Life in France

A not every day story of normal people trying to live their dream in France starting at the beginning and ending?

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

The Plumber

Choosing a plumber for the work to be done which was a complete new installation of domestic water (from a spring not mains), domestic heating including underfloor heating all powered by solar power & traditional boiler was not just a case of looking in the trade directory and ringing a few and getting quotes. That would be far to easy this is France after all. Because we have been approved for grants to help us rebuild the house we can only choose a plumber that is registered and approved by the government department for solar energy. That narrowed it down to 1!!! So that's who we had to use. He is also doing the electrics which again is a complete new installation as all the old stuff we ripped out as it was damned dangerous. Turns out when he starts work that he doesn't do electrics he has sub-contracted it to a friend who is a qualified electrician. This decision as it happens has come back to haunt us.
All the tradesman have to sign a document proving that they have all the relevant insurances and that they agree to the specifications drawn up by the architect and the time scales for the work to be completed within. This is important for reference later on. Initially work progresses at a good pace and the electrics are 90% finished within the time scale. Just leaving a couple of "small things" which the plumber said he could do. Oh if only!!! After 3 months and reaching the completion date all is not well. The plumber asks for an extra month to finish off as he claims he was held up by the builder! Ok we'll go with that as there were a couple of problems. So end of month........ Not so, another month....... Another month.........need more specialist parts....Another month....Another meeting to find out why he not finished, bearing in mind we have paid him a lot of money by now and NOTHING is 100% finished. Remember those "small things"? Turns out he hasn't got a clue!!! We refuse to pay him anymore money, he threatens legal action, the architect says ok lets go to court!!!! Plumber throws a tantrum and walks off site... That was three months ago he hasn't been back since and we haven't heard from him at all, not a squeak, bugger all, complete silence!

So I am finishing things off myself!!! Amazing what you can learn while actually doing the work. Hell of a way to learn though!!!!! Not sure how we are going to get the approval certificate but we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it.

Ho Hum what a life eh... Are all tradesman this bad or are we just unlucky?

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