Construction/Building/Trades Jobs in Spain: How to Find Work

The building and construction industry can involve building entire apartment blocks and roads however most building and construction projects in Spain are relatively small additions to properties such as extensions and small renovations.

There are a vast number of different types of jobs in the construction industry and in this article we will cover a few of the more common ones that will enable you to potentially get a job in Spain.

In the decade preceding 2008 a huge amount of urbanisations and new developments were planned and built in Spain leading to a shortage of construction workers.

The pay was good and an influx of foreign workers came to Spain to start a new life.

Sadly the Spanish banks had overextended themselves and the bubble burst!

Unfortunately the boom in the building industry in Spain has come to a grinding halt and this is the worst possible time to be looking for work in this area.

Having said all that that, if you are a tradesmen, builder or construction worker determined to move to Spain then we will try give you some of the better options in the construction sector.

Becoming a tradesmen in Spain is pretty easy because most customers do not seem to check whether you have any professional qualifications or not. It seems any DIY enthusiast gets off the plane in Spain and declares himself a qualified tradesmen!

Working as a tradesman in Spain is one of the best ways of getting a job in Spain or finding work simply because as an English-speaking person who perhaps doesn’t speak any Spanish, you can be working for fellow English-speaking people.

Jobs for Builders in 2023 & 2024

If you are a builder then you have good possibilities by making good money in Spain. If you have the finance behind you then it is possible to buy relatively cheap plots of land and construct a new build villa and sell for a healthy profit.

The property market in Spain is of course very depressed but there are still buyers out there. The key is to build the property in one of the popular expatriate areas that still retain its popularity to British people.

There are still plenty of expatriates looking to maintain their property or build extensions or swimming pools so there is plenty of property maintenance work available in Spain, just a lot of competition!

Perhaps an out the box idea would be to contact some builders living on the Costa Blanca and ask if they have any work going? Try building and construction companies on the Costa del Sol as well.

Working as a Plumber

With plenty of British people living in Spain there is a definite demand for plumbers who can deal with issues such as servicing boilers, dealing with leaks and pipework.

Many people will require their properties to be updated which will naturally include the bathrooms and kitchens.

Plumbers in Spain can earn good money by being self-employed and charging a daily rate of €100 a day to €150 a day.

Rather than looking for a job as a plumber you would probably be better off starting your own business and becoming self-employed.

Consider contacting some plumbers on the Costa del Sol or Costa Blanca to see if they have any job vacancies.

Electrician Jobs

Just like plumbers there is of course a healthy demand for electricians in Spain. Naturally Spanish people are going to use Spanish electricians so you need to focus in on the expatriate market which will predominantly be in the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca areas.

Many expats in Spain have bought old villas aged around 30 years old that require a complete rewiring. Typically electricians charge €3000-€4000 for this work which takes approximately 3 weeks. With a very healthy profit margin, electricians can enjoy a very comfortable living in Spain given that the cost of living is relatively low.

Jobs for Painters and Decorators

Painters and decorators in Spain usually earn around €100 a day. Again it is usual to set up your own business than to become employed simply because most construction companies in Spain tend to be one-man bands.

Becoming a painter in Spain is pretty simple work as most people can slap some paint on walls. Villas and apartments are always being exposed to the weather, especially the heavy Spanish rain, and therefore always need to be updated.

There are many Spanish villa painting companies that claim to be able to spray paint your villa with paint that lasts an entire lifetime but from what we can find out it appears that this simply isn’t true. Therefore if you own a villa in Spain it is likely to be needing to be repainted every 10 years at the very least.

Consider contacting some painters on the Costa del Sol or Costa Blanca to see if they have any job vacancies.

Other Work in Construction/Building Industry

There are many outdated villas and apartments requiring major renovation, works and maintenance. Certainly if you have skills as a carpenter, engineer, technician, roofer, tiler, plasterer, bricklayer, labourer or another construction type tradesman then you are likely to finding work in Spain whether it be for yourself or for an employer.

Below we list some of the other construction jobs:

• Architect
• Building Surveyor
• Buyer
• CAD Technician
• Civil Engineer
• Commercial Manager
• Contracts Manager
• Electrical Engineer
• Estimator
• Facilities Manager
• Health & Safety Manager
• Mechanical Engineer
• Planner
• Project Manager
• Quantity Surveyor
• Site Engineer
• Site Manager
• Skilled Trades
• Structural Engineer
• Water Engineer

How Much Can I Earn in Spain?

Clearly there is no one answer to this question but to give you examples from people we know:

Working on a building site in Spain as a plumber, builder, tiler or carpenter the daily rate is usually between €80-€100 Euros.

For electricians in Spain there is lots of lucrative work rewiring houses, villas and apartments in Spain as many of the villas are now over 30 years old and require a complete rewiring to bring their houses up to European Union specifications and standards. The price of a typical three or four-bedroom villa can often be about €4000 so the opportunity to make good money in Spain is certainly there.

One advantage you have in search of jobs is that there is a large expatriate population in Spain and they typically prefer to deal with English-speaking people rather than local Spanish tradesmen and builders.

Most Popular Places in Spain To Find Work:

• Barcelona
• Benidorm
• Gran Canaria
• Ibiza
• Lanzarote
• Majorca (Mallorca)
• Magaluf
• Marbella
• Tenerife

Most Popular Work:

• Bar Work in Spain
• Waiters – Waitress
• Skilled Tradesmen
• Holiday/Travel Reps
• Hotel
• Summer & Student Work
• TEFL/Teach English

Helpful Pages if Moving to Spain:

True Stories of Moving to Spain

Long-Term Property Rentals

Guide to Buying a Property

I Hate Spain – Shocking Opinions!

We also have our Spanish Job Prospects Section.