Want to use a Polish building company in France

[Sue]

Has anyone had any experience of using a Polish building company in France. Giving up trying to get quotes from French builders who seelm to have to much work to need to quote for anything so want to look elsewhere. Any info or help would be appreciated.

[AnOther]

This one should raise a storm [blink]

If they are not a properly registered French company with a Siret number then they are not entitled to work in France and if you employ them you are guilty of an offence and can be heavily fined.

The French artisans will happily shop you and maybe even your French neighbours too so don't do it [:'(]

 

[woolybananasbrother]

Polish companies and Polish plumbers are legal now I believe.

[Sue]

I do not want to make a mistake but I thought Poland is part of the EU therefore free trade etc. I am wanting to use a registered building company and I have seen Italians down south working on new roads, as well as Portugese and British, so it must be possible as that was on public works that those companies got the contracts for. Again, any help or info appreciated.

[Panda]

Hello

There are lots around here working and driving in Polish vans etc..  The look on the face of our little builders merchants when they try to order anything, you can see him thinking, jeez I've only just got used to the english then this lot turn up!  They are literally throwing new builds up here in a small private holiday village, nice job too and VERY quick, they work all week with no apparent long breaks either.

Panda

[Clair]

[quote user="Sue"]I do not want to make a mistake but I thought Poland is part of the EU therefore free trade etc. I am wanting to use a registered building company and I have seen Italians down south working on new roads, as well as Portugese and British, so it must be possible as that was on public works that those companies got the contracts for. Again, any help or info appreciated.[/quote]

There are some countries (Bulgaria and Roumania spring to mind) which have joined the EU under certain restrictions as far as employment is concerned.

More details here: http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/

[Sue]

Hi Claire, tried clicking on the link but it did not open.

[Clair]

Sorry! All repaired now... [:)]

[Russethouse]

Sue, The problem may be in a few years when (hopefully not) something goes wrong - you could find your Polish builders have gone home and are not keen to make good on guarantees etc

[TefkaC]

Hello Sue, I have a friend who used polish labour and it was a disaster. The work was shoddy, the standard of work was appalling and if questioned the foreman became aggressive. This is unbelievable but true they actully lived in my friends property while working on the house next door even though the work was unfinished (this was the winter with eletic radiators all through the house), the Poles have now left and the work is still unfinished, we aren't talking about cosmetics, wiring not connected to the fittings, walls unplastered, hot water system not working etc etc. While I'm sure there are reputable polish companies I would strongly advise you cross all of you t's etc. I would also advise you manage the project and don't leave them to their own devises, a mistake made on this job.  

 

All the best of luck.

 

Charlie.........

[Boiling a frog]

One cannot tar a whole nation just because a few of  them did some bad work otherwise I think that we would all be saying never use English/Scottish/Irish French

[Benjamin]

[quote user="Russethouse"]Sue, The problem may be in a few years when (hopefully not) something goes wrong - you could find your Polish builders have gone home and are not keen to make good on guarantees etc[/quote]

From the tone of Sue's responses I think she's looking for a company with Siret, insurance etc which surely runs on even if the company pull out of France.

[Russethouse]

 I'm not sure, didn't someone post not to long ago that their builder went bankrupt and they were having difficulty claiming ?

Someone must know ?

[AnOther]

[quote user="woolybananas brother"]Polish companies and Polish plumbers are legal now I believe.[/quote]Possibly so wooly but they still have to be properly registered in France to work legally.

EU members or not the Polish may be no different to the numerous 'Bob the builder' types plying their black trade around the Brit enclaves and the subject of employing their like has been discussed many times.

Look at some of the threads about Brits homeworking in France for their UK employers.

With respect Sue 'free trade' does not mean free to do as they like, (that only applies to Brits [Www]), they must still operate within the rules of the host country.

Perhaps you can clarify your original post:

Is this a company from Poland working in France or a French company employing Polish workers. Contrary to Benjamins perception the tone of your question suggested to me the former. How did you get on to them ?

The basic point of my initial reply still stands though. If they are not legally working in France then you could find your self in big trouble [:(]

[BJSLIV]

The things is that at present there is free movement of goods in the EU but not services. In about three years time things will change, but at present east European building companies can only work in France if they are fully registered within the French system just like any other builder. I expect that by the time this freedom is introduced, the French will have invented a whole new set of hurdles to jump over, but thats another story.

The major schemes get round this by complex sub-contracting arrangements whereby a French registered firms acts as an umbrella for the foreign traders. However they are still supposed to obey all the French regulations and are subject to inspections from the labour inspectorate etc. Even if things aren't quite legit I'm sure its easier to hide things on  big urban contracts . Things are a bit different in the countryside where things get noticed, and do get  reported.

In our area  a newly arrived "entrepreneur" set up a network of Slovakian builders who were busy doing jobs for the local Brit community. The Gendarmerie quickly intervened and he was given a 20,000 Euro fine and a suspended prison sentence.

 

 

[suein56]

[quote user="Sue"]

Has anyone had any experience of using a Polish building company in France. Giving up trying to get quotes from French builders who seem to have to much work to need to quote for anything so want to look elsewhere. [/quote]

My 2 pennyworth: when the couple who live behind us decided to build a house for one of their children on one half of their double-sized plot they hired a well-known French company based in Vannes. The blokes who came along and actually built the house, breeze block by breeze block were definitely not French. My next door neighbour and I spent quite a few minutes one sunny autumn day earwigging close to the hedge; and we were both completely mystified as to what language the blokes were speaking; slavonic type was as far as we got. My neighbour is a cultured lady who worked at the University de Bretagne before retiring and I can put a name to a fair few languages myself but we were both stumped. So if French firms can hire foreign workers why shouldn't you? Providing they are legal and aboveboard, of course.

Sue

[BJSLIV]

So if French firms can hire foreign workers why shouldn't you?

If you are a registered builder then you are just as entitled as any French company or artisan to employ East European workers.

However if you aren't a registered builder yourself  you can't  employ an East European to do a bit of building for you if he isn't registered himself.