Quote:
Originally Posted by minesthechevy
...but it does make me angry to think that someone has seen us an an easy mark.
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I'm past getting too worked up over this, it's not worth the energy. Discussing similar practices in Thailand, I mentioned a recent con attempt on me in France
in this post. I eventually got the work done by a bona fide builder for 300 euros, a fraction of the quoted price.
Rogue traders are to be found everywhere practising their 'art' on the vulnerable, and expats (and Parisians) can be easy meat.
It does help to use local contacts to get sensible prices on your behalf. The trouble is that owners of substantial properties are not short of a few quid, or so the traders in your area insist on believing to justify their actions, and a 10-20% increase on the actual going rate is par for the course. Sometimes a lot more. It amazes me that people will fall for it, but they must do, else these guys would be out of a job.