House prices around Lot/Lot and Garonne have fallen dramatically. Two lots of friends who could have hoped for well over €1 million say €1.2, have sold for €730,000 and €820,000. SFN readers might like to read the following: http://www.fsponline-recommends.co.uk/page.aspx?u=pbd&tc=EMYKNB43&PromotionID=2147068522&u=781739&a=5&g=0&r=MC&s=43656&o=41715&l=182142&
House prices around Lot/Lot and Garonne have fallen dramatically. Two lots of friends who could have hoped for well over €1 million say €1.2, have sold for €730,000 and €820,000. SFN readers might like to read the following: http://www.fsponline-recommends.co.uk/page.aspx?u=pbd&tc=EMYKNB43&PromotionID=2147068522&u=781739&a=5&g=0&r=MC&s=43656&o=41715&l=182142&
Interesting to see this come up again. The downward plunge is still plunging and local forecasts are grim. There are apparently so many trapped UK people, can't sell here and can't afford to buy there even if they do, that for people viewing there is so much on offer many cannot make up their minds. A lot of them actually go away to decide later and when offers are made they are often pushed down to far less than vendors are willing (or able) to accept, even knowing that sooner or later they might have to accept that or lower later on. Summer having passed since this first went up, a lot of second homes, summer lets and gites went through the peak period with shutters closed. With a toe in what is happening, I am hearing just how many gites are going on the market for silly prices but are as good as never viewed. Is it really worse than June? I am not sure, but it has certainly seen people losing more money than they thought possible.
Side note - my first ever works experience in France was with a cabinet d'économistes de la construction in Argenteuil in 1992 in the 95000 too.
Good night Carol - great to see you back
this is our final effort...2nd relaying of the roof..the tiles are fine...first time around they were not laid correctly and there were too many layers...the roof is very, very shallow...A barn...so about 40 ft plus is at a 20% angle if that...the largest bit of the roof..and the most shallow faces out to the valley..we are atop a high hill...the rain blows in from that direction...(west from Bordeaux and the Atlantic)...and thats when it comes in. We have decided on the underfelt...the level of ventilation etc...I am absolutely convinced we have it licked....(sigh...and fingers crossed!)
Right, it depends on how it is ventilated from underneath, which it must be. Also how it is laid, I have seen it started from the top downward! Oh,oh! Yes we have a pile of rrubble roof over one bit too, but underfelted but with no insulation layer immediately against it which is the folly of too many people who convert themselves.
With roofs it's not just about underfelt. After all that only came in in the last 50 or so years. It's true that the French, especially round here in Brittany, which is a wet and windy area, have traditionally not used it. However it is coming in now but you must consider vapour issues. The waterproofness of a roof does not really depend on the underfelt, but on the top layer. Is your roof tiled or slated and what pitch is it at? Is it in exposed area? Slates and tiles come in many different shapes and sizes. I would guess that there's something wrong with the top covering so you need to look at that and get it right. Size os slate or tile, lap, gauge, all need to be looked at too, My house is up to 150 years old and has no felt. The slates have been replaced at least once but currently there are no leaks. I have a cottage which I had reroofed about 35 years ago in slates and one or two leaks are just appearing, especially round problem areas like chimneys. Eaves overhangs are often rather inadequate here in Brittany, especially where stone cottages have been later rendered. There must be a good couvreur in your area. Regrettably patched repairs are often doomed to failure. Also remember the tradition in your area. Southern roofs are much shallower and often look like a pile of rubble.
In the UK I was the one who sorted out everything....I didnt mind and you may have noticed, a distinct inclination for confrontation! my OH much quieter and easy going....but here..I think I was side swiped...by having a crisis of indecision when we arrived and thinking we had done the wrong thing...so frankly I was out of the game for a while...and let OH deal with it... In the UK I will insist on contracts and insert clauses about when something will be finished..if not there are penalties...never mind....we are on the last job now...then we have really pretty much rebuilt and we have a sturdy house...anyone want to buy a house?????
Ouch, must admit being espoused to a Swiss because they trust nothing that is not on paper does help, we do things this way. Bill with guarantee and any other paperwork in exchange for a cheque. Anything missing and no cheque. Decide not to give us a guarantee when work is completed and we say take us to court then, realising it will cost the roguey an arm and a leg and possibly us with a court decision with the guarantee in case said person needs to honour it and tries to get out of it. Just be like them, ruthless.
the someone last time was a lovely French roofer...he told us the French dont use underfelt, but he guaranteed his work for 10 years....but the rain comes in when it rains at an angle...he said he would come in and redo it for 12k with the felt...but we have another guy who has done a miriad of jobs for us who will put the felt downfor a bit less..and also guarantee it..my OH made him write the contract out in blood....and the promise to come back within a week if there is a leak!
To be honest Carol, I think so many people do just pay up and try to patch over it. Nothing you can do now really if someone else has had a go at it.
No we didnt pay the 34k Brian..that was what the guarantee was on....its a huge A shaped barn with a huge roof...and the people had added the terrace (covered) which was why it was so expensive....but its weird...when we first had the roof relaid (he had put too many rows of tiles on!) it leaked a tiny bit when it really poured...next time there was a deluge it leaked a bit more...last time it rained..it came in in several places...we have a guy doing the underfelt next month....and I dont ever want to hear about roofs again!
ah...sting in the tail....he said he had retired in the last few months...and wouldnt give us any info on his previous insurance company....we had only been here a few months...having found out the septic tank also was substandard...stank to high heaven despite having been emptied and needed replacing...it was a pretty awful time, found so many probs with the house... and we just paid up and paid up and wished we hadnt come here, has a slight bearing on my general demeanour!!!
Sounds like a shark. If you have a guarantee on paper, as you ought to, the legal process is quick if necessary and he would carry all costs. Underfelt, which has been a standard in the UK back into my childhood, so half a century, is skimped, ignored and treated with contempt here. A roofer who underfelts without question is the best choice. 34k is a terribly big bill, did you have woodwork replaced too or is it the size of the average cathedral?
Ahhh Carol, sorry to hear that. Wish I had known earlier, could have advised you not to give the report to the builder, but to his insurance company, who settle if there is a defect or it is not suitable for purpose, and then they pursue the rogue.
Know all about the 10 year guarantee for the roof...ours was 8 years in....we had half a dozen buckets in our snug and at least 10 leaks on the covered terrace...we were told to get an expert opinion and written report...which we did. The roofer when he recieved it did nothing...we contacted him...he said the roof is fine..if you dont like it, sue me. We were told it could costs us thousands..and the end result could be a spend of 30k...and then he relays the roof....couldnt be bothered..and we needed it fixed now..not in 5 years when the court case was settled..so we paid another 12k..(bearing in mind the original re-roofing 8 years before cost 34k....but still it lets water...the roofer this time said unless you have underfelt laid...no guarantee...so another 10k grrrrrrr!!!!! frankly...if people can just say 'sue me' you might as well not bother with a guarantee...
Carol, Nick is dead right. We had part of our roof redone and have a 10 year guarantee, that seems to be the norm. Check your paperwork.
Carol, re your roof. I don't know if it helps, but if it is less than 10 years old, has a decennial guarantee and has a defect or is unfit for purpose, you should be able to make a simple claim on the builder's insurance.
If you want to drop me a private message line with some more details, I'll have a look FOC of course and tell you whether I think you have a claim.
Best regards
The paradox is courts are far more accessible but the resulting costs prohibitive.
So nothing similar to legal aid then? seems that going to court here is prevented by the costs...as in our case with our roof...which is not what I would have expected in France...I would have thought the law more accessible to all.