Final check on your building work before paying the bill

Final checks before you pay the bill

When the work is all completed, and the workers are on the point of leaving, you will need to walk around the site and verify all the work is completed as you expected. More specifically, you need to verify with the company involved that the work is completed as per the devis, and that you are satisfied with the work.

During the course of the work you will have been monitoring the progress, checking things are happening as expected, and in the right order. Luckily your French workforce will disappear each day from midday to 2pm, enabling you to keep an eye on things without looking as if you don't trust them. It is worth doing this if possible - I have had doorways added that were 50cm too low, and walls built where they forgot to leave a space for a window. These things do happen, and they are much easier to change straight away - before the lintels were set solidly in place in this case - than changing them later.

But the final check before agreeing that work is satisfactory is more important. You are going to have to pay the bill based on this work if you do not query anything now. But if you do not notice a particular problem, and you do not have a specialist with you, you have 8 days in which to bring any other outstanding matters to their attention.

If the spaces for the windows are 5cm too narrow, if the shower tray is beige instead of white, if the tiles on the kitchen floor are spattered with cement, you need to raise these matters at this stage (or earlier).

So take your time, have your devis and a pen in your hand, and actually tick off each item as you go round, indicating that it is satisfactorily completed. If not discuss your problem.

Another problem that may arise is that work was simply not included on the original devis, and neither you nor the workers thought about it. As an example, we had a roofer and a mason working on a project. New roof, walls all sorted, but an ugly great gap left between the two. I had assumed one of them would do it, without really giving the matter any thought. When a situation such as this arises, it is easier to discuss before the teams have cleared away and left the site.

As a matter of courtesy and common sense, I would pay the bills as soon as they arrive. I know that many people wait 30 days (or longer) but I think that by paying promptly, your chances of getting subsequent little problems resolved, and getting the same team back to do further work later are improved greatly. Also, once word gets around (as it will) that you are a prompt payer, other local workers will be happy to work for you.

 

10 year guarantee

Work carried out by artisans in France (that is, by all registered workers at your property) is covered by a 10 year guarantee. If any significant structural problem emerges during that 10 ears the individual or company involved should put it right without cost or complaint. If you have suitable insurance, they will sort the claim out for you. If you don't, you will need to write directly to the company involved to be passed to their insurers.Your letter should explain in detail what the problem is, preferably backed up with an 'official opinion'.

If there are aspects of the work which need finishing or changing, you can withhold up to 5% of the cost until the work is complete. The company awaiting the payment can ask that the money be deposited at the notaires office.