Foreign Contractors in France

[Ozpete]

Hi All

 

I have owned a house in the SW for the last 3 years and I am in the process of a major renovation . I am owner/building using subs. and have obtained devis from local artisans for most everything, and had good experiences  so far with architect / terrassement/fosse etc. However finding a macon has been a challenge - we have identified/approached 10 macons over 6mths but only received 2 devis ; one 50% higher than the other ! The later macon cannot start for 9 mths.

My project has some minor structural concrete work in the renovation portion with most of the maconniere in an extension . We have signed a devi with the macon for the extension works and are happy to wait , but we need to get the small amount of structural concrete work done on the renovation done so that other local artisans can get cracking & finished hopefully by summer .

In desperation I have identified a specialist concrete contractor (known to me) from Italy who can do the work in 3 weeks. He runs a fully registered company in Italy paying all taxes/social charges and is fully insured including 10yr workmanship guarantee under Italian law .I am prepared to accept the liability arising out of the structural integrity issues as the house is on rock and I have retained a local structural engineer to specify the reinforcement steel. I do not intend to sell the house in the next 10 yrs.

My question is can I use the Italian contractor in France for such a limited /specialist task and if so what do I need to do to ensure it is legitimate ?

[Nick Trollope]

Of course you can! The objection (legal) to foreign (ie. Brit) workers in France is those who work permanently in France, under the banner of a "UK company" (which rarely exists). As building is a regulated activity, you must ensure that your contractor has adequate cover for France - employee, public and 10 year liability - which his insurance company in Italy will be able to provide. If they work without insurance and anything goes wrong, you will be held liable.

 

[BJSLIV]

Isn't the requirement that building work has to be done by a company registered in France?. Hence the Italians would either have to register a French division, or work as subcontractors for one of the French companies already on site.

[hastobe]

Why is there a requirement that the company must be registered in France?  Is this purely a CGT issue?   If the company has valid  insurance that  covers the job (albeit  Italian , British or Martian )  what  other reason is there?  Personally I'm suprised that more overseas contractors aren't employed on French building projects given how abysmal  the French are at  providing quotes, doing the work and keeping to deadlines.

We've been waiting 5 months just for a devis for electrical work.  The local painter and decorator couldn't be bothered to give us a quote - and then when pressed told us if we did all the preparatory work he'd perhaps be able to come in and finish off !!!!  If we do that we may as well do the job ourselves!!  When we bought our house we had this idealistic view of trying to employ local artisans but are rapidly coming to the view that it is a fruitless task - give me a Brit worker anyday.

Kathie

[Kiras_Back]

1.  There IS an unemployment problem in France; but the Govt. also realises there is a massive shortfall in qualified building contractors;,whether it be electricians or plumbers.  However if the Govt. made it easier to work in France I'm sure we wouldn't see this problem!

2.  A European registered company (ie. Italy) can work in France.  If it's for (not 100% but ..) more than 6months they need a No. de Siret here.  All TVA must go back through Paris and estimates should carry French TVA not the country of origin.  Along with this the foreign company (dependant on the prefecture) should go to the Chambre de Metiers to apply for local registration that they are working here ... doing this will keep the gendarmes off the back of the employer & the builders in question.

I've learnt this having worked closely with a Anglo-German team who travel all over France to do large renovations; they give out estimates quickly and the job is finished on time as they don't 'wander' off to other sites at the same time.  Here in Aude, they also work with a local team of plumbers, electricians & placistes/painters etc

Kira

[BJSLIV]

Companies from other EU countries are welcome to work in France, but they must obey all the local rules and regs. This includes 35hour week, wages, holiday, health cover  etc.

In the case of the building trade they must also have the registration with the  Chambre de Metiers, French 10 year insurance cover etc etc.

Consequently few bother at our level of the business.

For the bigger projects its different.

[Ozpete]

Kira

I assume from your response that for short periods ( less than 6 mths & in my case 3 weeks) that a fully registered/insured italian contractor is allowed to work in France ? I have been told by 2 different Brit builders I met that if challenged by the gendarmes they only need to prove they are registered/insured in the EU country of origin to carry out short term work in France . This seems consistent with the recently agreed EU trans-nation working initiative . Do you agree?

Ozpete

[Kiras_Back]

I can't give you a 'straight' answer on that ... and I'm not aware of the 'new' trans-nation working initiative - how new is it??

I will ring the guys I'm talking about and see what they have to say!

Kira

[BJSLIV]

EU trans-nation working initiative

The implementation of the famous Bolkestein directive which will come into effect  in about five years time.

[Geranium]

So I could bring over 2 -3 eastern european builders who are currently working in UK, for less than 6 months, and providing they have insurance and I pay them in UK in sterling, we shouldn't have to do anything else?

Sounds good to me.