so ..... basically they're bust - - - continued

[Stroppymonkey]

Having seen the lifestyle just a basic job affords you in France, you wonder why we bother over here.

We looked at another house the other day, f**k all of an upgrade, just a bigger garden and not on the main road. Downstairs slightly larger, upstairs terrible and in need of a lot of work. No views to speak of either, unlike where we are. The view you see across the wheat field is taken from the back of the garages... which block the view entirely from the two windows on the house that face that way! One tiny cottage next to massive big house, the big house has all the land that used to be the front garden for both properties to make their driveway and to add insult to injury the big house owns two of the garages also with associated right of way! https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/163958954#/?channel=RES_BUY

That would have been another £270k on the mortgage with the stamp duty. No way in hell is that worth the stress.

I'm charging £500/day upwards here and a nice but small house in the country is £1m plus. In Mayenne, a bloke and a digger or a cherry picker is 300-350 euros a day and a nice house in the country is maybe 80 thousand euros with a bit of land. Everyone is chilled, the streets are clean, the towns are family friendly and wholesome. I saw two traffic lights the whole time I was there! Here, I'm in a little bubble of a nice area with associated rich twats but drive three miles to Chichester and you can't move for traffic and new builds and f****ng immigrants. It's all about population density. West Sussex, 1160 people per square mile. Mayenne 53 district, 160 people per square mile. Massively more competition for eveything in the crowded South of England leads to a miserable existance for most yet they don't realise it. Idiots thinking they are living the life with their shitty new builds and purple fences, crowded cheek by jowel with their thick neighbours in a sea of red brick walls and cookie cutter houses with German motors on PCP.

My profit last year was into six figures and without all the machinery i've bought over the last few years being available for capital allowances i'd have handed over what, 40k of it in tax? Yet a council house in a village that a f****ng postman bought from Maggie in the eighties is now worth £625k? That means you need a joint income of £178k to buy it at a 3.5% mortgage multiplier. £178k combined income! That's for a little ex council cottage in a small estate in a village with a reasonably nice view across fields. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/168088985#/?channel=RES_BUY

. f**k it. I'm not buying any more kit, i'm not working hard any more. I'm going to take all the cash I can and buy gold with it. And a house in France.

Population density here is 186 per square mile and it’s too busy . My 2 bed semi is worth just over 200k. We charge 500 a day and I reckon my wage is around 50k a year give or take (well above local average)

Just for comparison

Edit…. My overheads are probably much higher that @doobins as running staffed office etc . Reckon he’s doing better than I …. But probably working harder.
I’m down to about 50 hours a week in the summer and 70 hours a week at this time of year.

 

[Furniss]

Hopefully I'll be of some use here 22 years experience of self employment and living in France.

 

[V8Druid]

Population density here is 186 per square mile and it’s too busy . My 2 bed semi is worth just over 200k. We charge 500 a day and I reckon my wage is around 50k a year give or take (well above local average)

Just for comparison

Edit…. My overheads are probably much higher that @doobins as running staffed office etc . Reckon he’s doing better than I …. But probably working harder.
I’m down to about 50 hours a week in the summer and 70 hours a week at this time of year.

363 here (supposedly) and makes " Monmouthshire the eighth least densely populated area in Wales. " based on 'their' figures of 60m, UK total, which if certain sources are to be believed is something like 30% out / short (supermarkets reckon the pop. is closer to 80m based on their sales)

 

[Stroppymonkey]

363 here and makes Monmouthshire the eighth least densely populated area in Wales.

I very much liked Northumberland and how quiet it was. Friends in our village are relocating to Amble next month. I can see why. My life is here in Devon though …

 

[6feetdown]

I very much liked Northumberland and how quiet it was. Friends in our village are relocating to Amble next month. I can see why. My life is here in Devon though …

I keep hearing nice things about Northumberland

 

[Rob65]

I'm off to the Philippines for a look next year

As mentioned in another post, I’m just back from there. It’s another world.

For a westerner with a bit of cash behind them and the skills to do basic building / engineering I think you could live a very comfortable and happy life.

I don’t think life is so much fun for the typical working class local though. No healthcare / benefits system, poor roads constantly choked with traffic, very expensive vehicles/ plant and lack of public services and many creature comforts that we just take for granted. For example kids schooling has to be paid for. There is no public refuse collection.

You also need to be constantly aware of things that might try to kill you such as snakes and the tap water (if you are lucky enough to have any).

I’m not joking about the last point either. I was working on a big power station site and went to wash my hands at the end of the day but there was no water. The local supply was off. The following day I was told water is back on now as it rained over night.

 

[Simon edwards]

As mentioned in another post, I’m just back from there. It’s another world.

For a westerner with a bit of cash behind them and the skills to do basic building / engineering I think you could live a very comfortable and happy life.

I don’t think life is so much fun for the typical working class local though. No healthcare / benefits system, poor roads constantly choked with traffic, very expensive vehicles/ plant and lack of public services and many creature comforts that we just take for granted. For example kids schooling has to be paid for. There is no public refuse collection.

You also need to be constantly aware of things that might try to kill you such as snakes and the tap water (if you are lucky enough to have any).

I’m not joking about the last point either. I was working on a big power station site and went to wash my hands at the end of the day but there was no water. The local supply was off. The following day I was told water is back on now as it rained over night.

Thought you were talking about Northumberland there,very grim up North!

 

[Gecko]

~ but there was no water. The local supply was off.

That's not uncommon.
Where I am, every house has a tank on the roof (1~5k liters) which is mains fed - keeps you going until the burst pipe is repaired.

 

[Rob65]

have said before I'd been working towards a French address, 'fore me Gaucher's diagnosis in 2010 -
had sold my w/shop site (at contract/deposit stage) in '07/8 when the sh1t hit the fan and me buyers went tits up -
so was no choice but plod on, or we'd have been there by '08/9
had been and looked at a few and damned near pulled the trigger on one which was lovely and a fifth of the cost here
too bloody old now (with complications), but if you'm young, keen and willing BLOODY WEEL GO FOR IT

This all sounds well and good on the face of it but what about the details.

Just as an example Druid, what might have happened if you had been in France for say 2 yrs and the Gouchers had revealed its self? Would you have had the diagnosis and hamster juice free of charge? Would the French elecy company be at your house with a geny to keep you fridge of medication cool? These are the sort of things my trip to the Philippines has made me appreciate. I see a lot of faults with the UK but maybe the grass is not quite as green elsewhere as we might think.

 

[6feetdown]

As mentioned in another post, I’m just back from there. It’s another world.

For a westerner with a bit of cash behind them and the skills to do basic building / engineering I think you could live a very comfortable and happy life.

I don’t think life is so much fun for the typical working class local though. No healthcare / benefits system, poor roads constantly choked with traffic, very expensive vehicles/ plant and lack of public services and many creature comforts that we just take for granted. For example kids schooling has to be paid for. There is no public refuse collection.

You also need to be constantly aware of things that might try to kill you such as snakes and the tap water (if you are lucky enough to have any).

I’m not joking about the last point either. I was working on a big power station site and went to wash my hands at the end of the day but there was no water. The local supply was off. The following day I was told water is back on now as it rained over night.

Yeah I'd assumed as much. Hence the reason so many go into nursing and end up in uk.
But are supposed to be very friendly people

 

[V8Druid]

This all sounds well and good on the face of it but what about the details.

Just as an example Druid, what might have happened if you had been in France for say 2 yrs and the Gouchers had revealed its self? Would you have had the diagnosis and hamster juice free of charge? Would the French elecy company be at your house with a geny to keep you fridge of medication cool? These are the sort of things my trip to the Philippines has made me appreciate. I see a lot of faults with the UK but maybe the grass is not quite as green elsewhere as we might think.

exactly Rob .. was sort of my point , you never know what's around the corner in life, but if you're determined (and young enough)

 

[Furniss]

This all sounds well and good on the face of it but what about the details.

Just as an example Druid, what might have happened if you had been in France for say 2 yrs and the Gouchers had revealed its self? Would you have had the diagnosis and hamster juice free of charge? Would the French elecy company be at your house with a geny to keep you fridge of medication cool? These are the sort of things my trip to the Philippines has made me appreciate. I see a lot of faults with the UK but maybe the grass is not quite as green elsewhere as we might think.

Great point , but regarding healthcare if he had been in the system French health care although struggling with similar problems to the uk is very good still , so I guess he would have had a similar level of support, but agreed there is lots to consider, for instance the communication problems that could of arisen during his diagnosis ....

 

[V8Druid]

Great point , but regarding healthcare if he had been in the system French health care although struggling with similar problems to the uk is very good still , so I guess he would have had a similar level of support, but agreed there is lots to consider, for instance the communication problems that could of arisen during his diagnosis ....

LOL, but yeh ......
Dr. Gaucher, who first identified the disease, in 1890 summat , was actually French ....
God knows how he did, as it took a lot of genetic sampling and testing, to determine it in my system in 2010/11/12

 

[Rob65]

Yeah I'd assumed as much. Hence the reason so many go into nursing and end up in uk.
But are supposed to be very friendly people

Yes, everyone I met was very friendly. I could not help but question their motives sometimes .

 

[Furniss]

Got back from a weeks jaunt down France - had good weather - stayed in a few different places - some thriving - some pretty depressing- and some that were thriving a couple of 100 years ago and then hit rock bottom but seem to be bouncing back a bit.

old Tannery

Paper mills
Left and right bank of the river
One still empty and opposite just being renovated.

Fascinating wandering old towns full of deserted industry - seeing how things have changed and really atmospheric

 

[topkit]

I'm looking to buy somewhere in a similar area (Mayenne), for the same reasons. To get away from all the Range Rover twats where I live. Who knows, maybe end up over there permanently.

Both my neighbours have Range Rovers- one is an NHS receptionist and the other a podiatrist ffs.

Doobin the thing is the South east especially West Sussex and Kent is we have loads of in comers Londoners moving out and bringing their London ways with them which are not welcomed by the genuine locals and your neighbours might have Range Rovers but I would bet my bottom dollar that they don't own them, I bet by the end of the month they don't have much spare, They are living a lie and at some point the 5hit will hit the fan again. So I would sit back and whatch it implode especially when the Range Rover starts giving them problems like an Oil level sender which cost £2500 and apparently is an engine out job!

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Doobin the thing is the South east especially West Sussex and Kent is we have loads of in comers Londoners moving out and bringing their London ways with them which are not welcomed by the genuine locals and your neighbours might have Range Rovers but I would bet my bottom dollar that they don't own them, I bet by the end of the month they don't have much spare, They are living a lie and at some point the 5hit will hit the fan again. So I would sit back and whatch it implode especially when the Range Rover starts giving them problems like an Oil level sender which cost £2500 and apparently is an engine out job!

Bit like down here. My little rural Devon village is turning into little Kent...

 

[V8Druid]

or they're on their way ......

Construction profit warnings spike in third quarter

Profit warnings from UK-listed construction companies in Q3 was the equal highest level since the pandemic.

www.theconstructionindex.co.uk

Profit warnings among listed firms already three times more than last year

Contract delays and cancellations behind rise, EY-Parthenon says

www.building.co.uk

Worries grow over Building Safety Regulator’s plan to clear gateway 2 backlog after building control firm collapses

Callers to Assent Building Compliance's head office told firm has 'ceased trading and set for insolvency'

www.building.co.uk

" building control firm Assent Building Compliance confirmed it was set to go into insolvency. "

 

[V8Druid]

another modular/off site builder gone

Merit goes into administration

Offsite modular building specialist Merit has gone into administration.

www.theconstructionindex.co.uk

 

[Lancs Lad]

aptly put:

National Timber Group went into administration yesterday. 561 people redundant. I'm not going to analyse it. I'm not going to explain it. Everyone already knows the story. Here's what I will say… | Dmitrijs Sakelis | 40 comments

National Timber Group went into administration yesterday. 561 people redundant. I'm not going to analyse it. I'm not going to explain it. Everyone already knows the story. Here's what I will say, though... Next week, every NTG competitor will increase their prices. Not dramatically. Just...

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