{"id":460,"date":"2020-10-13T12:56:32","date_gmt":"2020-10-13T11:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artisancentral.fr\/blog\/?p=460"},"modified":"2020-10-13T12:56:36","modified_gmt":"2020-10-13T11:56:36","slug":"finding-a-trusted-tradesperson-in-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/finding-a-trusted-tradesperson-in-france\/","title":{"rendered":"The art of finding a tradesperson in France"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The following article, ‘The art of finding a tradesperson in France’<\/em><\/em>, was first published by French Property news in October 2020.<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The contract has been signed and you\u2019ve got a moving date. At last, your French property renovation project can begin! All you need now is a good artisan or two, to help you get the work done and \u2018la belle vie\u2019 can get underway. [Insert record scratch sound effect here].<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not so fast! There are plenty of good artisans (aka tradespeople)<\/a> in France. But demand is outstripping supply right now, with many of them busy handling a backlog of work caused by lockdown and serving the needs of a flurry of British customers arriving in France ahead of the Brexit deadline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a situation like this, it can be tempting to go with the first person who\u2019s available, but if that person turns out to be anything less than what they say they are \u2013 whether it\u2019s a well-meaning \u2018handyman\u2019 who\u2019s not adequately covered to carry out the work you need him for, or the dreaded \u2018rogue trader\u2019 – you stand to risk losing everything<\/em> you\u2019ve invested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, take time to read (and apply!) the advice below, on how to find a trusted tradesperson in France, and you\u2019ll be well on your way to the good life\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proof is in the paperwork<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are some key documents that you can and should ask to see when you first make contact with an tradesperson in France, which will tell you if they\u2019re properly registered and insured to do the work you want to hire them for. If he or she can provide you with this information, you\u2019re probably onto a good thing. If not, you might as well stop right there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Registration documents:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When artisans are registered in France, they\u2019re issued with documentation which provides proof of their affiliation to the Chambre de M\u00e9tiers<\/a> and\/or the Chambre de Commerce<\/a>. If they belong to the former, they will have been given an INSEE certificate, and if it\u2019s the latter, they\u2019ll have an \u2018Extrait Kbis\u2019 (also known as an \u2018Extrait K\u2019). These documents should outline all<\/em> the activities the artisan is registered to carry out \u2013 ie. not just their APE (\u2018Activite Principale de l’Entreprise\u2019), but anything else they say they can do for you, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An artisan will also have been assigned a SIREN (business identification\u00a0number) and a SIRET (a SIREN with 5 extra digits, which denote the location of the business). It\u2019s not unusual to hear an artisan say \u201cI\u2019m siretted\u201d, as a way of reassuring you that he or she is legit, but that\u2019s not enough; this only tells you that they\u2019re registered for something<\/em>. The INSEE certificate or \u2018extrait KBIS\u2019 is where you\u2019ll find the details of what, exactly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insurance:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is mandatory that all French artisans have the following two forms of insurance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. L\u2019assurance responsabilit\u00e9 civile<\/strong>, which is essentially what\u2019s known in the English-speaking world as civil or public liability insurance and covers any accidental damage to a person or property, which occurs during the course of the work being undertaken.<\/li>
  2. L’assurance d\u00e9cennale<\/strong>, <\/em>which\u00a0guarantees the work itself it for 10 years in the case of \u2018gros ouevres\u2019 such as roofing, structural building, plumbing and electrical works (smaller jobs, such as painting and decorating will normally be insured for up to two years).\u00a0<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    We\u2019ve had quite a few enquiries lately, from potential Artisan Central members who, unfortunately, have the incorrect or inadequate insurances. Some artisans seem to think d\u00e9cennale insurance isn\u2019t worth the paper it’s written on. But the fact is: it\u2019s the law. Other artisans don\u2019t realise that they need a separate insurance to cover any activities they carry out in the course of their work, which actually fall under the heading of a different trade. Project management or \u2018Maitre d’oeuvre\u2019, for example, is a specific activity which an artisan should be insured for – they cannot simply just claim to do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some artisans seem to think d\u00e9cennale insurance isn\u2019t worth the paper it’s written on. But the fact is: it\u2019s the law.<\/p>Micala Wilkins, Artisan Central<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    To be on the safe side, customers should request a copy of an artisan\u2019s full insurance document, and that should include a list of everything they are insured to do \u2013 ie. not just an attestation but the annexe document that comes with it, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The \u2018devis\u2019:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Even if you’ve already a suitable tradesperson in France and don\u2019t have any interest in comparing costs, you\u2019ll need a \u2018devis\u2019, or quote. This provides a detailed description of the proposed work, including a schedule for the work and the cost of any materials needed. It usually includes details about their insurance, too, so if you\u2019ve not already checked their level of cover, you should definitely take the opportunity to do it now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You\u2019ll need to sign and date the bottom of the devis and send the original back to the artisan, keeping a copy for yourself as a reference. This provides you and the artisan with an initial contract or agreement and it serves to protect both sides should there be any disagreements later on. Just be aware that if the document is written in English, you\u2019ll both need to sign a French translation of it in order for it to be legally binding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Be aware, too, of the artisan\u2019s business status. If a tradesperson in France operates as an SARL, SA or EURL, they\u2019ll be able to buy materials for the project and include the cost of these in the final invoice. However, if they\u2019re registered as a Micro Entrepreneur (also known as an Auto Entrepreneur), they can only order the materials on your behalf – it\u2019s you who\u2019ll have to pay upfront, and it\u2019s you who\u2019ll have to deal with any problems that arise if the materials turn out to be faulty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At the end of the day\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If you have undertaken extensive works with a general contractor or project manager, then an RDT or \u2018r\u00e9ception de travaux\u2019 form should be used to sign off the job between the two parties. This shows that you\u2019re both in agreement that the work is complete. For smaller or more isolated works carried out by a tradesperson in France, there’s only a \u2018facture\u2019 (invoice) for you to check over, and the 10-year insurance or \u2018d\u00e9cennale\u2019, which will take effect from the date on which you pay it in full.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In either case, always remember to keep a copy of these documents. Should there be a problem at some point in the future, the artisan will be legally obliged to come back and fix it within a reasonable timescale. If they\u2019re reluctant for some reason, you\u2019ll be within your right to contact their insurance company (whose details should be on both the \u2018devis\u2019 and the invoice) and make a claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In most cases, however, it\u2019s unlikely that you\u2019ll have any unresolvable problems \u2013 especially if you\u2019ve followed the advice given here. Most tradespeople in France are as keen as you are to get the job done to a high standard. This is their bread and butter, after all. And as our members will attest, there\u2019s nothing more satisfying than seeing another happy customer settling into \u2018la belle vie\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
    Browse our directory of fully insured artisans!<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Everything you need to know about finding a tradesperson in France, who you can trust, from what documents they should be able to show you before starting any work, to the final invoice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":467,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[16,73,76,74,77],"class_list":["post-460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advice","tag-business-insurance-for-artisans","tag-business-registration-in-france","tag-devis","tag-lassurance-responsabilite-civile","tag-reception-de-travaux","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=460"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":468,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460\/revisions\/468"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/467"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}