With thanks to the Dordogne Info site, this handy list when you need a specialist handyman or service (the comments, however, are from personal experience):
Un artisan (indépendant)
A (self-employed) craftsman
(careful of fly-by-nights!)
Un charpentierA carpenter
Un ébéniste
A cabinet maker
(if IKEA soen'e have what you need!)
Un carreleur
A tiler
(make sure you get a sober one or your floor will look like a Gaudi creation)
Un couvreur de toît de chaume
A thatcher
(as if a Brit will put a thatch roof on his newly restored house!)
Un électricien
An electrician
Un menuisier
A joiner
Un maçon
A builder, a bricklayer
(usually the cousin of the son-in-law of the femme de menage of your neighbour.. Welcome to the family!)
Un peintre
A painter
(the paint is never included in the price -- be aware - and the ceiling will need painting too for you are sure to hit it when you get the quote!)
Un plombier
A plumber
(make friends with this man! The pipes are so old and clogged with calcium, you are going to need him once a week for the rest of your days. He generally also looks after the heating)
Un ramoneur
Chimney sweep
(if you afre lucky enough to have a big fireplace! By law it has to be done once a year -- so look for one that doesn't eat too much or he won't fit next year and you have to start looking for a new one all over again)
Un serrurier
A locksmith
(and he is not attached to a shoe repair shop!)
Un vitrier
A glazier
Un chantier
A building site
(where the guys wistle when you walk past -- just as rthey do everywhere else in the world)
Le début, la fin
The beginning, the end
(The two will feel like years apart -- probably because they are -- so put this aside for later for by the time you get to La fin you will have forgotten the word)
Les délais
Deadline
(you don't have to memorize this word -- it will come up so often, you will learn it by osmosis)
La fourniture
The supply
(is always in question. Out of stock.... due to les délais.... so what's new?)
Un label
A guarantee of quality
(Ha!)
Un litige
A dispute
(Ha ha ha! -- i.e. keep you sense of humour)
Le matériel, les matériaux
The equipment
Le personnel
The staff
Un service après venteAfter-sales service
(Wasn't aware there was such a word in French....)
Un téléphone portable
A mobile phone
(make sure it is shock proof and watger proof -- you are sure to throw it a few times)
Les travaux
The work
(that's what it is all about -- but not during lunch hour)
Assurer
To insure
Le bouche à oreille
Word of mouth
(still the best reference)
Choisir
To choose
(only after you have listened to Le bouche à oreille)
Une connaissance
An acquaintance
(be careful of those - they usually expect to get a share of the pay cheque)
Demander
To ask
(you can try...)
Envisager
To consider, contemplate
Etre en règle
To be in order
(lucky you!)
Exiger
To demand
(you can try this too...)
Se fier à l’avis de
To trust the opinion of
(Le bouche à oreille)
Joindre quelqu’un
To reach someone
(but not after hours or on a weekend)
Recommander
To recommend
(if you are very lucky)
Une agence immobilière
Estate agency
(when all else fails and you want to sell and bail out)
Les syndicats professionnels
Professional trade unions
(they are in Paris -- on another planet)
La mairie
The town hall
(you will get to know it well. Take your coffee flask with you)
Click on Link:
Chateau Lalinde : The perfect venue for your event
