Alex H

You could start here http://www.leboncoin.fr/  There seem to be 4200 entries for "mercedes elegance" in all of France today :-) including a Mercedes Classe A 170 CDI Elegance, 170,000km, 2000, diesel, automatic for 5800€

http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/ciweb2g-pagesjaunes/RecherchePagesJaunes.do Checkout 'thermographie' Don't know about costs, sorry.

Thanks to all - it is indeed in my home insurance under "Sejour- Voyages"

I'm hiring a gite and in the contract I have been asked to sign is this clause; Le client est responsable de tous les dommages survenant de son fait. Il est tenu d’être assuré par un contrat d’assurance type villégiature pour ces différents risques. Is this some sort of holiday insurance? Would it be included on my house policy?

I use hotmail, but my sign-on screen is here  http://login.live.com/ - its free of all that MSN nonsense :-) Can you login from that url?

[quote user="powerdesal"][quote user="Tandem_Pilot"][quote user="powerdesal"]Being pedantic (who me ???), you are actually becoming immigrants, not expats.[/quote] Could be both :-) According to dictionary.com expatriate            to withdraw (oneself) from residence in one's native country ( Usually for a temporary period )  Immigrant           a person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence. [/quote][/quote] To continue your pedantic theme, the addition is yours and yours alone - dictionary.com only has the text I quoted :-)

[quote user="powerdesal"]Being pedantic (who me ???), you are actually becoming immigrants, not expats.[/quote] Could be both :-) According to dictionary.com expatriate            to withdraw (oneself) from residence in one's native country Immigrant           a person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence.

[quote user="Angel"] Can't seem to put the photo on! [/quote] Read this - it explains how to post a photo http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/819635/ShowPost.aspx

You have the right translation (google.fr - images brings up lots) but when i try and find one for rent (location?) I just get lots of chinese manufacturers trying to sell. Good luck with your search

[quote user="Gardener"]I have narrowed it down to Acer eMachines EL1352-093 or an Acer eMachines EL1352-016 which seem about the same to me. both 320go or go up 50€ and opt for Acer eMachines EL1352-004 which has 640Go My computers don't seem to last long so I am loathed to spend a fortune.[/quote] Buy either - they won't last long anyway. Acer / e-machines / gateway all the same thing

I have the opportunity to buy the house / barn that is attached to ours. Due to it's condition,  unsafe, and its position with regard to land / other buildings, I propose to demolish it. However, it has overhead electricity feed, phone line and water. Does anyone have any experience of having these services removed?

[quote user="pachapapa"]The board soft does not permiot me to repost the same link as previously posted on the garden category. Look on you mirror thread. [/quote] Interesting! I'll do it then http://www.cuprinol.be/fr/products/products_sheds.html

[quote user="Chancer"]Having kept my car for 6 years my annual fixed running costs are now very low and work out at €178 per year which is comprised of  insurance and breakdown cover, half  a CT and one sixth of the carte grise, the longer I keep the vehicle the less (per year) it becomes. [/quote] Wow!  My insurance alone is twice that - what sort of vehicle do you have and who is your insurer?

[quote user="Rob Roy"]But as the OP has stated, the expensive airlines don't bother to fly to Tours![:)] [/quote] Yes they do - Air France does for £198 (according to www.fly.com)

[quote user="Mattyj198"] I doubt the septic is under the house. [/quote] Why not?  Ours is buried under the barn floor and because of the available land does not have the acres of drainage field normally associated with a fosse. It's just a 1500 litre concrete tank with a small sand filter and works very well. I've seen pictures on here of odd concrete tanks situated in cellars. Our neighbour has no fosse - he has a drain which wends it's way through the hamlet (there are only 2 houses attached to it) and disappears, to emerge, we suspect in the river which is not too far away :-)

have a look at an existing hedge?

[quote user="pachapapa"][quote user="Tandem_Pilot"][quote user="Jonzjob"]I have always used google to do any web searches, but all of a sudden I find that bing has appeared? How can I change it back to google anyone please? [/quote] In the search engine box at the top right hand of the screen there is a drop down to allow you to change to the search engine of your choice. Strange thing is , my list does not contain Bing! [/quote] Hardly surprising as it is now called Live Search or was it.[6] Have you got a Live Search? [/quote] Nope

[quote user="Jonzjob"]I have always used google to do any web searches, but all of a sudden I find that bing has appeared? How can I change it back to google anyone please? [/quote] In the search engine box at the top right hand of the screen there is a drop down to allow you to change to the search engine of your choice. Strange thing is , my list does not contain Bing!

[quote user="DeeJaymax"]Tandem Pilot, our Agent has told us we need to show the Notaire confirmation of insurance at the signing for the property - I presume you did not have to show it at that point? btw - was your property habitable when you bought it?[/quote] I'm fairly sure that wasn't the case, but it has been 6 years. We did buy through an agent who arranged this for us and the property was habitable (in a rural French sort of way :-) )

Are you looking for a UK based company or a French one? We insured our house immediately after purchase with the local AXA agent - no problems at all.

Anyone know where I can buy some? - the last of my UK stock is about to go :-(

[quote user="powerdesal"]IMHO the compressive strength of a standard blockwork wall is quite adequate to support a joist. I would insert the joist into the blockwork to full thickness and finish around it as required.[/quote] I think that's probably the way to go, thanks to all for the suggestions :-)

[quote user="just john "]Rather than just performing a utilitarian job, why not have some limestone corbels and insert them into the wall lower down, then sit some oak joists on top to support the loanding. [:)] [/quote] Now I like those, but, I think they may be a bit pricey?

[quote user="woolybanana"]The cupboard seems about the right height. Why not rest them on top of that and make it a true DIY job?[/quote] Ah, but what you don't know is that its sitting on a trolley, so I can move it about whilst building - its about 15cm too short for any construction work :-)

The blockwork is standard 20cm parpaing available from your local Bricomarche :-) How do you mean "fit the sabots into the blockwork" - i thought they were just screwed to the block?