Karen Birch

Hello. We move over to our new home in Riberac 24600 in the next 3 weeks and will need to find some good tradesman.

Can anyone advise how we find trades such as Kitchen Fitters, Wood burner installers etc. who work in or near to the area we are locating?

# I have already viewed the adverts posted in the Grapevine Directory

Tweedpipe

Welcome to the forum.
We always use les PagesJeune: link HERE
Not only for tradespeople, but also for doctors, dentists etc, they are all listed in your particular area. Re plumbers, if you find a good, serious one, who comes when he says he will - you've struck gold!

Not too far from us there's a diy hypermarche, and in the entrance there are a stack of visiting cards left by various tradesmen. The quality of the visiting card and how it's worded, 'may' be an indication of the tradesperson, but obviously no guarantee of efficiency.

Cad

As always the first place for any info is your Mairie he or her will know all in your commune/ region.
My advise as ever is go to your Mairie, it's your first stop for most things.

Tweedpipe

Cad,
I agree the Mairie can and should be very helpful. But not always.
When we had an asian hornet's nest in the garden 5 years ago, we immediately went along to the Mairie to ask who they could send along to remove it. Answer - they didn't have much of a clue. We asked for another person's opinion there, and were met with a shrug of the shoulders.
So we went through les PJ and eventually had a specialist come out the next day after giving us an estimate of cost - 130€. (Mind you, it was perched near the top of a very high tree) Photo link.
And only 3-4 days ago on a midday news bulletin they mentioned that asian hornets were very much on the increase, and drastically killing off local bees, and if one had a problem to trot along to the Mairie who would remove them for free!! That leaves me wondering, perhaps I haven't been leaving sufficient bottles of good red wine or Armagnac for the att. of Mr, LeMaire.

Chatter Static

Pompiers removed ours and they came to get a snake out the loft although these days I don't think they do it anymore.....

dmu

Surely no one at the Mairie is allowed to recommend any one in particular, but the Mairie of Riberac may have a booklet listing all the local amenities, artisans, etc...
Our village doesn't publish such info and it's the Pages Jaunes for us, or recommendations from neighbours.
@OP - make sure that any artisans that you contact for a Devis have a SIRET number and professional insurance. If not, you'll be taking a great risk....

petitefrancaise

I'd ask the notaire that helped you buy your home.

The mairie will have a list of all artisans registered within their commune, they may well produce a booklet with them all listed. I know our mairie did this - but it is just a list and not recommendations.

You could also search on FB for an anglophone group for the area and you'll get recommendations from there too.

dmu

I wouldn't bother the Notaire any more than the Mayor about non-legal/non-administrative questions. A French newcomer wouldn't think of doing so....

Karen Birch

Thanks for your replies everyone.

We will definitely check out your recommendations.

petitefrancaise

Our notaire offered his help. He was fabulous and became a family friend. Just because a frenchperson may not do it, doesn't mean that you should not. . Mind you
We lived in a small town with only one notaire's office, which he had "inherited" from his father so he knew who was to be trusted and who wasn't!

Also OP, if you need a fair bit of work then perhaps consider using a foreman or project manager? They'll have all the contacts you need, will organise the quotes for you and help to get the work finished.

Karen Birch

Thanks for the tip Petitefrancaise. We have already found so many wonderful people who will go out of their way to help us.

dmu

You were lucky to come across such a pearl! Normally it isn't an "Officier Public's" role to recommend artisans... Hopefully the OP's Notaire in Riberac is used to Expats' requesting such advice! (But as mentioned, the Pages Jaunes can already give a list...)
!)

grannybunz

Our solution was to get to know our neighbours pronto - drinks etc and then pick their brains. We were only let down by one who was recommended by the lady who sold us the house. It turned out she had been having a bit of a fling with him!

Tweedpipe

A little claque et chatouille eh? And in France too! That's unusual.........

dmu

Absolutely off-topic, but hope all's well with you and yours in Texas after Hurricane Harvey;