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LesFlamands

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Everything posted by LesFlamands

  1. Faitage (ridge tiles) and rive (edges) to be cemented in place the rest I think will be fitted with clips which are included. The usual system around here with canal tile roofs is to replace the under tiles with a version with a nib which hooks over battens rather than just sitting on boards (volige). You then use the best old (recuperation) tiles as over tiles, but I have also seen stainless steel or copper clips used.
  2. Basically you need to change the links so that the three 230v elements are wired in parallel rather than the star arrangement used for the 3 phase. It is usually easy enough to identify the seperate elements as pairs of connectors and this can be confirmed with a multimeter and then it's just a question of linking all the live terminals together and then the neutral side. It's easier if you have the instruction manual.
  3. [quote user="David_Janet"]Now solely into touring. Moving back to UK next month after 9 years here. (so we can have touring holidays to France!) David, not Janet. [/quote] I'm sure there is more to your move back but just to say we find living in the Dordogne, we like the fact that it is so central for touring holidays and saves all that messing about on boats or trains (and the expense!)
  4. As bikes become less viable as a practical means of transport and cars become more reliable, sanitised and less identifiable I'm inclined to agree. Whilst I can't even be bothered to change the oil on the car I'll spend hours tinkering with the bike. Of course, if you can afford the sort of cars that Clarkson drives around on Top Gear you may have a different view
  5. What a good idea for a thread. 1. What do you ride now? KTM 690 Enduro, BMW R100GS, Sherco 450 enduro 2. What do you think was the best bike you have owned? BMW R100GS but hoping to better it soon 3. What was the most disappointing bike you ever owned? Suzuki SP400DR (1981 model) pneumatic drills got nothing on this. 4. You can walk into any dealership tomorrow and buy the new bike of your choice. What would it be? KTM990 Adventure (probably) 5. In your biking life which is the bike you have always regretted not owning? Owned a Guzzi Le Mans 2 (still got it) so it would have to be a Jota (1978 in orange) 6. Most memorable biking experience? Travelling from the UK to South Africa on the R100GS (2 up, 1 year, 30,000 miles) Other bikes owned: Velocette LE200, BSA C15 x 4, BSA A10 (650cc), Yamaha XS650, Kawasaki Z1, Triumph Bonneville 650/5 speed, Moto Guzzi Spada, BMW R80ST, Yamaha RD400, XT500 and XT 350, Honda XR 350, BMW K100RS, BMW R1150GS, KTM 530EXC, BMW R80G/S and several others
  6. You say 'in our region' which implies the refusal is not specific to your land. However looks to me as if it is either a density issue or your garden is outside the zone constructible
  7. You'll be unlikely to find these in a Brico. If there is a good tool shop in Carcassonne they may have something. Otelo.fr is quite good for woodworking tools. Try this: http://www.otelo.ch/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/Otelo-France-Site/fr_FR/-/EUR/EndecaPipeline-Start?D=++meches+a+bouchonner++&CategoryName=Produits&Ntk=Default_OTFR&Refining=true&N=16037+16046+4294755635&No=0&ClassifLight=true&Ntt=++meches+a+bouchonner++&Dx=mode%2Bmatchall&Nty=1&SelectedMenuCategoryID=Produits&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&LinkType=Paging&action=navigation&Ne=0&SelectedSubCategoryID=LesProduits&y=4&x=6
  8. We've never had this problem with Villagers. Are you sure it was correctly located on the front lugs? If it's new it should be replaced under guarantee.
  9. I can only speak about this area (Dordogne). To do a basic renovation including bathroom and kitchen you should allow 30k euros especially if you are living off the money whilst doing the work. The worst situation would be running out of money before completing the job so you need to be realistic. This means you would have to find a property with a sound roof (and, probably, access to mains drains) for 30k euros which would be very hard to find around here. You would be able to buy a property in about 2 months if the Notaire can be bothered (allow 10% for transaction costs) but selling can take a long time plus very hard to make a profit
  10. There are much simpler and cheaper solutions to the problems of condensation etc. with wood fired boilers than the ones described above. It is essential that any solid fuel system is open, not sealed, and ideally there should be a gravity circuit as well as a pumped circuit. Many people don't realise that if you are using a back boiler most of the energy will be absorbed by the water circuit and this may mean that there is insufficient radiated energy from the stove to heat the room in which it is located. All these issues can be overcome with careful design and installation. PS. I'm curious about the Turbo Fonte as I can't find any reference to water back boilers on their site.
  11. A new law introduced in France on the 1st January 2011 means that you can no longer ride a motorbike up to 125cc on your car licence. You now have to do a 7 hour training course with a driving school. Not sure if this affects cyclo-motos (up to 50cc, no gears).
  12. The guarantee is insurance based and starts with the final bill on completion of the works. The builder should give you a copy of his insurance with the final bill. The guarantee only covers major defects. In the normal course of events you have to contact the builder first and give him the opportunity to rectify the fault - he may choose to claim on the insurance. If he doesn't rectify the problem you then claim directly from the insurance company. Don't hold your breath whilst waiting to be paid out!
  13. [quote user="Sophie666"]Has anyone experience of owning a Lambourgini Oil fired boiler? I understand they are of Italian Manufacture but I wonder if they are reliable for my second home.[/quote] If your aim is to have reliable flick of a switch central heating for your second home when you turn up for a relatively short holiday in the winter, then I would pay a bit more and buy a good French made boiler that is well supported by a local heating company. I would recommend Chappee and Geminox. depending on your budget you could fit a condensing model and benefit from up to 40% credit impots. If the house is eventually going to become a full time home then you should consider some other form of energy and as others have stated, the biggest cost savings will be realised from better insulation. At the present time some renewable energies are overpriced and many worthy people out there think they are saving the planet whilst living in a cold house paying nearly the same for fuel as they would be using gas or oil. Whatever the conditions outside, if your central heating has to run for 3 hours just to take the chill off there is something seriously amiss.
  14. By rock filter I think you mean a 'prefiltre' which is usually a 500 litre chamber filled with 'Puzolene' lava rock in a basket which should be changed every 5 years or so. Sand filter pipes should or could have a very slight fall just to make sure they are not running back. Ideally all pipes should be 4-500 mm below the surface although depths are clearly specified for the sand filter. Spanc inspection is pretty basic - they usually check to see if you have the tank in level!
  15. Two things occur to me regarding this recommendation not to use the perferated tape for ceiling joints: 1. ceilings often involve end butt joints where there are no tapered edges and you should use paper tape for these joints. 2. On very rare occasions I have seen hairline cracks appear in the joints but only where the ceiling boards have been screwed directly to the joists. We always use suspente and rails. In most circumstances the first coat should fill the mesh. I use a 10cm knife which just spans the tapered edges for the first pass and then a much wider blade for the second coat. If you are careful and the cosistency of you plaster is correct very little sanding should be required.
  16. The only bike I've ridden in recent years which would exceed the 100cv limit was a k1300GT rated at 160cv. This bike really flies, by my standards anyway. It was from the BMW dealer in Perigueux and, I assume, was limited but would I know. I wouldn't buy one if it was going to have 54cv chopped off the full spec version despite the fact I'd probably use only 25% of the power available. I think motorcycle deaths will rise slightly as digital use of the throttle seems to be a French motard trait, probably resulting from cutting their teeth on underpowered 50s. French riders often ask me about my KTM530 enduro bike, if I can hold it when it's fully open to which I reply I don't know never had it fully open - they seem to think the idea of actually being in control of the bike is something new. Manufacturers will be pleased with the extra sales of high powered bikes. There is only so much posing you can do on a castrated Hyabusa or s1000RR
  17. Depends what they do. If they are just cleaning, making beds, cutting grass atc. under your supervision then SMIC to 10€ an hour if you are paying them using cheque service. If you are expecting someone to take full responsibility for the changeover, sorting out inventory and damages and seeing the new guests into the house from €20 per hour seems to be the going rate.
  18. What is the issue here? If the plumber is not able to supply the model/style you are looking for then find another plumber. If the plumber wants to add an unreasonable mark up - he should add, say, 5% for delivery and he will get a trade discount from his supplier, then again get another plumber If you want to fit cheap, incompatable rubbish from a Brico and he doesn't want to install it for a rock bottom price, then you'll have to keep searching until you find someone who will - but I doubt you'll get a guarantee, but then what could possibly go wrong. If you are supplying everything and delivering to site you can't expect anyone to give you a fixed price without seeing the material.
  19. [quote user="Rich1972"]Thanks for the replies. So it's to do with the guarantee on the installation of the works. I'll have to phone him and ask whether there are certain outlets he wants me to select stuff from. I don't like the idea of not having complete and total control over exactly what is put in the bathroom. [/quote] I ask the customer to specify exactly what they want from an agreed supplier, normally Lapeyre, then I put it in the devis and supply the goods at 5.5% when possible. I won't normally fit cheap stuff from bricos as it can be more trouble than it's worth
  20. [quote user="gyn_paul"]< - there is no air circulation, so no possibility of condensation. p [/quote] Why? Placing a non breathing membrane against a cold stone/brick wall is just right for creating condensation. If you can hermetically seal the void and then create a vacuum in the space then I would agree that there would be no condensation.
  21. Well, I have taken down a number of 'facing' walls usually made of pot brick to find green mould growing on the stone wall behind. There is probably rising and penetrating damp in the wall which is why the facing wall was built in the first place but replacing the wall with plasterboard on a metal frame with insulation and not providing some way for the moisture to escape from the void will only result in reducingthe lifespan of the new wall and insulation. In other circumstances where water is literally flowing through the wall there is little alternative to fitting a channel drain at the base and building a wall in front of it but ventilation is still a good idea if only to protect the new materials.
  22. There are all sorts of things you can do: You could use a SPEC on the inside of the plasterboard. Treated battens will be fine but I would build a wall rather than fix the battens to the existing support. Ventilation is the key. Upper and lower vents every 1.5 to 2 metres and good airflow in the void and you'll not have any problems
  23. How much wall is there above the 'ceinture' befor the eave? does the beam act as the lintel above the existing garage door? There may be a second ring beam at eaves height sometimes using 'chainage' so not always obvious. It sounds to me that this belt you have at 2m is just to adjust height/level walls and may not have any steel in it. If it is structural then when you cut through it to make your openings you can cast inverted U shaped lintels to tie in the cut ends of the beam.
  24. [quote user="Bugsy"]Thanks Guys, Ryanairs limit is 55 x 40 x 20 so no chance there. [:@] Ryanair say that I have to put it in the hold as 'sports equipment' @ £40.00 one way[/quote] At that price I'd post it on ahead or buy one when you get there
  25. Who have you quoted to - the house owner or the plumber?
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