Here we go again
Drop in for a natter about anything French related.-
Hotrodder
- Posts: 3370
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 8:31 pm
- Location: Brittany 22
Here we go again
Your stories make me feel great about not being able to afford tradesmen to come in and help with my renovations. I sleep well at night, being absolutely knackered, without stressing about useless "artisans" ripping me off.
On my headstone it will say: Please switch off mobile phones. I'm trying to get some sleep.
-
Quiksilver
- Posts: 1039
- Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2021 9:18 pm
- Location: 47
Here we go again
There's one factor that people tend to overlook when criticising artisans of any nationality, and that's insurance. If anyone is responsible for the sad, litigious state of affairs in France recently it has to be the insurance industry. No-one wants to take on a previous artisan's problems and get embroiled in insurance claim disputes. When we came here it was a pleasant surprise to discover insurance companies that honoured their reasonably-priced contracts. Sadly, France seems to have gone the same way as UK and USA. What's even worse is that you can find yourself with a job that needs doing and absolutely no-one will touch it because of the decennal insurance implications. So you just sit and watch while your property crumbles....
-
Spectrum
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2021 7:59 am
- Location: 16
Here we go again
We had no choice it was an insurance pay-out, yes in the past we did most of our own work but time is catching up with us and unable to do as much as the good old days.
-
Blaze
- Posts: 5575
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:06 pm
- Location: Ille et Villaine (35)
Here we go again
We've got to the stage where we no longer want (or need) to do the work ourselves and the excellent artisans we have found here through word of mouth have been a pleasure to have around. The other plus is that the work gets done in a fraction of the time. There are certain things, however, that we still do ourselves : electricity and painting, and that saves us a fortune. Electricity is OH's area of expertise and painting is mine.
On the few occasions we've had to claim on our insurance, they've paid up without a quibble. We were surprised in one instance because the cost of repairs for the car were not far short of its value .... Perhaps it depends on the company - we've been with the same one for nearly 30 years so they've done pretty well out of us !
Major disasters - fire, flooding etc - cost insurance companies a fortune so it's not surprising that premiums go up.
Property and personal belongings are not necessarily insured in France when not in the house or the car - you need to check your policy carefully. I have to insure my accordions/melodeons separately because our house/car insurances don't cover them. The theft of musical instruments is rife ...