westland

Yes, not to mention drawing attention to yourself and any of your workers.  An article in La Montagne newspaper early in December stated that two Brits were "in the dock" in Gueret for employing their compatriates to renovate their house "on the black", don't know what the outcome is. We have also had the gendarmes here before Christmas, advising us in a round about way to make sure that we always get invoices for any purchases or services "for your own benefit" should something go wrong.

.   Interesting to see a few more postings on this thread.  I think that the above points made by WJT are quite important. We felt that we had done enough research into companies and the one that we are using is French as are the artisans .       We have always been worried that if we didn't pay in advance the work wouldn't get done, but as it has taken so long anyway it would have been better to try and hold back on some of the payments. We are here permanently, and  I mean that, often not daring to go out just in case they turn up the day or week after they are supposed to do.  I also agree that it is probably better to try and bring the different workers together yourself as then you can "nag" them without having to wait for the project management company to do it.  As WJT says the more you call them the more they tend to show up.  Not really in our nature to do this, but our neighbour did ask us when we discussing not having had the devis "How many times have you called them". Our work was quite complicated so we thought that it would be easier to get someone do sort things out for us. It has been very stressful and obviously is not over yet.  The builders have finally turned up again (of course just before Christmas) and some electrical work has been done without us being consulted as to where we wanted sockets etc. Our letter asking for a meeting with the PM to outline a timescale for the work has not produced any response so we are pondering whether to follow up on this or to hang on now that things have started to move again.     

Thanks again for your postings, my daughter phoned the "placo" on our behalf and he hasn't said anything untoward about our PM just that he is finishing another job.  I have sent the letter and asked for a meeeting to discuss progress stating that we need in writing who's arriving next and how long we can expect to wait.  Thanks also for the info re. cash flow,  this helps as I know that there is not enough cash with what we still owe to finish everything on the devis.

Thanks, looks like I'll try sending a recorded letter rather than just keep calling in.  Does anyone know how we stand if the project managers haven't actually been passing on the money to the builders, would we be liable to pay them again? I ask as I have since found out that the window supplier has not yet been paid for work already done.  I have to presume that they don't always use the money we give them on our project and that eventually our work will be finished off with funds coming in from other clients, for those in the business know is this how it works?

[quote user="Will "] Taking it as read that they will know all about you anyway (don't ask me how, but they invariably do) [/quote] Do you know if they hold info. on how much taxe d'habitation you pay/revenue etc.?  Our Mayor seemed to be pretty clued up on our finances when we last spoke with him. Kate.

Yes, thanks, should have done it sooner really.

I know that having building work done, the length of time waiting for devis etc has often been discussed on this forum, but your opinions will hopefully help us to decide what to do next. I'll keep it as brief as I can viz. July 2005 asked for devis for extension/new fosse/some work in original house using a project management company who have done other work in the village. Dec 2005 signed devis and gave 10% deposit, work planned for April-July. Planning arrived later than expected and work started in June 2005.  A few week's passed between builders coming and going, but hey it's a small project (28 sq metres).  August came and went, fair enough.  The last time the builders were here was beginning of October and we are told that they are waiting for the placo guy to be available. To date we have the shell, roof, two of the three windows and the fosse.  Outstanding is placo, knocking through to the main house, electrics, interior plumbing/ sanitary ware and tiling, a window and all shutters, outside rendering of the shell.  We have paid all but the last 6,000 euros as we did agree to pay in advance by instalments.  However looking at the devis I estimate that we are owed about 12,000 euros plus work still and they as they seemed a bit desperate to get hold of the last 5,000 that we paid I am getting a bit worried that they might have a serious cash flow problem. We were instructed to chose tiles and bathroom fittings when we paid the last instalment but on checking with the builders merchants these have still not be ordered. Thoughts are a) check with placo ourselves that it is because they are busy that we are waiting.                        b) put something in writing that we are not happy with the progress                        c) trust that eventually it will all get done                       or any other ideas that anyone might have.    Thanks                 

We paid 900 euros last Dec.  This was to run a cable approx 20metres underground (we were informed that this is now obligatory for new supplies) from the box at the roadside to the box inside the house.  We had to have everything ready including the trench and the red plastic cable cover.  All the internal wiring, fuse box etc had to be just right before they would connect. We had previously paid for the supply to be brought underground to the edge of the land by a different branch of  EDF. 

Thanks again for the useful information re. the different types of medicine cover.

Thank you Owen for your reply.  I was concerned that with our current "mutuelle" provider we now do not have the option to upgrade our percentage cover much further, which is something we had thought of doing in a few years time in order to be better covered in advancing age.  We didn't really want to start swopping around between providers.  Your comment that 200% should be OK for most things is useful to know as it's the emergency /serious illness events that are the main concern.  We have already had shock devis/bills for dental work as I know many other forum members have experienced.  Just as an extra query we are now only covered 100% for white and blue labelled prescriptions, do you have an idea what impact this might have?  Thanks. Kate

Well I know that there are lots of threads about top up health insurance but I am still prompted to look for any comments or up-to-date information in view of the fact that our insurance seems to have significantly "moved the goal posts" without letting us know. I know that there have been some changes to the Securite Social remboursements, but it's a bit difficult to get to grips with exactly what has changed.  Things have started to happen such as paying towards a one off prescription which this time last year was totally reimbursed.  In the scheme of things it was a few euros, but it did ring alarm bells that I should try and get to the bottom of what's changed. I decided to check out the website for our mutuelle top up insurance and found that not only have they changed the name of the scheme that we are signed up to, every single "module" has had it's level of reimbursements significantly lowered.  They used to offer up to 450% for anyone who wanted to/could afford to pay the premiums but now the most that can be obtained is 200%. I am interested to know if other members have found this happening.  We have also found that the premium has risen by 10% each year having just received the statement for next year's direct debits.We went with a "Mutuelle" rather than an insurance company having read up that the premiums should remain more stable in spite of getting older, but now I'm not so sure that this is the case. Thanks for any information re the above. Kate.  

Thanks for your replies: we have been told from the local impots office to tick the box on next year's tax return as this year's applied to 2005 when we didn't have the TV.   I suppose that we have had a similar official opinion to that given to Catalpa.

Now that the TV licence is paid via the taxe d'habitation on a Jan-Dec basis does anyone know what the position is if a TV is bought part way through a tax year ie would we need to make some sort of declaration now or wait until the next tax year to declare on the tax form that we now have a TV. Thanks, Kate.

[quote user="andyh4"]  if the renovation includes connecting the habitation and the barn internally, then 5,5% will apply (usually - again it is possible to come up against exceptions, like huge barns with 1 up 1 down habitations and mega budgets)   At least that is what I understand and how it is being practised in the Ardèche. [/quote] Do you know if this applys to new extensions that are connected internally to the existing habitation, thanks.

[quote user="BJSLIV"] I am pretty certain that any entitlement you have now rests with the French authorities based on whatever qualification rules apply. [/quote]   And as these are different to the UK this could make a difference also as to what might be received.  My daughter had to pay back child benefit to the UK that she had continued to receive for the first few months they were living in France.  With one child aged five they receive no child benefit here in France, it stopped after the age of three - presumably these are the French child benefit rules.

Yes, we had to have a declaration de travaux for our 3x2 metre shed and we had to submit it twice with lots more drawings/photos than we thought.  It then took three months to get permission.  However, we are within the radius of an historical monument which means that it always takes a month longer and we have to give lots of info.  Also others on this forum who helped me with my "shed" queries have advised that some areas of France seem to be more easy going than others. P.S. our instructions advise a base 10cm wider on every side.

King-jouet do trampolines and filet.  Ordered ours on the internet and it was delivered (delivery charges) however you won't have it for Monday I don't think.  They have different sizes/prices. If there is a store near you they might have them in stock although it's perhaps not the right time of year, we got ours early May (it too was a few days late for our grandaughter's birthday).

Thanks again all for the useful info. especially about the boards being free - have now stopped measuring bits of wood in the cave to try and cobble one together.  The ideas for the base are brill too, as the shed site is not within easy access for a concrete delivery we could maybe use slabs to put it down in stages.

Thanks both of you for your replies.  Yes it's just 3mtrex2mtre.  I've sort of made a start with the board so might go ahead with that, but seems that there's no more paper work to be done so that's good.  Anyway what might take some a couple of days could take us not so brilliant DIYers a while longer!  Could take that long to wade through the instructions.  Just as an extra, if you have any thoughts, it's made from galavanised steel any suggestions for the best type of base.  It's just for storing gardening equipment. Ta.

We have finally had our letter of permission to put up a garden shed.  In the small print it states that we need to have an affichage on display for at least two months and until the job is finished.  I think that I know what has to go on the board, but could anyone help me as to whether I need to complete any more paper work at the point when the board goes up or on completion.  Thanks.

[quote user="catalpa"]  definitely buy one with a fan - if you can find out how noisy the fan is before you buy it, so much the better.  [/quote] This is a good idea if possible, we didn't expect our two speed fan to be quite as noisy - the TV needs turning up when its on full blast!  The fan cannot be switched off at the socket as this risks damaging the thermostat which turns it automatically onto full speed if the fire reaches a certain temperature (bit dubious as to how this works).   Does warm the room very quickly, though is only a small room 5x4mtrs, the insert is an 8kw.   Also we have found that ours is inserted just a bit too high up above floor level, the nearer the floor the better the air circulation around the room for keeping the feet warm. We are happy enough with its performance and it's neatly tucked away in the exisiting small fireplace. There must be quite a lot of heat lost up the chimney though. 

All the guys round here seem to want Whisky now.  Has anyone found anything that's similar to Harveys Bristol Cream?  Yes I know there are lots of other goodies here but it's the one that does it for me.  Not bothered about tea bags, baked beans, chocolate etc. but a couple of glasses of Harveys...

I agree with Robbie34 re: BF. Having found ourselves amongst lorries on an open deck in the full blast of the July sun we negotiated sitting in the stair well with our dog for the whole of the crossing.  They really weren't interested in why we were "making such a fuss".

Here in southern creuse, weather much as Rob Roy has said.  Wasn't prepared for the very cold winters though, was into minus double figures for quite a number of weeks and I'm still trying to get my chill blains to heal before this winter is on us!  We do get storms and downpours but I don't really think of it as being a wet climate and there are lots of lovely crisp cold mornings followed by sunny warm afternoons in the autumn.  Makes the scenery that much more interesting.

I think that Norman may be right about the "pot of gold" running out.  It's about to do so for my family who are having to think seriously about the feasibility of staying in France.  My daughter had studied French for four years part-time, passing her A level, she can converse fairly fluently with French friends and neighbours but she is beginning to think that this will never be enough to obtain full-time employment. She currently works on a temporary summer contract in a restaurant and feels lucky to have obtained at least something job wise. Her husband was hoping to obtain HGV driving having done this in the UK.  Before he could even be considered for jobs he had to pass a course (all done in French) cost was around 600 euros, called the FIMO which I understand HGV drivers in France are expected to have.  Unfortunately this didn't help him to obtain work but he was lucky to have some qualifications in cooking and does part-time work in this field.  Obviously they are happy with all the plus points of living in France as we all are, but they are having to be realistic that their current income in part-time jobs that pay the minimum wage won't continue to pay all the bills and bring up a family once the savings are gone. Suppose this is a bit of another negative posting but for those who have enough capital and skills to set up a business I am sure there is every chance.