swimming pools

[mart]

Hi, is there a need for a qualified swimming pool engineer with 15 years experience in the south west area.

[Nick Trollope]

Do you speak French?

[mart]

taking night classess at the moment

[Nick Trollope]

French is essential, as unemployment is pretty high throughout France. However, France has one of the highest per-capita number of pools, so I'd imagine that there is going to be a call for pool engineers.

Problem is, I doubt if you can get a job (without a lot of networking, considering your French) and you will need a fair amount of capital behind you to get going (& keep going, during the first couple of years) as a self-employed engineer.

If you know the area well, I'd suggest you start contacting pool companies & see what they have got. See if you can find a untapped market, etc etc...

 

[mart]

Thanks for the info , will be moving to France later this year. So if there is anyone out in the south west who are looking for a reliable engineer please contact me, even if it is only for some advice, 

[Lassie]

Hi Mart

Dont want to pour too much cold water on your idea, but...

As someone has pointed out, there are lots of pools in France.  Therefore, every little town has a DIY store stocking everything you need for your pool and most owners are quite happy managing their own pools. There are plenty of wholesalers of chemicals and machinery spares dotted around who sell to individuals and also to the local plumber.  Plumbers in France also mend pool equipment so the role of a specialist engineer is only perhaps available with one of the big national installers.  The chance of an Englishman getting a job with them is slim and the chance of an Englishmen who hasnt totally fluent and colloquial French is nil. There will be summer casual work helping out with holiday home changeovers which involves rapid problem solving and tedious cleaning chores.  That is likely to be on the 'noir'.   Possibly you already know of UK pool companies with representation in France  e.g. Crystal Pools, though I imagine all installation is done by French  personnel. 

The best advice for anyone coming to France is to learn French thoroughly just to manage to live without stress.  After years here its still much harder than you first imagine .  However, Bon Courage.

[suzi05]

As there seems to be loads of confusion amongst gite owners about the new pool regs and possible inspections, I would have thought that there would be a market for someone to set up a pool service for them. If you look on the swimming pool section of this forum there is always someone panicking about the greenness of their pool (often me!) If I could pay someone to sort out my pool - even come around every week and keep it looking sparkling, and ensure that if the inspectors come a-calling we're OK, I'd definately fork out for that. I don't know if that's the sort of thing you were looking for, but maybe worth considering.

suzi

www.patiras.com/trinite.htm  

[Tony F Dordogne]

But remember, to work in France self-employed will cost you a good deal of money and working on the black shouldn't really be an option.

Start as you mean to go on, legal and above board.

[mart]

Thanks for every ones views on this subject , as i expected it might be hard to set up a business dealing with pools. But as this will not be the main income for us , i think it is worth trying with a small amount of clients to start with and then see how it progresses. One thing i do know hard work is the key.