Helen888

I just wondered, I've some of that reflective insultation for my loft conversion but want to layer it with some normal  fibre glass insulation that i might as well use up. I've been told that the silver stuff needs to go in first (closest to roof) with fibre glass next before plasterboard - is this correct?

brilliant - thanks for all your help. I just wondered, I've some of that reflective insultation but want to layer it with some normal  fibre glass insulation that i might as well use up. I've been told that the silver stuff needs to go in first (closest to roof) with fibre glass next before plasterboard - is this correct?

We've a lot of walnuts,which I  love, but I've have no idea how to dry them (in their green husks or out) and don't know how to tell when they're ripe (maybe when they fall from tree). Very grateful for any tips.

We are converting loft space into a bedroom. The  dwarf walls are only about a foot high so the sloping ceilings come almost to the floor. Just wondering how on earth to attach plasterboard to the inside of the roof - does studwork on a sloping roof have to be wood - I'v'e seen metal rail type things  for  building studwork but not sure if they are just for dividing walls etc. or whether it would be strong enough. Grateful for any advice at all on plasterboarding sloping ceilings!

need to move a vsp / miniture car  (not much bigger than a ride on mower!) from Burnley UK to dordogne area - does anyone have space in their lorry we could buy? pls email if you can help. Thanks

I would like to have scented plants in the windowbox outside my bedroom through the autumn and winter - would be really grateful if anyone has idea ideas about what to plant.

Would be very grateful if anyone could recommend a particular product that just needs water or sand adding as its only a small wall and I dont want to mess around with too many loose powders  mixing lime etc from scratch.

I would be grateful if anyone knows the going rate for secondhand roof tiles, a chap has asked a friend of mine if she is interested in selling the tiles  on her barn roof (it needs a new roof as half has fallen in but  as its massive there are enough intact tiles to cover a house roof i think. The tiles are those red, terracotta coloured , flat square ones about 8'' by 8''. Would be really grateful for any pointers.

This is an old post i know but can anyone give me an idea of a brand name or two for the stuff on rolls available in France as mentined above. Thanks.

I know it's not possible to convert a building to a dwelling that's too close to an agricultural building, but does this rule just apply to being to close to a building that's currently used for agriculture? We've had our 'house' for ages..it's a ruin. The plan is to convert a more sturdy barn on our plot to a little place to live while we wait until we have sufficient funds to rebuild the main house. The litttle barn is probably only a couple of metres from another barn which ajoins the main house. All the buildings, both barns and house have CU's. I'm worried now that when we submit the permis de construire we'll be told the barn is too close to the other one. The barn ajoining the house will eventually be used as a car garage...but as our project is in very long drawn out   stages I'm a bit concerned. I know groups of small buildings are commen so i just wondered if anyone had experience of converting a stable or barn that was close to other buildings they owned. Maybe the CU means its ok?  

 I read about a year ago ,of a renovation / improvement / building loan available to tax payers and the rate was 1percent. There were clauses such as not having had the property concerned for over a certain amount  of time (or was it the reverse!) as you can tell I can't recall the details very well but i think it was a government scheme.

Hi Mimi I just wondered, does the barn have a CU? Does anyone know if the flood plain factor would crop up at CU stage or only once a permit de construire was filed for?         

I can't find the old thread but months ago some kind person gave me the address of a French website (i think it was an official one) from where you could download application forms for CU, permit de construire etc. but unfortunatly I've lost the address, does anyone know the website I mean? Thanks for any help! 

just wondered if anyone had moer info on this. I am currently trying to discover if an old chap near us can get help to have a fosse installed, he is French and in receipt of chommag (unemployment benefit). Thanks

A older gentleman who lives near us has no fosse septic. His house is very basic and has no proper sanitation system.  I think he would like to get a fosse septic installed (he's in the middle of nowhere so no mains drainage) buti he can't afford one. At the moment he's unemployed and gets 'chommage' not sure of the spelling, but the French version of dole payments. I would be really grateful if anyone has an idea whether financial assistance is available for this sort of thing we had another neighbour once in the same situation but i was unable to find out any info...what we would really like is some central number to call or i website i could look at for him. He doesn't want to ask at the Mairie and i don't really blame him.... Thanks in advance