Chile Forum

Do you know anything about plumbing? From what I can tell, noone here does.

haole wrote:Do you have to be licensed to do the trades in Chile? Like in the some parts of the USA?

I don't know the answer to that one. I haven't been here that long. But my general impression is, there's a lot of technology here. But not enough education on how to use it. That, and some of the stuff we get here isn't exactly the highest quality. But that could be because not many people are willing or able to pay for the better stuff. For example I'm living in a house that can't be 10 years old. But the light switches kinda crackle inside sometimes. And you have to be careful to turn the gas off when you turn the stove burners off. Or if you're only using one burner, you have to use the right one, or you'll start smelling gas. The tv series "Dead Like Me" comes to mind whenever I think about that combination. I'm thinking if you're really good at what you do. You actually show up when you say you will. And some of your customers aren't from around here, and are used to paying more. And used to people who actually show up. Maybe (just guessing) you'll do ok. And the wine is really good, and cheap.

You seem to have some skills and experience. That is a good start. Half the people that ask this question would have trouble starting a biz back home, let alone in another country.

The million dollar question however is, do you speak Spanish?

haole wrote:First I am in my late 50. I would need to start a small business in Chile to live there.

Starting a business in your late 50s is not the same as doing it in your 30s. Unfamiliar surroundings, language, and customs are also burdens that have to be shouldered. Be honest with yourself, do you have the juice to do it?

Be careful what you discuss publicly. Keep your cards close to your chest in these matters. Read the forum and learn to separate the crap from the dirty gold nuggets.

And remember, THIS IS CHILE, not Mexico, not Argentina, not Panama, etc. The animal can and will be different. You may have to abandon that previously seeming meticulously can''t go wrong plan with PLAN C or PLAN F or at least modify it beyond present recognition.

Suerte.

haole wrote:First I am in my late 50. I would need to start a small business in Chile to live there. Just to start let's say I need to earn $40,000 a year. In the states I own two small businesses, my wife an I run both, no employees. They are our only income.The following are business I could try, things I have some experience in.

1. Small engineering Co. PLC programming, control systems, wonderware.

2. House and apartment rentals. if I buy a rental property for $100,000 what can I rent it for? $1000/month would be excellent. $500/month is what we get here.

3. Import Export. My wife and i imported jewelry and slippers to the states for years.

4. Thai restaurant, we have never done this, but the wife has the background.

5. Farming, ranching, when i was very little my Dad was a farmer, i remember some. maybe beef cattle, not as much work.

6. English teacher, tutor.

Any other ideas?

Reading the thread "Ingredients for Mexican Food" on this forum, growing spicy gourmet peppers hydroponically or importing them from Yucatán, Mexico, might be a nice niche business idea . Adding tortillería might be in order, too. I don't know about netting US$40K per year this way, though....

patagoniax wrote:

haole wrote:Do you have to be licensed to do the trades in Chile? Like in the some parts of the USA?

Licenced? You don't even have to be competent to practice the trades in Chile.

You need a bent rusty screw driver... and your a plumber...

gringo = no loans, at least until you have been here a while and established a credit / income in the country.

depends where and what you are trying to rent.

haole wrote:GOOD REPLIES.

But what about apartment or hosue rentals. what is the ratio rent/price. A 1% ratio would mean buy for 100,000 and rent for 1000 a month. If you can get loans in the local peso it might be great, inflation eats loans. Any info?

its closer to 0.5%, 2 bedroom apartment in good area will cost $160,000 in the low end to buy.... you can only rent it for $800 max per month...

There is alot more money in short term furnished apartment rentals, but that market is becoming flooded.....

Survey sez!: Electrician. Installing wiring in houses and businesses. Definitely needed. I don't know you or your state of physical fitness & general health but realistically your age may work against you. Possibly could hire & train an employee or two; that would be an adventure all by itself. Generally most house wiring in Chile is abysmal so if you know what you're doing you could probably get quite a bit of work if you network. Do you know Spanish? Not that it would help much in Chile but it's a start.

patagoniax wrote:
If you are an ME maybe you should look into opportunities there? There is ME work in the mining industry where non-chilenos are often found. Several Canadian employers in the country.

We need to stop doing people a dis-service and put this myth to death. Unless you are already in the mining industry and at that fairly high up on the ladder you NEED spanish to work in Chile, even then once you get here you need the ability to learn spanish quickly or you will be ineffective in your job. There are VERY FEW foreign workers in the Canadian and Australian owned mining companies. There are exceptions, yes, but being a mechanical engineer or other skilled worker in the mining industry is not going to get you a foot in the door in chile unless you already speak spanish fluently.

zer0nz wrote:You need a bent rusty screw driver... and your a plumber...

I knew there was something wrong with my DIY plumbing (there I thought it was using flux paste in the joints).