famıana
Tools DE

Family Services

The people who make family life run.

Every family has a list of numbers on the fridge: the babysitter, the photographer, the plumber, the removal firm. This section helps you fill that list with people you can trust, and explains what fair looks like when it comes to price.

Try it: Babysitter cost estimator

5 topics · 4 quick answers below
Interactive

Babysitter cost estimator

A fair hourly range for your city, hours and number of children.

Photographers

Top

Family photos are the only purchase that gets more valuable every year. Newborn sessions, family portraits, the yearly beach shoot in the same spot: we cover styles, prices, what to wear and how to find a photographer who is good with children rather than just good with light.

Good to know

  • Book the golden hour, one hour before sunset, and bring snacks for the children.
  • Ask to see a full session, not a portfolio. Portfolios show the best ten out of three hundred.
  • Print them. A photo on a phone is a photo nobody sees.

Guides in the works

  • Family photographers in Mallorca: styles and pricessoon
  • What to wear for a family photo shootsoon
  • Newborn photography: timing, safety, what to expectsoon
Tell me when they land

Childcare

Top

Nurseries, childminders, au pairs and nannies each fit different families. We explain the options, the costs in different countries, what to look for on a visit, contracts and the settling in period nobody warns you about.

Good to know

  • Visit twice, once unannounced. Watch how staff talk to the children who are crying.
  • Ask what happens when your child is ill, when a staff member is ill and on public holidays.
  • Settling in takes two weeks of crying for most children and four for most parents.

Guides in the works

  • Childcare options compared: nursery, childminder, nanny, au pairsoon
  • Nursery costs across Europe and what is subsidisedsoon
  • Au pairs: rules, costs and how to make it worksoon
Tell me when they land

Babysitters

Top

A reliable babysitter is worth more than most household appliances. We cover how to find one, what to pay, how to brief them, agencies versus word of mouth, and the apps and platforms that have changed how families book an evening out.

Good to know

  • A first sitting while you are home, for an hour. Then the evening out.
  • Write the key numbers, bedtime routine and allergies on one sheet. Leave it on the fridge.
  • Pay a little over the going rate. Good sitters have options.

Guides in the works

  • Babysitter rates across Europe: what is fair in your citysoon
  • Finding a babysitter when you are new in townsoon
  • The babysitter briefing sheet, ready to printsoon
Tell me when they land

Moving

Top

Moving house with children is moving house plus explaining it to someone who does not want to go. Removals, timelines, schools, doctors, the paperwork of moving country and how to help children say goodbye and hello: we have moved a lot and written it down.

Good to know

  • Pack the children's rooms last and unpack them first.
  • Removal quotes need a video survey. Phone estimates are wrong by a third.
  • Register with a doctor and a school before you register with the electricity company.

Guides in the works

  • Moving abroad with children: the six month plansoon
  • International removals: quotes, insurance, timingsoon
  • Helping children settle after a movesoon
Tell me when they land

Tradespeople

Top

Plumbers, electricians, painters, gardeners and the person who fixes the gate: family homes need them regularly and finding good ones in a new place is hard. We cover how to find, check and pay tradespeople, what jobs cost and when a warranty actually helps.

Good to know

  • Ask neighbours before you ask the internet. Local reputations are accurate.
  • Get every quote in writing with a start date and a finish date.
  • Pay in stages, never everything up front.

Guides in the works

  • Finding reliable tradespeople in Spainsoon
  • What home repairs cost: a family reference listsoon
  • Emergency plumbers, locksmiths and electricians: what to expectsoon
Tell me when they land
Quick answers

Questions parents ask about family services.

How much does a babysitter cost per hour?

Rates in Europe run from about 8 to 20 euros an hour depending on city, number of children and the sitter's experience. Evenings, weekends and last minute bookings cost more. Our estimator gives a range for your situation.

What does a family photo session cost?

A one hour outdoor session with edited digital files costs roughly 150 to 400 euros in most of Europe. Newborn sessions and studio work cost more. Prints and albums are usually extra.

How long does it take to find a nursery place?

In cities, apply as early as you can, often during pregnancy for the popular nurseries. In Spain, public infant schools for three year olds have set application windows in spring. Private nurseries for babies usually have shorter waits.

How far ahead should I book a removal company?

Four to eight weeks for a local move, three months for an international one, and longer in summer. Late June to early September is peak season everywhere.

Keep going

Sections that usually come next.

Home & Living A home that survives a family and still looks like one. Parents The grown up side of family life. Pregnancy & Baby The first year, starting nine months early.
The Sunday Note

One email on Sunday. The week planned by Monday.

New guides, the tool of the week and three things to do with the children. Nothing else, no spam, unsubscribe in one click.

By subscribing you agree to our privacy notice.