English Builders – How to choose one?
Well I’ve been reading a few of the forums about English Builders.
It seems to me that there are the same problems here in France as in England.
I think these problems seem to be exaggerated here because of the extra problem of the language. Wherever I have lived I have always known good builders and ‘people it was best not to trust’.
When your choice of workers are limited by a foreign language it does make the situation a little restricted. I appreciate that a lot of British people who have chosen to live in France don’t necessarily have a lot of money. In fact for some couples I have met, it is exactly that reason which has brought them here.
It is tempting to employ unregistered builders because of the cost of their wages. I’m sure there are many happy unregistered builders out there and clients who use them, but these will not be the first people to advertise on the internet! After all it is illegal, and I don’t think most people are that stupid.
Obviously, my advice follows the advice of most people in these forums and that is to employ registered builders. I would be foolish not to say that as I am registered with the Chambre de Métiers at Laval, and I would be ‘shooting myself in the foot’ if I suggested otherwise.
Unfortunately, I also realize that just because someone is registered, does not mean that their ability is guaranteed.!! They can have qualifications but their quality of work can still be less than perfect. I am pleased to say that almost all of my clients have asked me back to do more work for them. This seems to suggest that my quality of finish must be acceptable at the very least.!
I think asking people who are having work done are one of the best people to get an honest opinion from. Although, even in that situation you can make a mistake because the work you require is not the same as your neighbours.!
I did read what I thought was a good suggestion, that is to ask for the builder to do a small job first. In this way you can judge whether he is reliable in his time keeping and whether he is good to his word.
This has happened to me before. I have been asked to do a small job and at the end of that have been asked to continue to do further more extensive work.
If anyone had ‘The Answer’ to this problem, they would become a very rich man.
Take your time, and listen to your instincts…..
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