I'm going to send you a shorter version of my go to list. Some products are in the UK but most are European. It will give you ideas. Let me know if you need anything else! xx
This company specialises in bespoking IKEA kitchens. Again for ideas!
But there are good makes in Spain/Portugal. I just don't know them as well. I'm thinking Roca. Might be Spanish.
My main tip is a lot of taps, etc are foiled. As in they look chrome, etc. But after about 5 yrs and with heavy use the foil starts to peel and the plastic structure beneath starts to show. So when looking at any fitting always ask if it is solid metal. Tends to feel heavier.
Also again with heavy use and constant cleaning (limescale removers and bleach even) do de careful with floor and worktop finishes. Most limestones can only be cleaned with washing up liquid. Anything else will destroy it! Marbles are tricky too. We use it a lot in Portugal. Granites are stronger but Id go for Composite.
This is fantastic Ana...I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner, we've been full-on this week...but I just want you to know this has been the extremely helpful for us this week. We're making good steady progress now (thanks to my Ana's relentless pursuit of the perfect fittings)!
Heard the Phillip interview on Wednesday, driving home to our 5 acre block. Small world now. Landed here with great plans 11 years ago... some achieved ......Now that we're 69 and 73 and a few accidents and heart issues later, we're trying to streamline the way we do things. It's good to think about how you'd cope if one was out of action. No stairs, ease of access inside and out has become important. Preparation for all contingencies that may arise is loving to ourselves and others I reckon.
Thanks Alwyn...you're right, it's good to think about...we decided to take the plunge before we hit 50 to try and give ourselves a decent run-up to get it up and running...and I love your thought about loving ourselves and others.
Yes, windows and doors in wood need painting or oiling regularly in an Alentejo climate. Window construction has evolved considerably and critical is the type of wood (in all senses). Modern well made windows don't swell even in the Portuguese interior.
We're back and forth on this one, but tend to still lean towards a mixture of materials. We hate the idea of PVC front doors for example - we'd much rather have wood as it looks so much better, but we have been warned about the swelling and the re-painting. I think we'll go for wood as the doors are facing north and stay out of the sun...and it'll be nice to have the whole arrival side of the houses looking like traditional Alentejo homes (without the colourful Barra...we're passing on that to go for white as we have so much colour in the sky and the valley). For windows and glass doors we're leaning towards PVC - it's the material of choice in most places around here and they all look in pretty good shape years on. We've also been warned about aluminium here too. Thanks for your thoughts though...we're still pondering it all!
Definitely Ikea cabinets. You can't beat the cost and the quality is pretty good. Spend the money on decent appliances. Ikeas' are not great. Their taps are not great either. Tend to not last. Their worktops are not bad. Plenty of choice. Sinks are good too. Sometimes what we do for clients is we get a carpenter to make bespoke doors for the Ikea cabinets. It can elevate a kitchen to a whole new level and still be affordable. That is if you are looking for something bit more upmarket. Metallic finishes or 'matching wall colour to cabinet' type thing. Splashbacks we tend to go elsewhere.
IKEA kitchen - 100%. Quality and design excellent these days. Can't go wrong. Plus if IKEA Portugal is anything like IKEA France (where I installed an IKEA kitchen in a house owned) IKEA uses approved contractor-installers you can rely on to instal them.
I need to make the same decision soon for a house in Venice. I love my Ikea kitchen here in Rome but was flirting with the idea of change. This helps, thank you.
We had a great design session at an IKEA "design studio" in the Algarve with an amazing designer. We are leaning towards some Estremoz pink marble for a the counter tops and although we love the design of the IKEA structure are thinking our carpenter might be better to do the front pieces. Inspired by our friend Ola we're probably going to combine it all - IKEA units, bespoke doors and a fun and very Alentejo surface...but like everything, it's a work in progress!
Well much as I do think that IKEA does have its place, very good value, brilliant for students, first time home buyers. Oh and they do make the best meatballs😀 As you will be looking for quality and longevity, maybe you should consider custom made. Good luck whatever you decide. Loving following the progress. Cheers Annie x x
Worktops. Seriously I don't think it makes sense to buy (inferior) worktops outside of Portugal. Nor do I believe there is any obligation to buy an IKEA worktop for an IKEA kitchen (I have one IKEA worktop in wood and one on granite). Granite is very solid, aesthetically pleasing and practical for guest rooms (guests will destroy wood) and so cheap in Portugal. One address near Castelo Branco https://promarmores.pt/
Or take a trip to Borba (nearer) and order in person at one of the quarries (and combine with a wine tasting visit :)). Best regards
I think we'll take your advice and head to Borba...or Estremoz...we love the pink/white pink marble and if we don't gloss it, it shouldn't stain...we met a marble artist last year who we want to go back and interview for our wine podcast, so we might ask him for some advice!
I've built both types of kitchen and definitely recommend IKEA, but you are then obliged to buy their countertops (which do not include marble or any other solid stone) or their fitters won't install it. You've already achieved so much. Just go slowly! Pole sana.
Pole sana would be great...but the builder wants decisions and we want to pin down a final quote in the next week or two...we're getting there I think...Ana's hammering it with the research and has some great ideas! Thanks for the advice Michelle.
You've a monster of a project. You asked, so here are some ideas :)
• Should the windows be wood, PVC or aluminium?
Wood is nicest but needs maintenance and expensive in Portugal. Aliminium rather ugly and cold. PVC best (though PVC not environmentally friendly).
• Can we afford polished concrete floors throughout?
If you save going for PVC instead of wooden windows :). Worth it - nice finish, can apply different colours and easy to maintain.
• Which heat pump is best for the underfloor heating? Don't know. Ask your Swedish contacts - they are experts.
• Do we go with the carpenter or IKEA for the kitchen cabinets?
IKEA much cheaper and solid and sustainable (you get replacements easily) - get the carpenter to make nice doors and drawer fronts in the wood of your choice.
• Do we install a solar pump or a regular pump for the new borehole?
No - you already have solar EL. One less gadget to maintain
• And where on earth do we buy 600m of three phase electrical cable?
Need to specify. Diameters? How many threads? A single 600m length!!?? I bought 4 x 4mm2 from Germany, now 3€ / metre (incl VAT). A couple of sites if you can find a German speaker who knows a bit about EL. 2 German on-line shops I used:
Thanks Bernard - sorry for the slow reply this week, but we saw all your ideas and have been thinking about them all this week on our various research trips. The IKEA standard size thing makes us think it'll be easier to upgrade in future...we're leaning towards a 3 phase pump as it's a lot cheaper, but need to buy that cable first...we need something crazy like "LSVAV 4x95" which is massive, aluminium and expensive...but we will see what the electricians come back with in terms of options...ie. it's cheaper to buy 1000m of one wire rather than various 100ms of different sizes (thanks for that tip Joep!)...so we're still doing the maths...
Absolutely loved this piece. I admire what you are doing and love observing your progress, in amongst the challenges you face. 'That' sunset must be incentive enough to keep going.
Waaaw, big project! Congrats!
Ahlsells har säkert en kontakt i Portugal https://www.ahlsell.se/category/el-1/kabel/00-kraftkabel
Good morning!
I'm going to send you a shorter version of my go to list. Some products are in the UK but most are European. It will give you ideas. Let me know if you need anything else! xx
This company specialises in bespoking IKEA kitchens. Again for ideas!
https://www.plykea.com
https://customfronts.co.uk
Worktops
https://www.diespeker.co.uk
https://www.mosaicfactory.com/en/
https://www.caesarstone.co.uk
https://www.silestone.co.uk
https://www.corian.uk
Kitchen appliances
https://www.bosch.co.uk
https://www.neff-home.com/uk/
https://www.smeguk.com
https://www.fisherpaykel.com/uk/
https://new.siemens.com/uk/en.html
https://www.elica.com/GB-en
https://www.liebherr.com/en/gbr/products/refrigeration-freezing/refrigeration-freezing.html
Kitchens fittings
https://www.franke.com/gb/en/home-solutions/products/taps.html
https://www.blanco.com/gb-en/kitchen-taps/
For bathrooms
https://www.hansgrohe.co.uk
Bathroom fittings: https://www.duravit.co.uk
https://www.catalano.it/en/
https://www.villeroy-boch.co.uk
Shower trays & baths: https://www.betteproducts.co.uk
https://www.kaldewei.co.uk
https://www.duravit.co.uk
Showers https://www.hansgrohe.co.uk
Shower enclosures:https://www.matki.co.uk
Taps https://en.vola.com
Specialised Baths https://williamholland.com
Sinks https://thepouredproject.com
https://www.duravit.co.uk
But there are good makes in Spain/Portugal. I just don't know them as well. I'm thinking Roca. Might be Spanish.
My main tip is a lot of taps, etc are foiled. As in they look chrome, etc. But after about 5 yrs and with heavy use the foil starts to peel and the plastic structure beneath starts to show. So when looking at any fitting always ask if it is solid metal. Tends to feel heavier.
Also again with heavy use and constant cleaning (limescale removers and bleach even) do de careful with floor and worktop finishes. Most limestones can only be cleaned with washing up liquid. Anything else will destroy it! Marbles are tricky too. We use it a lot in Portugal. Granites are stronger but Id go for Composite.
Electrical & Lighting fittings
https://www.katypaty.com
https://www.dowsingandreynolds.com
https://www.tala.co.uk
Wall finishes
https://www.embarro.com/en/
This is fantastic Ana...I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner, we've been full-on this week...but I just want you to know this has been the extremely helpful for us this week. We're making good steady progress now (thanks to my Ana's relentless pursuit of the perfect fittings)!
Heard the Phillip interview on Wednesday, driving home to our 5 acre block. Small world now. Landed here with great plans 11 years ago... some achieved ......Now that we're 69 and 73 and a few accidents and heart issues later, we're trying to streamline the way we do things. It's good to think about how you'd cope if one was out of action. No stairs, ease of access inside and out has become important. Preparation for all contingencies that may arise is loving to ourselves and others I reckon.
Have fun!
Boa sorte!
Thanks Alwyn...you're right, it's good to think about...we decided to take the plunge before we hit 50 to try and give ourselves a decent run-up to get it up and running...and I love your thought about loving ourselves and others.
You may have noticed during your few days on Madeira, no PVC here. Does not stand the constant UV.
Our windows, fitted 25 years ago , are wooden framed and require constant maintenance. Even so ,when it rains frames, doors and windows swell.
All modern or new build use aluminium frames. Expensive, but in the long run.... Boa sorte.
Yes, windows and doors in wood need painting or oiling regularly in an Alentejo climate. Window construction has evolved considerably and critical is the type of wood (in all senses). Modern well made windows don't swell even in the Portuguese interior.
We're back and forth on this one, but tend to still lean towards a mixture of materials. We hate the idea of PVC front doors for example - we'd much rather have wood as it looks so much better, but we have been warned about the swelling and the re-painting. I think we'll go for wood as the doors are facing north and stay out of the sun...and it'll be nice to have the whole arrival side of the houses looking like traditional Alentejo homes (without the colourful Barra...we're passing on that to go for white as we have so much colour in the sky and the valley). For windows and glass doors we're leaning towards PVC - it's the material of choice in most places around here and they all look in pretty good shape years on. We've also been warned about aluminium here too. Thanks for your thoughts though...we're still pondering it all!
Definitely Ikea cabinets. You can't beat the cost and the quality is pretty good. Spend the money on decent appliances. Ikeas' are not great. Their taps are not great either. Tend to not last. Their worktops are not bad. Plenty of choice. Sinks are good too. Sometimes what we do for clients is we get a carpenter to make bespoke doors for the Ikea cabinets. It can elevate a kitchen to a whole new level and still be affordable. That is if you are looking for something bit more upmarket. Metallic finishes or 'matching wall colour to cabinet' type thing. Splashbacks we tend to go elsewhere.
Great advice again...thanks
Hey lovely! Do you know a good place to go for faucets etc? 😘
IKEA kitchen - 100%. Quality and design excellent these days. Can't go wrong. Plus if IKEA Portugal is anything like IKEA France (where I installed an IKEA kitchen in a house owned) IKEA uses approved contractor-installers you can rely on to instal them.
I need to make the same decision soon for a house in Venice. I love my Ikea kitchen here in Rome but was flirting with the idea of change. This helps, thank you.
We had a great design session at an IKEA "design studio" in the Algarve with an amazing designer. We are leaning towards some Estremoz pink marble for a the counter tops and although we love the design of the IKEA structure are thinking our carpenter might be better to do the front pieces. Inspired by our friend Ola we're probably going to combine it all - IKEA units, bespoke doors and a fun and very Alentejo surface...but like everything, it's a work in progress!
Well much as I do think that IKEA does have its place, very good value, brilliant for students, first time home buyers. Oh and they do make the best meatballs😀 As you will be looking for quality and longevity, maybe you should consider custom made. Good luck whatever you decide. Loving following the progress. Cheers Annie x x
I think we'll try and combine the two Annie...bespoke doors and IKEA system behind the scenes...
I think that is a splendid plan, good thinking Batman 😀😀
Worktops. Seriously I don't think it makes sense to buy (inferior) worktops outside of Portugal. Nor do I believe there is any obligation to buy an IKEA worktop for an IKEA kitchen (I have one IKEA worktop in wood and one on granite). Granite is very solid, aesthetically pleasing and practical for guest rooms (guests will destroy wood) and so cheap in Portugal. One address near Castelo Branco https://promarmores.pt/
Or take a trip to Borba (nearer) and order in person at one of the quarries (and combine with a wine tasting visit :)). Best regards
I think we'll take your advice and head to Borba...or Estremoz...we love the pink/white pink marble and if we don't gloss it, it shouldn't stain...we met a marble artist last year who we want to go back and interview for our wine podcast, so we might ask him for some advice!
I've built both types of kitchen and definitely recommend IKEA, but you are then obliged to buy their countertops (which do not include marble or any other solid stone) or their fitters won't install it. You've already achieved so much. Just go slowly! Pole sana.
Pole sana would be great...but the builder wants decisions and we want to pin down a final quote in the next week or two...we're getting there I think...Ana's hammering it with the research and has some great ideas! Thanks for the advice Michelle.
Extreme Bushfire area like we live in equals aluminum.
Wood burns
PVC melts
I'm hoping the fire doesn't get that close again...but good thought!
You've a monster of a project. You asked, so here are some ideas :)
• Should the windows be wood, PVC or aluminium?
Wood is nicest but needs maintenance and expensive in Portugal. Aliminium rather ugly and cold. PVC best (though PVC not environmentally friendly).
• Can we afford polished concrete floors throughout?
If you save going for PVC instead of wooden windows :). Worth it - nice finish, can apply different colours and easy to maintain.
• Which heat pump is best for the underfloor heating? Don't know. Ask your Swedish contacts - they are experts.
• Do we go with the carpenter or IKEA for the kitchen cabinets?
IKEA much cheaper and solid and sustainable (you get replacements easily) - get the carpenter to make nice doors and drawer fronts in the wood of your choice.
• Do we install a solar pump or a regular pump for the new borehole?
No - you already have solar EL. One less gadget to maintain
• And where on earth do we buy 600m of three phase electrical cable?
Need to specify. Diameters? How many threads? A single 600m length!!?? I bought 4 x 4mm2 from Germany, now 3€ / metre (incl VAT). A couple of sites if you can find a German speaker who knows a bit about EL. 2 German on-line shops I used:
www.elektroversand-schmidt.de/Kabel-Leitungen/Mantelleitung-NYM-J-NYM-O/
www.elektro-wandelt.de/Kabel-Leitungen/Mantelleitung-NYM/
Good luck, Bernard, Marvão. bernardo.brookes@gmail.com
Thanks Bernard - sorry for the slow reply this week, but we saw all your ideas and have been thinking about them all this week on our various research trips. The IKEA standard size thing makes us think it'll be easier to upgrade in future...we're leaning towards a 3 phase pump as it's a lot cheaper, but need to buy that cable first...we need something crazy like "LSVAV 4x95" which is massive, aluminium and expensive...but we will see what the electricians come back with in terms of options...ie. it's cheaper to buy 1000m of one wire rather than various 100ms of different sizes (thanks for that tip Joep!)...so we're still doing the maths...
Absolutely loved this piece. I admire what you are doing and love observing your progress, in amongst the challenges you face. 'That' sunset must be incentive enough to keep going.
Happy birthday, Alastair!
Thanks Sian!
Tanti Auguri!! (I am swiping that birthday Boxing Day idea, it's brilliant)
She's good, that wife of mine...!