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Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Tue Feb 05, 08 12:16 pm Post subject:

hardworkinghippy wrote:

Getting someone to even give a quote can take months, getting them to start the job can take ages and getting them to finish it - even if you're on site - is a frustrating business.

Hmmm. I'm still waiting for a quote for our fosse septique let alone the work beginning. We got the permission through some time ago. We got a price but getting it written on paper so we can apply for a grant/loan is proving slow.

Sorry to hear of your problems BM. I hope it gets sorted out soon.

ejc-free

Joined: 19 Jan 2005
Posts: 117
Location: Near to Cerizay in la Belle France

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 08 8:40 am Post subject:

We're just about to start work converting an adjacent barn to give us a new kitchen and have been advised that when we return the forma quote with our deposit cheque, if there are no dates included, we clearly write on the quote the date the work needs to start qnd the date it must end by. If there are dates on the quote to write "lu et approv�" & sign when returning it

Then if the artisan cashes the cheque he is accepting the full terms & conditions including the dates, so you have a binding contract. Without any dates on the quote or in a contract there is no binding agreement, so the artisan can spin the work out....

BahamaMama

Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 2315
Location: Away with the fairies

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 08 9:44 am Post subject:

ejc-free wrote:

Then if the artisan cashes the cheque he is accepting the full terms & conditions including the dates, so you have a binding contract. Without any dates on the quote or in a contract there is no binding agreement, so the artisan can spin the work out....

That is my next problem, the builder has cashed his cheque 40% fo the total amount and done nothing. I am quite prepared to throw them off the job but I am loathe to just throw the money away, I am learning so much so fast!!

Layla

Joined: 05 Feb 2009
Posts: 21

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 09 8:40 pm Post subject:

Well, a friend of mine here in Slovenia told me of a following story (that happened in Slovenia also). Mostly there are good people here, but now and then there are 'bad apples'.

There was a guy who was leading on older ladies and such (advertised in church magazines even!) and he would have very cheap prices but wanted to be paid in advance or so. Then he wreaked the bathroom and left, doing only half the job or less.. And he disappeared... (my friend was sub-letting with the lady and was without loo or proper bathroom for more than 2 weeks!!)

Not saying this is what's happening in your case, hopefully the guy is still around, other people know him etc... Just do be careful & try to set it up so you don't pay all upfront..
There was another guy here in Slovenia who did roofs this way.. Did them well for a few people, then started not doing it at all and disappearing with the money.. (It was on TV)

Of course these are just a few (frankly the only two I ever heard of.. mostly other people are okay..) And there was even a movie on slightly unreliable services abroad (about the divorced lady who moved into a villa)..

Did you ever agree on a date? And could there be any 'conflicts of interests'? (eg anyone else interested in the place, or people disapproving 'foreigners moving in'?) What is the overall opinion of this man? etc.

If I were you, I'd try to get any local friends involved, to check up on things.. ask their opinion of this man.. It would be better if someone you trust and are friends with could oversee things.. Do you know anyone there or in vicinity who could help & take a look?

Bulgarianlily

Joined: 01 Jun 2008
Posts: 1667
Location: South West Mountains of Bulgaria

Posted: Sun Feb 08, 09 7:21 am Post subject:

Just to add a story of a good builder. We built our strawbale round house last year and three local builders, brothers, put in the timber frame, the roof and the stub wall under the house, I and my OH did the rest. Owning to my own massive stupidity, (well it was the first house I built!) I forget to put in the chimney when the roof was being built, so I decided to run it through the wall, (in concrete pipe), and make a freestanding chimney to go up through the eves, to reduce the risk of me screwing it up and having a major leak in the house. I didn't get round to sealing the hole I made in the overhanging part of the roof, or make the chimney tall enough, before we moved in beginning of December. The oldest brother came round a couple of weeks ago and 'tutted' at the chimney, with good reason. He turned up yesterday, and spent four hours fixing hole, extending the stack and rendering the whole thing. He basically said (in Bulgarian) 'I am not having my friends live with such crappy work!', and refused any payment. After a lot of bargaining, he took away a joint of lamb and a jar of marmalade.

BahamaMama

Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 2315
Location: Away with the fairies

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 09 8:10 am Post subject:

Bulgarianlily wrote:

Friends in high places!! We have 'nearly' finished the work that had us tearing our hair out, it is always going to be difficult trying to project manage remotely but the work that has been done is top class and we are still on good speaking terms with the builder/plumber etc.

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