of thinking and they will say things purely on the basis of trying to please with no substance behind it other than that! This is the reason why so many Bulgarians say "No problem" but it really means "Problem" This doesn't obviously just apply to builders

Employing a Building or Renovation Manager

This is the next step along the way and until recently finding a Bulgarian who can firstly manage was one thing, but more importantly to listen to exactly what is required by the client rather than what the builder thinks you want is something that is very difficult to get.

The other option within this field is to get a British building or renovation manager who can take on the role of organising the work. Language is the biggest barrier set against this option. This however is a good way of getting things done and can work if the wheels in motion are oiled with the base ingredients of communication and understanding.

Again you have to realise that there is a big risk involved without these foundations in place and many faults may not become apparent until the work is well under way and you have committed yourself to the project.

Using an established UK-BG company to take on the project

On the face of it this may seem the most expensive way of getting the build or renovation done, but in the long run could be the cheapest as you will not have to pay to have the work done twice.

There is something else that makes this option work, guarantees!

There are a few companies around now who have established good routes of communication right through from the clients needs and wants through to the builder on site, including coordination which is essential in this line of work.

Any documentation work is usually also taken on and dealt with along with a guarantee of inclusive prices from the original quote. The worry and stress is taken away from the client who has the option of not even having to be on site as the building company will send you a weekly update including photographs of the completed work.

Of course finding a company that can take this on and be trusted is the biggest problem, but once found probably is the most painless way of getting a build or renovation done. The best advice is to speak to others that have had work done and go on "hands on" testimonials.

In a nutshell the builders you employ should have managers who completely understand your requirements, ensure that the highest possible standard of work is done in compliance with the regulations, charge you a fair price and is performed by qualified, tried and tested Bulgarian builders.

It may be worth doing a bit of homework when getting quotes from some of these companies, for example checking that what you pay for materials is at Bulgarian rates and the quality of the material is up to standard.

There is very good quality Bulgarian produced materials available at reasonable prices and just because you are British doesn't mean you have to pay inflated rates.

Shop around before committing yourself and get a full picture of guarantees given in writing. At the same time you still have to understand that a company of this type has to make a profit but not be unreasonable in the money they make out of you. They are offering a service that is much needed in Bulgaria but at the same time not a charity service!

This however is no excuse for poor after sales service and free advice which to be quite honest doesn't cost anything anyway, in this very different Bulgaria.

Other points

Bulgaria is a country with countless reasons for making it worth seeking a home here. The country, the people and the way of life are all worth the effort.The potential for buying, renovating and using a home here both for investment and living are worth a little struggle............. And what adventure doesn't contain a bit of this?

But foreigners coming here have to remember that this country of Bulgaria is so different in the way they think and conduct their services. A certain degree of control and management is needed from outside sources to get the project completed within budget and to the standards expected.