www.enablers.fr

Why use Enablers?

Overall, labour typically accounts for 50% of renovation building costs. With registered artisans charging 180 - 300 euros per day, large savings can be made by those prepared to undertake work themselves.

But how does one learn the necessary skills? Books and magazines are all very well, but they are rarely specific to the individuals’ needs and often lack minor but important details.

Could you confidently carry out a task after having 'chatted it over' with a mate? - Imagine if we learnt to swim or drive a car like this! The long and short of it is you can’t beat personal tuition – up until now only available on a ‘you come to us’ basis and often of limited content.

Enablers has been set up with you - the fledgling home renovator, in mind.

We come to your property and teach you the basics of the specific task you're wishing to undertake.

How do we do it?

Starting at the beginning, we'll take you through the tools and materials required to tackle a range of building skills.

You'll work at your own pace, knowing you have a skilled professional at your side should things get a bit hairy.

We aim to help you avoid waste and costly mistakes. By working together we’ll help ensure your project more resembles your initial dreams than your worst nightmare.

More than anything, we’ll help build your confidence, able to take on even major tasks in your stride – safe in the knowledge that further help and assistance are only a phone call away.

What do we do?

We can offer helpful tuition on the following:

Structural works:

• Openings for doors and windows
• Beam replacement
• Form work (i.e. shuttering concrete for stairs and lintels)
• Brick, block and stonework

1st fix:

• Window and door installation (including roof lights)
• Floor laying
• Lime rendering and pointing
• Internal division walls (block, timber stud, metal stud and colombage)
• Plaster boarding
• Insulation

2nd fix:

• Plastering and rendering
• Floor polishing
• Making shutters and doors
• Kitchen and bathroom fitting

Miscellanious:

• Design and Programming
• Wind power and solar heating
• Plumbing

The above list is varied but by no means exhaustive. Basically we can help you with all aspects of property renovation, so if its not up there, ask. Our aim is to give a sound introduction to any single task.

We don't offer 'an introduction' to carpentry or masonry or any other trade in general. We will show you the basics of any one specific task - stud walling or fitting a roof light, for example. This is not to say that the skills you learn won't be valid for another job. What we seek to do is to give you the confidence to carry out a task that you wish to execute but can't tackle by yourself.

For those needing broader help, we offer a project mentoring service. Here we will assess your proposed works, offering advice and guidance if needed. We will agree a timetable and generally 'be there' when you need us.

Whether it is to offer training, advice or just to help with the all-important motivation, we'll help you get and keep your project moving.

So what do you get from enablers?

We will leave you competant to carry on at your own pace with the peace of mind that, should you hit a problem, we'll be there to help; either at the end of a phone or by email. We obviously can't guarantee the standard of your work - this depends on the ability of the individual.

What we can do, is show you how the pros do it - the short cuts and wrinkles as well as the 'don't do's'; things that may take you many years to pick up and aren't mentioned in the manuals and magazines.

A word of caution - some of the above tasks are suitable only for more experienced self renovators. If you are a DIY virgin it would possibly not be in your best interest for me to come and teach you how to knock a double width opening through a 1 metre thick stone wall. Basically what I'm saying is I reserve the right to assess your capabilities before committing to help you with 'the big stuff'.

Much of building is about common sense, the rest is a mixture of competance and caution. Everyone should recognise their limitaions and no-one should be too proud to know when its time to call in a professional. Most builders hate picking up work that someone else has started, and will charge accordingly. So if you have doubts about your ability to finish a job - best not start it!

What area do we cover?

We are initially offering our services throughout the Aveyron (12) and its satellite departments, (15, 48, 34, 81, 82 and 46). We believe strongly in the merits of the service we're offering and wish to see it grow. To this end, if you are a fellow building professional and feel as we do then please contact us with a view to joining us.

The cost?

Our fees start at 250 euros per day with a discount on multiple training days.

We're happy to talk about group days (rope in some friends and reduce your costs) and overall we have a flexible approach.

So that, in a nutshell is Enablers - we're here to help you help yourself.

Contact us to organise a visit or just to chat through your plans