Homes & property · Renovation

Renovation and tradespeople on Réunion Island: what we have learnt

Updated: 3 September 2026

By Frank Knabe · personal experience on Réunion Island

Specific recommendations are the most useful

Personal recommendations are extremely important on the island. We ask friends, neighbours and local groups — including Facebook, which is a particularly important medium here — who has actually worked with a particular tradesperson and can recommend them for that specific trade.

Many tradespeople work as generalists. This can be very practical for smaller jobs, but it does not automatically mean that they are equally skilled in every trade. For us, direct experience of comparable work therefore matters more than a general recommendation.

Obtain installation instructions in advance

If you employ a generalist and buy components such as windows or French windows yourself, ask for the installation instructions when purchasing or save the download link. Give them to the installer before work begins. Critical steps can and should be discussed specifically: with windows and French windows, for example, check that the frames are installed the right way round so the drainage outlets do not face inwards. In timber construction, we also make sure that a moisture barrier is correctly connected and neatly taped in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Not every generalist is familiar with such details.

Saying that a component can be installed does not always mean that the manufacturer’s requirements are known. Improvising by trial and error can create faults that are extremely difficult to correct later. Such work should therefore be followed closely, and departures from the instructions raised before components are permanently fixed, foamed or plastered in.

Several quotations are not always realistic

Obtaining several quotations sounds sensible, but is not always possible in practice. With larger jobs and established companies, for example in Saint-Denis, a comparison may work. With busy specialists such as window installers, it is often difficult enough to find several suitable firms that can visit promptly and actually provide a quotation. A quotation from a completely unknown company does not necessarily provide a reliable benchmark either.

Remain present while work is carried out

We have learnt to supervise work as closely as possible and raise important points immediately. If checks are left until the end, tiles may already have been laid, pipes concealed or components permanently installed.

Tone matters. Criticism should be clear, respectful and prompt. The aim is not to turn every detail into a conflict, but to find a workable solution together and keep the project moving.

Personal practical experience is invaluable here. I can draw on two extensive renovations of listed buildings and several flat renovations. I sometimes assisted skilled tradespeople and carried out individual jobs myself. This now helps me assess stages and results more effectively and ask questions early when needed.

Allow for delays

Reliability of timings is another important issue. On many of our jobs, the agreed start date or intended completion period was not met. This can be particularly difficult where the work of several providers is interdependent.

We therefore include time buffers wherever possible and avoid scheduling the next appointment too tightly. Not every delay can be prevented, but allowing for it from the outset reduces the pressure when one trade finishes late and the next cannot begin.

Different training routes and expectations

Vocational training routes also differ from Germany. A common French entry-level qualification is the usually two-year certificat d’aptitude professionnelle (CAP), which may be completed at a vocational school or through an apprenticeship. Many dual vocational trades courses in Germany take three years. This alone says nothing about the quality of an individual tradesperson, but it forms part of the different context.

There is also limited availability, long supply routes and sometimes expensive materials. Small cosmetic irregularities occasionally have to be viewed more calmly. Waterproofing, electrics, plumbing, structural work and other safety-critical tasks, however, should not involve compromises.

Registration and further checks

We check that a SIRET number is valid regardless of the value of the job. This matters particularly because some providers ask for an advance payment to buy materials and then disappear. On two occasions, checking the business information allowed us to step away in time. Valid registration is not evidence of good workmanship, but it is an important first check. The name or business name, address and registration number should also appear on the quotation or invoice.

While turning our experience into content for this website, we discovered two points of which we had previously been unaware:

For building work requiring professional liability insurance or ten-year construction insurance, the assurance décennale, an up-to-date insurance certificate should be requested before work begins. It is also important to check that the specific work commissioned is covered by that insurance.

French law also imposes a verification duty intended to combat undeclared work for private contracts worth at least €5,000 excluding tax. A private client must obtain one of the prescribed documents when the contract is concluded and again every six months if the work continues for longer than that.

These two points do not describe how we have handled our projects so far. We cannot yet judge from our own experience how we will apply these checks in everyday practice on future jobs.

Our conclusion

Our main lesson is to seek sound recommendations, check registration, remain on site where possible, allow time buffers, and raise problems early, directly and with tact.

Official information and registers

• Official business directory – Annuaire des Entreprises
• National Business Register – DATA INPI
• Verification duty from €5,000 excluding tax – Article R8222-1
• Simplified checks for private clients – Articles D8222-4 and D8222-5
• Ten-year guarantee and insurance certificate – Service Public

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