Hello, new member and looking for artisans

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Richard Handley

Hello, new member and looking for artisans

Post by Richard Handley »

Hello, I am so pleased to have found anglophone-direct for obvious reasons!

After a couple of years of long weekend trips exploring several EU countries, my OH, Sharon and I have just bought a house in PO. A tatty white transit (trashing any reputation for driving skills) was acquired at auction and duly loaded with a bed, a sofa, a microwave, a cork screw and my KTM motorcycle. So, apart from being woefully inadequate at french yet, we feel almost equipped for part time life here!

Finding the microwave falls short of our cuisine aspirations, we have ordered a new kitchen and now need to prepare the space prior to installation. Does anyone know any decent plumber/electrician types near Collioure who speak English?

My other dream fulfilled is the purchase of a 7m motor boat, moored in Saint Cyprien. A weekends tuition in Falmouth got my powerboat licence but I still feel the man with all the gear and no idea! Anyone with boat handling experience fancy coming out for some fishing in exchange for sharing their skills?

Finally, we are driving back to Milton Keynes in our empty van on 19th August if anyone wants anything taking to blighty? :D
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Kate
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Post by Kate »

Hi Richard and a warm welcome.
Glad to read that you listed the corkscrew up there with the other furniture basics! :lol:

If you're a Facebooker, you might want to put this on our FB group and page too.

Group
PO Life
Chats, recommendations, advice....
https://www.facebook.com/groups/7811854 ... 2/?fref=ts

Page
P-O Life
Events, days out, tourist info.....
https://www.facebook.com/POLIFEmag/?fref=ts

Rob Morley has been recommended several times as a plumber but don't know if he goes to Collioure.
http://anglophone-direct.com/listing/ro ... ectrician/

Lots of exciting times ahead. Cheers! 8)
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russell
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Post by russell »

You might find it worthwhile visiting the St. Cyprien Yacht Club. The bar is open on Saturday lunch times. When I was a member there were a few members there with motor boats who may be able to help. Do watch the weather, it can change very rapidly here!

Russell
martyn94
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Re: Hello, new member and looking for artisans

Post by martyn94 »

Richard Handley wrote:Hello, I am so pleased to have found anglophone-direct for obvious reasons!

After a couple of years of long weekend trips exploring several EU countries, my OH, Sharon and I have just bought a house in PO. A tatty white transit (trashing any reputation for driving skills) was acquired at auction and duly loaded with a bed, a sofa, a microwave, a cork screw and my KTM motorcycle. So, apart from being woefully inadequate at french yet, we feel almost equipped for part time life here!

Finding the microwave falls short of our cuisine aspirations, we have ordered a new kitchen and now need to prepare the space prior to installation. Does anyone know any decent plumber/electrician types near Collioure who speak English?

My other dream fulfilled is the purchase of a 7m motor boat, moored in Saint Cyprien. A weekends tuition in Falmouth got my powerboat licence but I still feel the man with all the gear and no idea! Anyone with boat handling experience fancy coming out for some fishing in exchange for sharing their skills?

Finally, we are driving back to Milton Keynes in our empty van on 19th August if anyone wants anything taking to blighty? :D
I'm always a bit torn when people seek English-speaking tradesmen etc: if your French needs improvement, there's no better time to start than now, and no better motive for trying than sheer necessity. If you are preparing the plumbing and electrics for a kitchen, you shouldn't need much French if you've got decent plans of the kitchen to be, and if you don't have plans it's likely to prove a pig's ear whatever language you do it in. Even apart from the fact that most artisans down here seem to have some English anyway.

I think I was lucky, in retrospect, that English wasn't an option when I first set up in France: at that time, and in that area, you had no choice. Your new vocabulary can be a bit specialised to start with (plasterboard, septic tanks..) but it is all grist to the mill.

The one piece of advice I would offer from those days is that French electricians were very mean, left to themselves, over kitchen power outlets. But on recent experience that no longer seems to be so.
Richard Handley

Post by Richard Handley »

Thanks for the welcome and your helpful responses.

The kitchen stripping out work is progressing, interesting how everything about the plumbing and electrics is different from in the UK, but not so different that it cant be figured out. Wandering about in Leroy Merlin is helping me put names to things.

I should have check the forum sooner, I will have to wait until late September to visit the yacht club now, but looking forward to that, and getting out on the water. Sage advice about the weather, thank you.
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Gus Morris
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Post by Gus Morris »

Try and get hold of a recent brochure from Leroy Merlin, Castorama or Bricodepot. Not one of the flyers that comes in the post but one of the all inclusive ones that they issue from time to time. Best picture dictionary you can get for DIY.

Gus

PS What I should have recommended was a catalogue!.Trouble with my worms as Ronnnie Barker used to say!
Richard Handley

Post by Richard Handley »

Great tip, thanks Gus. At least I shouldn't get Ronnies problem with poignées de fourche et quatre bougies :lol:
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