DraytonBoy
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Posts posted by DraytonBoy
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Sorry I should have been clearer. I knocked holes in the walls to a depth of 25/30 cm so the walls take the load.
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The two main beams were put into the walls, it's not a difficult job and is quite quick.
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I've recently put in a similar new floor and have used a mixture of the two methods to accommodate a stair opening. Into the stone walls I put two thick beams one either side and attached thinner beams going in the opposite direction using sabots. I always ask the merchant who supplies the beams to do a strength/stress calculation based on the dimension of the total floor area.
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Doing something, anything will be an improvement on the last five years.
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Our life when we first moved here - wife takes the kids to school, I go to work, wife collects kids from school then straight to swimming training, once everyone's back we sit down to eat together, next day repeat etc, Saturday boys play football, Sunday badminton or swimming competition, next week repeat. Guess what, this was our life in the UK so all we did was just change the location, by your definition we've experienced the 'real France' but to us it's just life. The same goes for retirees, if you were retired in the UK and then came here what would/should you do differently - substitute lawn bowls for boules, eat at 12 instead of when you're hungry etc?
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Unfortunately one man can't run the country though and the lack of a party behind him could be his and the country's downfall.
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I love our rural SW France bubble but if I want a 'city fix' I nip down the road to Bordeaux to see one of the kids. Which one is the 'real France', who knows but more importantly does it matter?
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Typical BBC, can't even get the year right as the election is in 2017.
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The EU as a trading block to compete globally and with no borders to allow free movement was a good idea until it allowed any nation to join. Now it's like an uncontrollable mass that spews out ridiculous laws and decrees made up by overpaid muppets who couldn't get a job doing anything else.At least the UK has the option to pull out, France is well and truly welded to the mass. It's no coincidence that the UK has recovered from the 2008 crisis better than most by being out of the Eurozone. Germany has also done well but they are now suffering from internal unrest as Mr and Mrs Frankfurter realise that they'll be the ones picking up the tab if countries like Greece go bankrupt.I'm pro EU but unless it slims down and failing nations such as Greece are dropped it will continue to stagnate.
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When we started our property/gite management business in 2007 AE didn't exist and we had to start a Micro affiliated to MSA as much of the work involved gardening. Since then the type of work we do has changed a bit but we have decided to stick with MSA as their charges are now not much higher than those of the AE scheme which seem to have increased every year. The only thing I would add is that with MSA there is a set minimum annual cotisation charge regardless of how low your turnover is so if the turnover is likely to be less than say 12k then try AE as 'nettoyage courant des bâtiments'.
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All MP's are corrupt, all Muslims are terrorists and all football supporters are hooligans. As per usual the actions of a minority of whatever group taint the reputation or perception of the majority.
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[quote user="powerdesal"]'' the wealthy (millionaires and above) should be encouraged to ignore the tax avoidance schemes etc and pay what's due. ''What is due is dictated by the tax laws, the law is the law, it has no moral value.To encourage people ( wealthy or otherwise ) to pay more than the tax laws say they should is, in effect, to encourage them to break the law. :-)[/quote]So the wealthy are compelled to put their money in tax avoidance schemes otherwise they're breaking the law, what a load of c**p. You'll be telling me next Bono and his band mates had no choice but to register U2 Inc in Holland (who have lower tax rates), they were just complying with Irish tax law.
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I really meant closing the schemes because it's morally wrong that the wealthy can avoid tax at the same time as public services (probably not used by the wealthy) are being cut to reduce the deficit. There will always be the rich and everyone else and living in a capitalist world I accept that but part of me feels that the wealthy (millionaires and above) should be encouraged to ignore the tax avoidance schemes etc and pay what's due.
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Surely the most important question is whether all 'tax avoidance' schemes should be shut down? The tax gap mentioned above is closing as HMRC are becoming more aggressive in pursuing on-payers etc and in fact evasion and avoidance only makes up 20% of the total tax lost so it's not as big a problem a people may think.
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The Labour party have accepted large donations from PWC (accountants) who have set-up 000's of tax avoidance schemes but of course they can't possibly be as corrupt as the nasty Tories.
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Oh my god, the wealthy have been hiding their money. Has this just happened or has it been going on for some time?
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If you are going to attack the Tories about the tax benefits of hedge funds or tax avoidance by their donors you have to a) get your facts right and b) be whiter than white. On both counts the two Ed's have failed. In a capitalist world you are never going to get equality as the rich will always find ways to get richer. So if Labour get elected in May the 'rich and poor' gap will still grow, it's just the way it is.
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Totally agree with Rabbie's post.A couple of friends here have four children between them but all from previous marriages. The man has a one child whom he hasn't spoken to for 15 years because said child doesn't want anything to do with his father. Why should this child (aged 35) have any claim on the couple's jointly owned French home?So this new EU legislation has come along at the right time for our friends as they are both getting on a bit and can now plan sensibly should the worst happen.Now if only France had better inheritance tax rules then I'd be even happier.
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The words of religious leaders throughout the world are seen as god's word (no matter what god) so IMO the Pope's words were ill-chosen at best.
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Thanks Norman.
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A friend of ours alledges that he receives a full UK state pension and a reduced French state pension based on contributions he has made here. Is this possible?
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I've gone passed being fed up and have now hit the 'despair' stage. Within a week of the 'solidarity march' nearly 50% of France thinks CH was wrong to produce yet another Muhammed cartoon. So why in god's name are millions buying the bloody magazine? Instead of unifying the country what has happened is in danger of making it even more divided and if that occurs where does that leave the 6 million Muslims here the vast majority of whom are French citizens?
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We have always tried to instill a work ethic into our kids and all four have been able to find jobs outside of school/Uni. This has though not stopped the eldest two spending every centime they earn (and more) and over the last two years have bailed them out many times. However following the eldest son's latest efforts to bankrupt us we have taken the painful decision to refuse any further demands for financial help from all four. It seems harsh on the youngest two but as they are more careful with their money we don't feel too bad.
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Despite the constant delays and complaints the UK's rail network is one of the busiest in the world and passenger numbers are growing. It therefore beggars belief that more time wasn't allocated to the engineering works bearing in mind the time of year and the chaos that could have been predicted if they overran.
Don't be Shy Theresa
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