KevinH

Hi, has anyone written about their adventures/dreams/disasters on moving to France and tried to get it published.  I am thinking along these lines and was wondering a) if anyone else had tried it and b) if I self published it, would there be a  market for it. I would be very interested in any feedback (this is my way of doing some market research to see if it is worth doing!). Thanks for any advice. Kind regards Kel

We are planning to install a solid fuel rayburn and hopefully run and underfloor heating system off of it as well as it heating our hot water.  Has anyone got any experience of running UFH from a solid fuel burner.  We are only using it for the kitchen/living room approx 25m2. Thanks Kel

We have recently bought a cottage south of Domfront (61). We will soon start work on renovating it but are wondering where we can dispose of our building waste. I know some of the waste can be re-used by us, but the red formica kitchen and the asbestos sheets are definetly to go. Has anyone got any suggestions or recommend any dumps. Thanks Kel

Thanks to both of you for the above. We are at present still living in the UK and so are unable to communicate with the Notaire very easily. Also our French is at the present limited and although we have asked our immobilier if our Notaire can speak any English or if we need a translator, he hasn't got back to us yet. Why can't life be simple! Lees

I am buying a house in Normandy. Although I am married, my husband and I have decided to buy our house in my name only. This is to ensure that succession laws apply to our two children only and not to his children from his previous marriage as they have already been provided for in the UK. We believe that if the house is in my name only, I can will the whole of the property to our two children on my death. Is the usufruit the correct procedure to use to ensure that my husband can remain in the house until his death when our children can acutally get their hands on it! Would appreciate any advice as we cannot afford a big solicitors bill and the value of my house will only be approx 60,000 euros. Thanks all Lees

HI all Has anyone got or used a Heritage oilfired range cooker in France. I was speaking to their rep in the UK and they tell me that they sell quite a few to french home owners as they can run of 35 sec oil unlike a rayburn or similar. What is the cost of 35 sec oil in France and are Heritage parts easy to access? Thanks Kevin

Hi All We have recently started the purchase of a house in Normandie. We both (myself and my wife) have signed the compromis de vente and the acte authentique is due to be signed in January 2005, but since finding out about French succession laws we have decided to put the house in my wifes name only. We have notified our agent immobilier of our decision and he thinks we will have to go through the process again with my wife only signing the compromis de vente etc. Has anyone done anything similar ie changed the number of parties signing the contracts halfway through the sales procedure? I would be very interested to know. Thank you. Kevin.

Hi We are in a similar situation. We have bought a cottage in Normandy and want to convert the loft. The roof timbers are perfect and apart from a couple of slipped tiles (which we intend to replace with some air vents) the whole thing is water tight. Because of this, we are reluctant to take off the tiles to fit a membrane/felt underneath, hence the lookout for alternative methods. One route that we might go down is painting the inside of the tiles with a traditional lime and cow hair mixture. Sounds bizzare but there is an actual product for this purpose. We would then insulate and plaster after this. We would be interested to know of anyone else in a similar situation Thanks all.

Hi All We are moving to Normandy next year to a cottage that we are renovating. We would like to fit an oil fired rayburn for heating, hot water and cooking. Has anyone got any experience of this? Eg oil prices, is the heating oil the same grade as in the UK etc? We will be taking a second hand rayburn from the UK with us if it is suitable. Are there any French range cookers similar to the rayburn, made in France? Thanks Kevin

Hi all We (myself, wife and two kids) are moving to Normandy, 8k south of Domfront next year. I am looking to either find work as and HGV driver or farm worker. Firstly, is there any further additions I need to become an HGV driver in France or will my UK HGV licence be suffice. Secondly, has anyone had any experience working full time on a farm? I am a farmers son and have worked on farms all my life (I am 40). What are my chances of finding employment. I am not too worried about low manual wages as I have been used to that all my life! Thanks Kevin

Hi all We (myself, wife and two kids) are moving to Normandy, 8k south of Domfront next year. I am looking to either find work as and HGV driver or farm worker. Firstly, is there any further additions I need to become an HGV driver in France or will my UK HGV licence be suffice. Secondly, has anyone had any experience working full time on a farm? I am a farmers son and have worked on farms all my life (I am 40). What are my chances of finding employment. I am not too worried about low manual wages as I have been used to that all my life! Thanks Kevin

Can anyone advise. My wife and I are in the process of buying a property in Normandy. It will be our sole property as we are leaving the UK. We have two children from this marriage but I also have three children from a previous marriage. I would ideally like the house to be passed on to my wife if I die before her and then the house to be passed on to the two children from my second marriage only. My three children in the UK are already provided for. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Thanks, KevinH.