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savvysarthe

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  1. Do you have the room to install geothermal? you can then run underfloor heating in the whole house. The problem with radiators in an old house is that you get 'cold spots'. With geothermal you could set the heat exchanger on an electric timer so that the house remained at a constant temperature, very important if it is only a holiday home as it can get very damp here in Pays de la Loire in the winter.  
  2. In response to concerns. If the orignal devis was not in french then its not worth the paper its written on, also if  a start date and a time scale is included (which it should be anyway) then you're well within your rights to question and even revoke the contract as in effect it has not been honoured by the artisan as he hasn't turned up.    
  3. Hi, What is st Marc and where can I get it from.
  4. Hi inkflo,   Where are you located? There is a reason for asking this which may become clearer depending on your response The regulations in France are the same as in the UK and based on good old common sense. They are there for a reason (to stop us getting ill). With regard to cotistations, there are new rules about microbics which you may find usefull as you only pay 24% of your actual figures now. There is another thread which states a website mamicrobic or something similar, have a look.    
  5. Try posting this in the building and rennovation thread, you may get more luck.....
  6. You may get a bit of luck popping into your local for a midi and asking in there. Maybe there is a local French firm who want a quick weekend job. Always worth a try
  7. Groupama do a very good deal. To be honest, you should have this anyway to cover any work you do.
  8. Just a word of warning. You really need to think about what you will be putting the kids through (friends, language, etc) I know this because i did it and once my children were settled in school (and it took 6 months) they didn't want to leave to go and do it all again just because i had found the house that i wanted to buy. It was very hard for them (11 and 13), they had to attend lessons which were delivered in French with little available support to learn the new language quickly. I now know how they feel as i am a teacher and about 30% of my students are imigrants who cannot speak English or have very little understanding of it. I would like to spend time with them, but i have no time spare. I have targets to meet and another 70% to get through exams. Yours will be embarking on college, with hefty exams at the end so will need all the language suport you can get them to ensure they achieve. Youth unemployment in France is bad enough without the disadvantage of low bac grade because of language limitations. Saying that, the boys did pick it up slowly, but as i said, they were way behind on the knowledge front. Support and structure will be the keys to success....
  9. Hi PJ, If you're passing, we are in between Le Mans and Orleans, just off the A28 in a little village called Montaille. I say we, but what i mean is my hubby Chris who is working on our house whilst i continue to teach here in the UK. The house is warm and dry and there are lots of 'little jobs' to do. It is not the Ritz, far from it, but we love it and it will be lush. We havn't got internet there yet, but there is a nice little Mediateque in the village. As we are not very far down, you may not want to stay too long as it's not that warm yet, but you are welcome to 'bed down' for a bit, eat some food and lend a hand. Bonne Courage a toi.....
  10. Hi all, I can see both sides of the story. However, we always ask for a deposit as the type of work we do necessitates the advanced purchase of materials and equipment, some of which is quite expensive. Artisans cannot afford to cover this materials cost from their own pockets or we would have no income at all. To agree a devis and take a deposit and then not honour the agreement is disgusting and that kind of practice is damaging for us honest people who are just trying to make a living in a country that often makes it hard for the little people. I don't know what the answer is.......i know that you can contact the Chambre de Metiers and they can do something on your behalf if the artisan is registered (which he should be). We have assurance decenalle, which protects our clients from poor workmanship once the job is complete, and i am quite sure all of our clients have taken out a similar insurance on the job. However, i am not sure if either insurance cover the homeowner for artisans not turning up. I suppose the best solution is to get everything written into the devis which should be signed by both parties, at least it is a binding contract and you know where you stand. Bonne chance toutes le mond....
  11. Tania & Chris here, We are in Montaille, near Saint Calais in Sarthe 72. Chris is there full time, I am a teacher in the UK so cannot move full time until July 2008. Can't wait........
  12. My husband has just arrived at our house in Sarthe on his way back to the UK and we still havn't received our bill? Should i contact someone? We have had the house 5 years and the tax fonciere has already been taken out of the account.   Tania
  13. See my previous post on this thread. Tracey is not an agent but she has contact with lots of english people who are looking to buy in your area  
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