Help at an old farmhouse restoration project off-grid in the hills of Andulasia, Spain

  • Favourited 633 times
  • Last activity: 16 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    November 24 update: Looking for people to join us again after a few months away from Workaway, AND looking for house sitters over Christmas (20/12-04/01) to look after doggies, chickens and house! Please get in touch :)


    Hi everyone,

    We are Chloe and Nat and we have two small children, 5 and 2

    We bought an abandoned farmhouse online 5 years ago - with no water, electricity and barely a roof. We had been working in Asia for the best part of 10 years prior and wanted to have a change of lifestyle. The house is incredible, its in the middle of nowhere - you cannot see another house around and you have 360 valley views yet are only 10 minutes from Manilva and Tesorillo, 20 from Sotogrande, Estepona and the Manilva beaches and 50 minutes to Tarifa .

    We now have a full electricity set up from Solar and batteries, soon to have wind also hopefully. Water is not quite as simple - we have exhausted all the easier options but now have to collect rain water into a small lake and are considering investing in atmospheric water generators - especially if my husband gets his way.

    We have renovated a lot of the house, and now focusing on the land, and exterior areas.

    My husband is messy, I have two VERY messy feral children and I am a total neat freak who loves things clean and tidy - living here really tests my OCD. Its quite dusty, windy, unfinished and full of uneven tiles to trip over etc, but its got amazing feelings about it, beautiful views, lovely dogs, full of music and people who really appreciate the love and effort others have put into making our dream become a reality.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Babysitting and creative play
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Learn about how we are restoring the building and land using mostly very traditional techniques teamed with modern techniques for our energy and water. Solar, Batteries and almost wind are all in use and we are currently learning about how to restore a 500 year old Hera on the land. Lots to learn about water management, we are on top of a hill where when it rains, it really rains, as well as traditional and modern building and construction techniques.

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    Anyone who is able to come and give a helping hand to work on this restoration project will be welcomed warmly into our family!

    Ideally we are looking for someone who will be able to stay in the house and help out with the following:

    - Plumbers and carpenters - always!!!
    - Keen painters - we need to paint the house internally before winter
    - Need to build a pergola over the courtyard
    - Lots of planting across the land before winter.

    We are super hard workers, who always like to have a good time at the same time. We don’t like to have lazy people here, we want people who are enthusiastic passionate and want to fill their time with experience and laughter, keen gardeners are always welcome as we are starting to build the long term garden dream here, we love to have a drink and and relax at the end of the day, but just want proactive, helpful and hardworking people and in return we can provide you with an incredible wonderful setting in a super interesting eco off grid restoration.

    We are also keen to have an au pair join us long term to help with the children - get in touch if interested - even better would be a couple who would be keen to stay long term (3-12 months) - one helping with the kids and the other on the land and the house.

    If you have a car great, if you just need a few lifts then thats fine also, but if you need access to one of the cars you would need to be over 30 to be covered by insurance.

    Thanks all!! :)

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Spanish: Fluent

    This host offers a language exchange
    This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
    You can contact them directly for more information.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    We have a small guest house with three bedroom bathrooms for people coming to stay. There is Fast WiFi accessibility, limited water supply (people who need two long showers a day aren’t ideal!!), the main house has a sitting room, bathroom, sitting area and dining area, the kitchen is always fully stocked, Nats a great cook but we don’t always have the time so it’s great to have couples who love cooking also.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    While it seems we are super remote, not being able to see another house or person from the farm, we are actually only 10 minutes drive from Secadero or Manilva. Sotogrande is only 25 minutes away, Gibraltar in 35 mins and Tarifa is 50 mins.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    We have starlink wifi

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    Welcome to come with campervans and motorhomes!

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    Potentially

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 563727633611

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