Poolguy
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Posts posted by Poolguy
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Gee
I'm still no closer to understanding.
There are normal people in Countries a lot hotter than it gets anywhere in France collecting rainwater of the roof and storing in tanks up to even 10 -20 -50,000 litres. More than enough to run a family or a gite for that matter from one rainy season to the next. Water from the heavens is free and much better quality that bore water for the reasons already posted - agricultural over fertilising.
The construction of a water tank is cheap and can be DIY. If a building has a gutter then you can collect the water. It just seems preposterous to pay that much money for something that should be free - as the gods intended.
I guess I really missing something.
Andrew
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Val
Gosh .. what a shock that is to the cash flow.
I was just curious.. as you very handy and sharp (I suspect) why for example do you and others in France not Collect water of the roof for use in the Garden, washing machine, toilet and the like...?
I don't get it... If you pay that sort of bill every year a storage tank worth perhaps two years bill could easily cut it in half or more.
Call me crazy but it doesn't make any sence to me. All of my projects in the furute will have stored water, not just to save cost but for fire protection as well.
Andrew
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Hello Chris
Good to see another oak lover.. me too. Tell me; is your oak quarter sawn? what sort of mill do you have? Do you air dry, dehumidify or cook em?
I think that the others we wanting Sapelle perhaps!!
Nice owl by the way.. compliments.
Andrew
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If you all had a Solar absorber you could enjoy the benefits of washing in hot or warm water - free from the sun.
Its a better wash particularly for work clothes for my money.
Andrew
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I am in an impossible position as far as employment is concerned. I have Bac + 7 but none of which is recognised (outside EU) in France.
So in order to be considered for employment in France within my already established specific competencies, I will have to go back to school and re qualify. Not an appealing thought after 13 years of higher education.
So I too, am unemployable, I am forced into self employment. I wonder how the French qualifications get on in the rest of the world.
As my dear of dad used to say "Son, If life was easy, everyone would be doing it". He considers himself an optimist.
Andrew
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hi xlb
I'm sure that I have what you need or am sure to be able to get it, if you can specify what species you want, dimensions, quantity and moisture content.
If you what to get the information to me in a PM I'll deal with it directly.
Andrew
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Steve
I live on the edge of Venice Verte and I can tell you that it is absolutely a delight.
Think of 'Wind in the Willows' and then Imagine your own bungalow beside the Canal (there is hundreds of them) and your getting there.
But, you really have to 'go there' to get it. I'm here and I don't believe it still. But like all good things there is a down side. A lot of other people go there in Summer as well. Colon is the most popular centre along with Arcais. Fontenay la Compte is pretty but its on the edge as well. I live in Marans which is the last port on the Canals before the sea. Also on the main route South from Nante. This region has more sunshine hours than any where else in France after the Cote d Azur.
If you want to come down for a look the Bele Mere runs a really nice Gite (4 star)(see Gite D' France for Marans). and its a good base to patrol the Poitiu Charante. Charante Maratime is very large and runs for more than 100 km south of here. Vendee and Deux-Sevres are also really nice.
Generally the place is flat with very few trees. But its very peaceful. Come have a look.
If you need some help let me know.
Andrew
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Hi Norton
Shouldn't be a problem. I'm here in edge of Charante Maratime and Vendee. I'll drop you a PM and we can go from there.
Andrew
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Hey Freyjabear
I've sent you a PM
Hope that I can help
Andrew
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Over on that other forum TF they have been twittering like sparrows about the changes. The comments have been hot yesterday and today as Immobilers have been receiving letters revoking renewals of AC carte gris.
link has been sited to explain: http://www.laniac.fr/
What does this really mean: AC. Its dead for newbies and oldie alike.
Maybe you have another reading..
Andrew
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Me too!!!
I am looking for 300+square meters in the Northern Charante Maratime/Southern Vendée area with a concrete floor.
Thanks
Andrew
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yep
I guess that we draw these puppies as accurate as can be because we can!!
I don't know that its entirely necessary to get a building 'poill poile'- it doesn't make it easier to live in, as a long as it keeps the rain out.
I live in a 16th century stable and not one of the corners is square - its like something out of an Esher drawing, but its still cozy.
Unless your client is a Pharaoh and you absolutely need the solstice sunrise through your bedroom window or the northern star illuminating your effigy in the front room, I guess close enough is good enough. Is this heresy? (I pay homage to the God Autocad and beg forgiveness for my impure thoughts..)
Did anyone here the one about the sky scraper in NY which was built 6" over the boundary of a little old lady's building. woooops!!!Somebody got it wrong.
It became the most expensive 6" of land in history as I recall.
Andrew
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You tell em Bob
Sad but true... the AC thing is dead for the like of the unwashed (yourstruely...) hafta get new possie.
One little detail I don't understand though.
Does that mean that a commision agent is out of order for all industries or is it just for the Immobilier industry as I suspected. Could I for example get a commission for selling heating systems to folk?????
One rather uninteresting fact (?) ... I suspect, although I don't know for sure... is that My village was the last that Napoleon saw of Mainland France before his extended vacation in St Helene.
I wonder if he remembered it.
About this being 'France'..... we'll naturally I gathered that, I've already had dealings with 'administration'.
About not giving a t*ss... do they do that here anyway???
Thinking thinking thinking.
Andrew
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AMEN
I say AMEN to that Brian Limousin.You tell em Boss.
Andrew
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Hey there Piprob
Yep I remember with horror those horrible caliper pens... worst cursed things ever to be offered to man kind. The inventor (who must have been back in the 12th century) must had had quite a malicious streak in him (or maybe it was a her - makes more sense really). Rotrings were bad enough but those calipers were a disease, repeating pencils were OK but unfortunately not permanent enough - no wonder most designers look a little sick most of the time.
I know what you mean about Clients and changes. It happens quite a lot to us all. The only solution I've found is either take a firm hand (daddy style)lay down the rules and stick to them or don't have a client at all, that is; do the job yourself for yourself. That's not so much fun though.
But I must say, the computer is a blessing, so long as the rotten thing doesn't crash and scramble the file... if that see para one.
Andrew
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Retrospective legislation...?
Industry specific Legislation....?
not to mention unconstitutional..!!
(mutter mutter ...Where is my Civil Code...... )(anyone got Napoleon's number?)
I would be interested to hear if this survives a challenge of the Constitutional kind.
In UK,Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, and India it would be completely illegal and therefore unsound.
Andrew
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If that is true its sounds quite unfair. Surley either the status of AC is Terminated or its not.
I still can't see how the Government can legislate for a particular profession and not across the board. This situation could not possible occur anywhere else I have worked.
I guess that this is why that call this place 'France'.
Andrew
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Hi Boiling a Frog (interesting Name)(do you subscribe to disaster theory?)
No, your not missing anything.
Stone is as stone always is - 'rock hard'
But, some people don't like the idea of stains or dirt being ground into the service and therefore prefer to seal the surface of the stone with a waterproof sealer - I use Tung oil mainly because its a natural product and does a great job. The synthetic sealers us a hardener which is a know cause of Cancer.
If the floor is in the Kitchen or bathroom its also more hygienic especially if there are baby's crawling around.
Personally, I have a 2 year old and another on the way. I would not allow them to play or spend time on an unsealed stone floor. But like I said, Its a personal thing, I guess it also depends on the traffic and how often you wash it.
Andrew
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I went through 6 years of Architecture at Uni - up all the night fighting to keep the Rotrings and the pencils working to get plans to the crit sessions in the morning, only to find out from Colleagues that some little thing that you have fogotten will cause your Architectural marvel to be torn to shredds by Professors. (Merde)
Personally, I thank the gods of Computers and the God AUTOCAD who make such impossible things easy. I wouldn't go back to those dark days for all the tea an biscuts in England. Neither would my clients who, to a man (and woman) have a passion for 'change of mind' when they see their dream expressed in mm and line. Easy to do on Computer - 'back to the drawing board' - with a pencil.
So sorry to be all modern Guys but Computer has this business and the Graphics business by the nuts. The pencil and Letraset is dead, may it rest in peace.
Andrew
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To those who are lucky enough to have stone floors I can offer only this advise. Don't use linseed or any other vegetable oil.
The reason is that it never really gets hard. It polymerises yes but only to a sort of plastic state and you'll end up having to do it again. It will also leave a oily residue which will be slippery if the floor is wet. That all sounds not too catastrophic but you cant remove to old to put down the new which will lever you with a 'patchy' colour as parts where the oil has leeched out will look a different colour the the parts where the old oil remains.
I would strongly recommend using Tung oil. Perhaps a mix with some Eucalyptus to aid penetration, perhaps some pine to speed up hardening but the major part is TUng oil.
This mix will Harden and you should be set for life depending on how high the traffic is on the stone, it might wear it away in which case you have to do it again. Its been used by the chinese for many centuries and is head an shoulder above the vegetable oils for this purpose. It works well on timber and concrete floors as well.
Regards
Andrew
(I'm in the business to oil floors)
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The correct figure is 960 hours of work completed are necessary for eligibility for Dole (payments) and Social Security (health care). One or more hours less and they will knock you back. Guaranteed.
I often wonder what happens to those people who can manage to get the that all important first job for what ever reason... Starvation I guess, so much for a Socialist State.
Hendo
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Adam
Yes I agree that seems expensive to me. The Pool Company I work with could put in the pool for less than half of that and the fence/cover would not nearly make up the rest. I don't know what you've been quoted for but maybe you might give me a PM and I'll work up an idea for the whole job - Garden design, terrace included.
I'm in Charante Maratime at the edge of the Vendee where are you?
Hope that I can help
Andrew
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We live in Marans.(17)
Its know as the 'bottlekneck' by holidaymakers and travellers going south from Nante, we are 20 min North of La Rochelle.
Andrew
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Hmm...
Can't see much from those pics...
Try again perhaps
Andrew
Heating a barn
in House Renovations
Posted
Hello Di
Sounds like a big job and one to the right way once, instead of in bits or just enough.
I suggest the following:
I am presuming that this floor is on the ground floor and not a mezzanine. In which case if you want to go with underfloor heating, then take out ALL the timber out and begin with a new slab containing steel and the pipework necessary for hot water. If you then want timber boards on top put down 50x50mm battens and infill with screed. Boards MUST be a substantial hardwood.. (chestnut is too soft) and must be between 6-9% moisture content to avoid distortion. Naturally, I would suggest Tung oil final polish as you know my particular persuasion for natural products as Lacquers and varnishes cause cancer.
I don't like semi sold boards or veneers for the reasons you described and they are not a final solution but a problem delayed for a later generation to solve. Solid timber is not that much more expensive and should last for Hundreds of years if you treat it well. Lastly those with an eye for quality will be able to tell the difference.
Heating the space is no problem. I still suggest a wood pellet burner either as a space heater (if you don't go underfloor) or as a boiler unit(if you do). The fuel cost of oil will double in the next 3 years and those with investment in oil systems will hurt bad. Wood fuel will only ever get cheaper as it becomes more popular and its no more trouble to use that oil or gas. One addition you will need though is a fan (I would suggest two) in the ceiling to force the warm air down otherwise you will always feel cold even though you pump masses of energy into the room.
I can help you with any of this material or equipment or more information if you want to send me a PM.
Andrew