Laggan

Hi - and thanks so much for taking the time! Unfortunately this company can't take on manual workers (something to do with insurance). It's a shame, because I did like the sound of them.

Hi All, I wonder if anyone can suggest a helpful/good French portage company for a person who is a manual worker (working in private jet outfitting/Formula 1 bodywork)? I thought I had found one, but then it turns out they are only for 'intellectual' contractors, as insurance is trickier for my husband. He was with a British portage company last year, but this seems to make no sense, as he hasn't lived in Britain since 2004.

Thanks so much for that - I think that was the kind of reassurance I was looking for! If we can strip the roof and put the membrane in at a later date without destroying the investment we are trying to make at the moment, it's as near a guarantee as I'm going to get. I'll have a chat when he arrives to start work tomorrow.

Thanks for that - very helpful. I'm finding it difficult to be comfortable with the idea of not stripping the roof, hence question (I'm a worrier!). We had a good builder give advice and he said he was happy to strip the roof if we wanted, but general opinion (from him and from the guys who would put in the Kingspan afterwards) was that it was not essential (and, as you say, would add considerably to the cost). But they did not tell us (for obvious reasons) that everything would be fine without stripping the roof. It has to be our educated decision (and gamble). I was of the mind that, given there are no existing problems with the roof, it would be better to pay someone to go up and check the roof once a year in early autumn?

Ok - but has anyone got any helpful thoughts on the subject of my original question?

I don't quite understand the question? No one is 'allocated' a maximum space for use in France? Our house already covers the square meterage that it covers. If you are talking about how much tax we pay then, yes, it is possible that we would pay more after the renovation. The idea is to renovate/use a side of the house which currently already has two bedrooms in the midst of an otherwise unliveable garage/attic (the bedroom/s are already counted in our Taxe Fonciere). As far as I am aware you don't need permission to insulate your attic (which is what this is, on paper). The additional space would be 'happy' living areas (library in the attic/summer living room) to join the existing bedrooms up to the rest of the house. A difficult situation to describe. But we are definitely not adding bedrooms, just trying to use a massive part of the house that is not currently used (garage/attic).

Hello all, We have a roof that is in perfect condition (seems completely watertight over a 2.5 year period). We want to use the space up there (and insulate the house) and I am rather at the mercy of anyone who comes in and does the job. We have an English acquaintance who is all set to come in and put Kingspan up prior to plasterboard. Although in perfect condition, this is a typical French attic space (you can see daylight through the tiles in places). Consensus seems to be you just bang up the Kingspan (already available) and then the plasterboard. But I am nervous - this is a big family investment (family making savings available). Someone else suggested a semi-permeable membrane needs to go in first (including perfectly watertight roof being removed). I know this is a regular kind of query here (have spent hours looking at old posts). But any thoughts? He is due to come and start in the next few days (has sourced Kingspan himself), hence nerves! Possibly of interest - it's a 19th century barn/attic space built around the 16th century centre of the house. Only the 19th century roof (believed renovated recently) will be insulated, but there is the old stone building (including rising damp and ancient fosse septique) in the centre/to one side.

Hi all - we need to buy a micro staton to replace our old fosse septique which is in the cave and has a tendency to be stinky. Can anyone direct me to the most recent information on choosing a brand that is approved in France? I'm finding the info on France Forum a little confusing and out of date, Thanks

So no DUAL LNB - because of degree of separation, you say, Anton? I want to avoid the cost of a second satellite dish (not to mention the look of it on our nice house). From your advice and our needs, seems like the best solution is, as you said originally, a SECOND LNB on a bracket, to get the degree of separation. I reckon our engineer can probably manage that himself. We don't go back to UK at all often, so prefer to buy in France. Sorry this is getting a little complicated (for me, anyway, although you guys obviously know exactly what you are doing!

Hi and thanks - I imagined that I would have to buy a box dedicated to UK tv. The link that you've given is for the standard boxes in France. Would a standard TNT box in France (sorry if that's not exactly what it's called) pick up all the uk channels? - that's what we want, in an ideal world - all the UK channels and all the French channels (we are also quite fond of Orange cine series which we also have as orange customers) THANKS SO MUCH! for taking the time to help

Anton - thanks so much for your useful advice. I now know what an LNB is. Looked on Amazon.fr and have seen that a dual LNB (which I would guess is what we need) costs about €16.20. Since the guy who is installing is a professional working in this area (where lots of Germans, Dutch etc. live) I would suspect that he will know exactly what to do, especially if I print out the degree measurements you've given me and the stuff about the LNB I found on Amazon. By the way - does anyone have a recommended brand for Freesat box? We have seen one called a Manhattan (not HD, but my husband says that will be fine for Eastenders!) which is only €108. Our tv is a pretty up to the minute french model with all the SCART etc. others have said is necessary (and thanks for the heads-up!). We are fortunate that everything will be close to the Livebox, so not an issue. I feel rather cheerful now! Many thanks!

Thanks for that. Horrible to need a second dish! what's an LNB? I wouldn't like to put another dish up - this installation is going to cost us €200-300! But good advice, We will think on it,

Hi - this is my first post here. I tried to find the answer to my question on FAQ, but no joy. I am not technically minded, nor is my husband. Anyway - we have lived in 68 (near Basel) and we are Orange customers over three years. In 68 we have Bouquet Anglophone/Orange cine series and I was quite happy with that (I enjoy having the French channels, but would have preferred a little more of the English channels). this service is an ADSL non-satellite service. We have bought somewhere fairly close, in Lorraine (88) and when I went into the Orange shop she told me that I couldn't have the package we already have because it is satellite only in this area and you can't have Bouquet Anglophone. So we have a new Orange decodeur arriving tomorrow and the guy will also be installing a satellite dish. My question is - if I buy a freesat box can I use this interchangeably with my Orange decodeur (plug/unplug) so that I can have French and UK channels. Or is there any way that the Orange decodeur and satellite can be programmed to pick up English programmes? Thanks in advance for taking the time to help!

Hi all, Has anyone else got one of these? I just bought one and it arrived today. It has no thermostat indicator light to tell you when the correct temperature has been reached - and yet the manual clearly says 'prechauffez a la temperature de cuisson choisie jusqu'a extinction du voyant de thermostat.' Not having this light seems quite a serious design fault to me - any comments?