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Monika

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Everything posted by Monika

  1. [quote]Monika, I have exactly the same problem, but with an added dimension which is starting to feel a bit scary. That is, none of the 3 phone numbers are available at the moment for my Maitre D. They have...[/quote] Liz, I know how you feel! In the mean time "they have started" hooray!! (and in August: they are working until the end of this week and then go on holiday until the 29th August)  The Maitre d'oeuvre has sent us 7 pictures to prove it and it is suprising how much they have done just in  a few days. We have always been able to ring our Maitre d'oeuvre and he also kept in contact by e-mail and telephone and he has been available for us to have a good moan. He himself was on "tenter hooks" as he has to rely on these artisans whom he never employed before because we are in 61 and he is in 35.   Lets hope you have good news soon. I am sure it will work out OK.
  2. Sorry Catalpa I did not answer your question. We have had the dates per e-mail but by the Maitre d'oeuvre who I think is trying hard on our behalf and I suppose he has his hands tied with a devis from an artisan who has given no dates.
  3. Catalpa: Thank you for these very useful tips. I will also tell this to the Maitre d'oeuvre who is English and who is trying hard to get the Artisans on site. This might just do the trick! Also I think it it a good idea to write a finish date into the devis, which we unfortunaltely did not.
  4. [quote]quick tip - if you are resident in France and therefore the devis is not for a holiday home then make sure the builder realises this. We were originally quoted November for the new roof, but when the ...[/quote] Thank you for your answers. At the moment the question was theoretical as we have one big problem to overcome first: The builders who have to do the extension and renovation of the barn have not even started yet and we were promised a start by the Maitre d'oeuvre back in April (with several more start dates during the summer which never realized). We will only use it as a holiday home, so hoverfrog you are probably right, the delay has something to do with that. I was just thinking ahead: come next April, the building might just reach its completion and we will have to wait another six month for the fosse and we will not be in for ages!!!
  5. [quote]The customer signs, the artisan's signature is implicit in his issuing the quote. Did you impose any time limit when you discussed the project or when you signed? If you didn't you could be into agre...[/quote] No we did not talk about a time limit. What would be deemed a reasonable delay in any building work?
  6. [quote]To do the work. You don't say how long ago you paid up and to be honest,I don't know many builders/artisans who take that amount upfront without at least starting the job or ordering specialist materi...[/quote] We have had a devis of an entrepreneur (for fosse) but we only signed. So is it legally binding for both of us?  He is very busy, so if he just never comes, could we get somebody else to do it? Thank you.  
  7. Monika

    Little girls

    [quote]RA, I don't think that a parent would self treat a little girl for cystiits in the UK. It isn't a condition that a parent would expect a young child to get, is it?[/quote] What about Cranberry juice? This is supposed to regulate the alkaline. I often think that little girls are not dressed warm enough, especially in the colder months, to be cold and damp impaires the kidney function which means certain bacterias can not be filtered out, it's the same with getting a cold when you are wet!
  8. [quote]Hi I just see it as moving house again, we moved house a few times in the UK and we only decided on moving here because we missed out on a house there, oh and we wanted a rest from working. Looking ...[/quote] Oh, I understand now! I agree it's good to have lots of adventures in your life,  it's when you stagnate you get depressed and you are still so young. I wish you all the best. Shame we have already bought, your house looks very nice.
  9. [quote]As the forum is lacking in 'Living in France' topics We have decided to sell up and go back to England. Was selling and doing another house up here. Why? Money, family and boredom It wasn't 'forev...[/quote] I did not quite get your posting, I know it's early in the morning? Are you really selling up or are you just playing Devils Advocat to create a more interesting thread?
  10. Monika

    HRT

    [quote]er... how can you tell ???...that they don't take it?(wondering if it's quantity of facial hair, bowed spine, general SOH failure...??)[/quote] Yes, how do you spot a woman who is not on HRT? Perhaps I look like that too but have not realized!!!
  11. I always add one or two beef or vegetable bouillon cubes (which I melt in a bit of hot water ) to the mustard, oil and vinegar and a crushed garlic. To make a richer dressing, say for potato salad, I add two or three spoons of mayonnaise, put it all in a jar and this keeps at least a week in the fridge.     
  12. [quote]The TV licence is included with taxe d'habitation , as Val_2 indicated, for 2005 onwards. Some communes make an additional charge for dealing with rubbish. We don't pay any extra where we live but I...[/quote] We in 61 pay for our refuse collection seperately i.e. exactly 100 Euros. For Tax d'habitation we pay 69 Euros. Tax Fonciere 69 Euros. Insurance 140 Euros.   Monika
  13. [quote]Lurcher, I would not do that. The builder could take you to court for non payment.[/quote] and perhaps not a wise move in case he withholds the guarantee?  
  14. [quote]Should I be concerned if a property I am looking at has a large barn with a corrugated asbestos roof? thanks Hamish[/quote] When we bought our small barn the asbestos report which has to be done by the vendor and is compulsory, showed that the roof is corrugated asbestos. Apparently this is the least dangerous asbestos and the builders don't seem too worried about it.
  15. [quote]Monika The work at Mont St Michel hasn't started yet. I believe it's scheduled to be finished in 2009! And yes Joan, the suisse normande is very pretty, especially in the autumn when the tree colou...[/quote] Coco Are you mistaking the Swiss Normandy with the Swiss Mountains? There you can be in the middle of clouds and it can chuck it down and you get some wonderful (never ending) thunderstorms, especially where I come from. Purely from the topographical point I can not see much difference in weather patterns to the rest of Normandy, in fact quite often when we drive towards Caen it is more cloudy and windy. Thank you for letting me know about Mont St Michel. And am I right in assuming that your B & B is near Bayeux? We might need B & B in September but I will send you a PM in due course. Monika
  16. [quote]Dear Joan, Ouistreham is the official name for the port of Caen. I think it's Brittany Ferries that sail there. Despite my PM to you yesterday extolling the virtues of the countryside around my gite...[/quote] I would go with Catherine's idea and at least incooperate Swiss Normandy. We have been several times to Traspy Campsite in Thury Hardcourt, its very nice. There is also a very clean and secluded campsite at Rouvrou at the foot of Roche d'Oetre and very reasonable. You can hire canoes and go all the way from Pont d'Ouilly to Thury Hardcourt down the River Orne. There are some beautiful walks also. But then again St. Malo and area is wonderful too. We have stayed at La Hallerais with Swimming Pool and good Restaurant and straight from the Campsite you can walk or Cycle down along the Rance to Dinan which ist a beautiful old town. And you could go an visit Mont St. Michel (does anybody know, are they still changing the access or is that completed?) I wish I could go too! Monika (61 but at this moment in Dorset)
  17. We are also suffering, only our house is not even built yet (barn renovation with small extension), we had so many start dates from our Project Manager and nothing has happened (I suppose his hands are tied as well, he is English and the builders are French) and we just do not believe anything anymore. We just hope that once on site they don't leave it all the time! Monika (61)
  18. [quote]Hmm "It's a load of ********" seems to be the best translation ? Peter I've been edited out by the dreaded ******** , but if you imagine a fairly common word for male reproductive equipment (and th...[/quote] Can't be, its feminine!!! Monika (61)
  19. [quote]Does anyone have any idea when you usually get a confirmed date for signing the final acte for the house purchase? We signed the compromis in the middle of April, and an end date of 30 July was entere...[/quote] In our case we were contacted by the Estate Agent to arrange for a meeting with the Notaire to sign the acte definitive. We had no dealings with the Notaire himself. It was exactly on the day of the entered date on the compromis but we heard only about 1 week in advance. But I would chase the Estate Agent to let you know the date as soon as possible. Good Luck! Monika (61)
  20. [quote]We have a barn for conversion into three bedrooms, one bathroom and one shower room. with the property being used mainly for holidays. I was of the opinion that 3000 - 3500 litre would be adequate. If...[/quote] We had a quote in September 2003 for a Fosse Toutes Eau (3000 ltr.) for Euro 2983.00. Half of it the Commune will pay (there was a "special offer" on) which I feel a bit reluctant to take as we are only a holiday home. Monika (61)  
  21. Have you read Carol Drinkwater's latest book: "The Olive Harvest", I think it helps to read of anothers struggle. In this book she is left by her husband to fend for herself. If you have not read it I could post it to you. Monika 
  22. A small house and a wood and a handsome French man. It all sounds romantic! I would stay and write a book, (even if it is never published, but who knows?) I also would paint and really get to grips with the French language, if you are very good already read French literature. You could also get a dog or a cat (man's best friend). You can be just as lonely in the UK or anywhere, and if you are happy your partner will be happy and your life is bound to be happy too.  Monika
  23. Does P & O still have a Ferry Service from Portsmouth to Caen. Are they much cheaper, in your experience, than Brittany Ferries and do they have something like Property owners abroad? I probably could find all this out on the Web but it is so much easier to hear it from all you experienced travellers. I think Brittany Ferries is owned by the department of Manche (our French Exchange Visitors from Cerisiy-la-Salle were allowed to visit the bridge because their canton had some kind of shares in it). Because of this they might not have the backing of a large company and their prices have to be higher. I like the "family" atmosphere on the Brittany Ferries and the Food is good, always a great start to our holiday! But that is good news if SpeedFerries would expand to Western ports. I would probably defect! After all the cheaper it is the more we can go to France. Monika
  24. Thank you to all of you: these answers make all perfect sense, we just could not see it! So we try and keep it short, but who knows they might start on Monday, which would be great. Monika
  25. The Builders should have started on the renovation of our barn and small extension back in April, but due to heavy downpours etc. they still have not started yet. Yesterday we had a phone call from our project manager telling us that they wanted to start last monday but could not because our lawn in the mean time was waist high (ok, it's not exactly of lawn but more of wild flower meadow quality). So they had to get somebody to come and mow the grass today, so they can start on Monday. This sounds a bit like the "wrong kind of grass" excuse!! What do the experts think?
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