Copyright 2007Punchardrenovation.com
About
Introduction
Paul Punchard the company owner, has lived and owned property in the Mayenne region of France for over 17 years, having previously run a succesful Electrical Contracting and small building company in the UK .
Coming from a family background in the construction industry, Paul was awarded a Licentiateship of the City and Guilds in 1985, and his CITB and City and Guilds qualifications and his proven experience, enabled him to be one of the first "General Builders" to be registered with the Chambre des Metiers in Mayenne.
Previously having served a full five years apprenticeship in electrical installation, (where he also gained top UK apprentice of the year in 1982 from 11000 applicants), wanting further challenges he moved his family permanently to France in 1997.
As a French company, we are bi-lingual and fully conversant with French methods and practices, and are therefore fully equipped to deal with French bureaucracy and utilities companies on your behalf.
We are constantly updating our employee skills and training by our association and membership of the recognised trade organisation, the CAPEB - ( Confédération de l'Artisanat et des Petites Entreprises du Bâtiment). We employ our own (French and English) artisans direct within the company and can therefore guarantee that your project will be carried out diligently and courteously, without the need for subcontractors.
Business Registration and insurance
Every construction related business operating legally in France must be registered and insured here.
Our business is registered under the Siret number 434 247 433 00015 (Siren 434 247 433). Our principal registered activity is Electrical, and if you enter our details (either telephone number or name) on this Siret check Website here, you will see that we are fully insured and registered for all trades related to property renovation.
Before you engage any builder you may want use this site to check your own builder out, just enter either a telephone number, owners name or company name to see if your builder is registered to carry out the trades they advertise for - especially with potentially dangerous trades such as electrical works.
We are fully insured with MAAF assurances for both public liability, and 10 years decenelle insurance. Full details of this can be supplied on request.
Tips on how to avoid the cowboys
Of course a siret number is no guarantee that your builder or electrician is fully conversant with property renovation in France, but it is a preliminary step to see if their company has a legal status in France.
Having been property owners in France for 17 years now (10 years living here permanently), we have seen quite a few so called builders come and go.
Other things that may want to asking of your builder/electrician is;
How long have they been in France ? Can they supply documentary evidence of business registration and insurance - both decenelle (10 year guarantee) and résponsabilité civile ( public liability)? Do they display their full address and land line telephone numbers and siret numbers on letterheads and business stationary. Do they arrive in a UK registered vehicle? How far are they from you? - Personally we do not work more than one hour from our base - This is to ensure we can offer our clients a full after sales service and any call-outs in any emergencies that may occur.
We also offer a full and free appraisal service for any devis (quotations) that you have received from other artisans.
The reduced rate of TVA (VAT) at 5.5%
Subject to certain criteria, set down by the French government, many renovation works are subject to the lower rate of TVA at 5.5% instead of 19.6%, at present valid up until the end of 2010. You will be asked to sign an attestation in French which is a legal requirement when benefitting from this lower rate of TVA. Only TVA registered and insured artisans can offer you this lower rate.
Paul Punchard the company owner, has lived and owned property in the Mayenne region of France for over 17 years, having previously run a succesful Electrical Contracting and small building company in the UK .
Coming from a family background in the construction industry, Paul was awarded a Licentiateship of the City and Guilds in 1985, and his CITB and City and Guilds qualifications and his proven experience, enabled him to be one of the first "General Builders" to be registered with the Chambre des Metiers in Mayenne.
Previously having served a full five years apprenticeship in electrical installation, (where he also gained top UK apprentice of the year in 1982 from 11000 applicants), wanting further challenges he moved his family permanently to France in 1997.
As a French company, we are bi-lingual and fully conversant with French methods and practices, and are therefore fully equipped to deal with French bureaucracy and utilities companies on your behalf.
We are constantly updating our employee skills and training by our association and membership of the recognised trade organisation, the CAPEB - ( Confédération de l'Artisanat et des Petites Entreprises du Bâtiment). We employ our own (French and English) artisans direct within the company and can therefore guarantee that your project will be carried out diligently and courteously, without the need for subcontractors.
Business Registration and insurance
Every construction related business operating legally in France must be registered and insured here.
Our business is registered under the Siret number 434 247 433 00015 (Siren 434 247 433). Our principal registered activity is Electrical, and if you enter our details (either telephone number or name) on this Siret check Website here, you will see that we are fully insured and registered for all trades related to property renovation.
Before you engage any builder you may want use this site to check your own builder out, just enter either a telephone number, owners name or company name to see if your builder is registered to carry out the trades they advertise for - especially with potentially dangerous trades such as electrical works.
We are fully insured with MAAF assurances for both public liability, and 10 years decenelle insurance. Full details of this can be supplied on request.
Tips on how to avoid the cowboys
Of course a siret number is no guarantee that your builder or electrician is fully conversant with property renovation in France, but it is a preliminary step to see if their company has a legal status in France.
Having been property owners in France for 17 years now (10 years living here permanently), we have seen quite a few so called builders come and go.
Other things that may want to asking of your builder/electrician is;
How long have they been in France ? Can they supply documentary evidence of business registration and insurance - both decenelle (10 year guarantee) and résponsabilité civile ( public liability)? Do they display their full address and land line telephone numbers and siret numbers on letterheads and business stationary. Do they arrive in a UK registered vehicle? How far are they from you? - Personally we do not work more than one hour from our base - This is to ensure we can offer our clients a full after sales service and any call-outs in any emergencies that may occur.
We also offer a full and free appraisal service for any devis (quotations) that you have received from other artisans.
The reduced rate of TVA (VAT) at 5.5%
Subject to certain criteria, set down by the French government, many renovation works are subject to the lower rate of TVA at 5.5% instead of 19.6%, at present valid up until the end of 2010. You will be asked to sign an attestation in French which is a legal requirement when benefitting from this lower rate of TVA. Only TVA registered and insured artisans can offer you this lower rate.
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