I'm sure a time served polish/german/czech plumber will be able to figure out the differences in working practices between irish installations and the ones in their home country.
How different can it be in all fairness?
'continental' style building practices are more common in these parts than they were 20 years ago so would we be reluctant to let a paddy plumber work on a 'continental' style system? Of course not.
I am talking about repairs to existing systems. If a polish plumber can't figure out how to fix an existing system with a fault he's not much of a plumber full stop.
It's different if we're talking about new installations as the pole may not be fully familiar with the building regulations (not to say he can't learn them).
In my opinion however continental building standards are WAY higher in general than here. I spoke at length with a german engineering contractor recently and he was working on a large enough project and staying in a rented apartment in Sandyford. I asked him what he thought of it and I knew what he'd say "sh!t, I can hear my neighbours". I've been in umpteen apartments in germany, most would be post war 1950's and 60's I'd say and they are clearly built more solidly than stuff we put up in the last few years! No crappy stud partition walls-all solid concrete or block work throughout. Little or no noise transmission etc. Just better built.
Even our system of Ring Main circuits (copied from Britain) is outdated and can be dangerous. It is unheard of on the continent and while we criticise their 'flimsy' plugs compared to our 3 pin ones the reason for the 13 amp fused plug is precisely because the ring main circuit can carry so much current as compared to radial distribution.
I think I'd be far more worried about an electrician from germany working in my house than a plumber from there trying to troubleshoot a problem in an existing system.
How different can it be in all fairness?
'continental' style building practices are more common in these parts than they were 20 years ago so would we be reluctant to let a paddy plumber work on a 'continental' style system? Of course not.
I am talking about repairs to existing systems. If a polish plumber can't figure out how to fix an existing system with a fault he's not much of a plumber full stop.
It's different if we're talking about new installations as the pole may not be fully familiar with the building regulations (not to say he can't learn them).
In my opinion however continental building standards are WAY higher in general than here. I spoke at length with a german engineering contractor recently and he was working on a large enough project and staying in a rented apartment in Sandyford. I asked him what he thought of it and I knew what he'd say "sh!t, I can hear my neighbours". I've been in umpteen apartments in germany, most would be post war 1950's and 60's I'd say and they are clearly built more solidly than stuff we put up in the last few years! No crappy stud partition walls-all solid concrete or block work throughout. Little or no noise transmission etc. Just better built.
Even our system of Ring Main circuits (copied from Britain) is outdated and can be dangerous. It is unheard of on the continent and while we criticise their 'flimsy' plugs compared to our 3 pin ones the reason for the 13 amp fused plug is precisely because the ring main circuit can carry so much current as compared to radial distribution.
I think I'd be far more worried about an electrician from germany working in my house than a plumber from there trying to troubleshoot a problem in an existing system.