storeysinfrance

yes... on my second now... not for publication but more a document for my children for when im long gone so that they know what really happened when dad went walkabout to france... part theraputic, part a chronicle of absurdities, part looking back on a life lived - its a bit like an extended diary... with all shades of grey from dark to... not quite so dark. first was called french letters: the apprentice, current one is french letters: the far side of the world. neil (24)

A few electrical questions – that I hope that someone on here will be able to answer in words of one syllable. First, though, apologies if the terminologies used aren’t precise. All the re-wiring in the downstairs of our cottage (very simple because it comprises four runs of either two or three power points as well as two seperate lighting circuits) has been 75% completed.  We’ve used conventional 3-core brico-depot sourced cable – exactly the same as the people who totally re-wired the main house before us did and which passed the relevant inspections – as opposed to single strands bound together in gaine. Questions: Any wiring that’s being chased into walls will obviously need to be encased in gaine but… with some of the wiring to be hidden in the ceiling void – ie above where we’re about to plasterboard – can someone clarify whether that, too, has to be in gaine or not – given that this is simply replacing / renovating what was (more or less) there in the first instance. Next… we’re a bit confused as to precisely which box we’ll need to get when we link back to the mains. Single rangee or double… can someone help out here? Pretty sure it’ll be single rangee and from under the selection marked renovee in the brico-depot handbook but… clarity / advice would assist here! And… lastly… the incoming main has been tested and it’s a live inward feed & entirely separate from the main house. Thus, (besides the inevitable meter which EDF would supply / fit etc) what else is required twixt live inward feed and the box of tricks into which the cabling runs? If this last is a really daft question – apologies but we’d rather ask the gurus on here instead of being blinded by science or confused by gobbledygook & paying artisan rates when the vast majority of renovation work here has been & can be done by ourselves! Thanks N & N (24).

A few electrical questions – that I hope that someone on here will be able to answer in words of one syllable. First, though, apologies if the terminologies used aren’t precise.   All the re-wiring in the downstairs of our cottage (very simple because it comprises four runs of either two or three power points as well as two seperate lighting circuits) has been 75% completed.  We’ve used conventional 3-core brico-depot sourced cable – exactly the same as the people who totally re-wired the main house before us did and which passed the relevant inspections – as opposed to single strands bound together in gaine.   Questions:   Any wiring that’s being chased into walls will obviously need to be encased in gaine but… with some of the wiring to be hidden in the ceiling void – ie above where we’re about to plasterboard – can someone clarify whether that, too, has to be in gaine or not – given that this is simply replacing / renovating what was (more or less) there in the first instance.   Next… we’re a bit confused as to precisely which box we’ll need to get when we link back to the mains. Single rangee or double… can someone help out here? Pretty sure it’ll be single rangee and from under the selection marked renovee in the brico-depot handbook but… clarity / advice would assist here!   And… lastly… the incoming main has been tested and it’s a live inward feed & entirely separate from the main house. Thus, (besides the inevitable meter which EDF would supply / fit etc) what else is required twixt live inward feed and the box of tricks into which the cabling runs? If this last is a really daft question – apologies but we’d rather ask the gurus on here instead of being blinded by science or confused by gobbledygook & paying artisan rates when the vast majority of renovation work here has been & can be done by ourselves!   Thanks   N & N (24).

sandblasting is one idea but.........there are downsides (cost of hires / sand everywhere)... so... suggest a conventional angle-grinder with a normal, toughened sanding disk... its stronger than a normal wood sander and you get all you want off easily... then xylopene the beams and, you're done.... not difficult (ive done numerous this way and result is fantastic).... its messy so be prepared - a mask a good option.... neil (24)

plasterboard is available in all different formats at every single brico-place you can think of... the only difference will be... delivery charges (unless you have the means to bring it home yourself).... brico-depot anywhere in france is cheapest all round but... be aware that they are a nightmare re delivery..... neil (24)

its a simple mix of 3-1 of straightforward builer's sand to chaux... and frankly, thats all you need to know.... there is no great magical secret or rocket science to pointing... mix it reasonably firm... ie not sloppy - bucket mixing is easiest (9-3 or 12-4), pop the mix in - off a larger trowel onto a smaller one, wire brush it through as its drying out or when its dried and... sorted... easy and incredibly satisfying.... wise to give the stone and old mortar a bit of a spalsh before if youre doing it in hot weather but... thats really all there is to it. neil (24) and... before any purists suggest this or that or the next thing... really, the above formula is all you need.... i've done enough walls - inside and out - on various properties here!

you don't say where you are.... first thing i'd do is double and treble check with your mairie re the siting of the wall... you may even need permission... if that all goes to plan, suggest breeze block construction and then facing it with local stone - dead easy + looks great when all properly pointed in... dependant on where you are you may find that there are people who love close by just dying to get a stack of stone off their hands... thus, you could end up with more stone for your wall building than you need! neil (24) ([email protected])

there is a much easier and much more cost effective way...i'm assuming you are splitting oak?.. if not, you're burning wood thats not going to give you much heat... anyway... so long as it is dry or dry(ish)... stand it upright... take a bolster and hammer that centrally into the top... the wood will gradually split... lengthways.... if needs be, use the same pronciple with a short handled axe as this'll give the same result... its a long drawn out process but just as lengthy as utilising some machine bought from one of the brico-places... and exactly the same principle... and mile cheaper. the trick is to get your wood in the warm months, split it, cut it and store it (on pallets) with as much ventilation as possible such that it drys properly... that way you have decent wood for the winter months and are not forced into using crap, wet wood which'll not burn properly = gives you no heat! any more questions, just ask... all best neil (24) ([email protected])

agree with the other posts on this topic... just scrape out all the old cruddy stuff and re-point... the sand / chaux mix is really all you need to get right... 3/1 with ordinary builders sand - 250 kilos at your local big mat or similar should cost you about 6 euros or so... add in a bag of chaux (i use the green bag personally) will bring the bill to not much more than ten euros. i tend to mix in a bucket as opposed to using anything larger as a bucketfull (12/4) is just enough to work with before it starts going off... the trick is little bit by little bit and always wire brush it back as its going off - ie, firm to the touch... initially, this was a job i (somehow) was really scared of but, having re-pointed many walls now, its become one of the most pleasurable and satisfying... bonne chance neil (24)

mo dave - in the last post - was quite correct in all he said... in brief (and if you've the energy and inclination) do it yourself... paying 3.5k is (to my way of thinking) absurd... if the roof is 300 years old then the beams themselves will be even older, like you say they're as solid as a rock and thus a good coating of zylophene (can't spell it) which comes in clear to dark oak colourants will suffice... either spary it on or, as we did, paint it on... preferably two coats but, quite honestly, one will suffice. before you do that, do clean the beams down - its a mucky old job this but we've found the best way is to use an angle grinder... pick one up cheaply on promo (leclerc i think do them for less than 20 euros) and use a sanding disk... we did our cottage a frame and other exposed beams and used no more than 5 disks and they look absolutely superb now... just remember to wear a good mask as the dust etc is horrendous but, even after 5 minutes you'll start to see the beginnings of a fabulous result... then zylophene them and hey presto, something to be dead proud of and a whole load cheaper than getting someone in to inject them! bonne chance neil (24)

hiya i'm looking to buy a digital radio but just want to double check a few things. one... am i right in assuming that i'll be able to pick up channels from (say) the uk besides those in france? (we can pick up bbc etc etc via the tv / dish set up we have but that really only covers us for part of the house). second.. if so... has anyone any thoughts on the best makes / brands? all advice etc etc gratefulkly recieved. thanks neil (24)

thanks for that... much appreciated... being pedantic... what is the mix - ie, what quantity of sawdust to glue? regards neil.

hiya if youre looking to purchase a 20kw stove i can but presume you have a collosal area to heat!!! we're just in the process of getting a 14kw godin which is specced to heat up to 500 cubic metres... (given that we'll be heating a floor space of 65sqm by 5m high thats going to be well sufficient...) also... there are many promos on right now... but there is, as ever, a catch (having investigated carefully!). in brief... brico places all have special offers on right now and seem to be decent prices... however, watch the tva... cos it's 19.6 %... unless... if a registered installer buys the model you want from a brico-place then they'll (you in turn) will get it at 5.5%. however, no self respecting installer will buy from there. what we've discovered to be the best poss deal is: buy from a registered installer and you'll get the model of choice for 5.5% tva (as opposed to 19.6%) - first saving, obtain an all in quote (binding) for the installation and have it installed that way - keeps the insurers happy - ... then - second saving - 'cos, purchasing this way, you're now able to reclaim 40% (from memory) of the cost of the poele a bois back from the government on your next tax return - but, this only works / is applicable if the fire is installed by a registered installer. in short and doing one's arithmetic plus scouting around, i think you'll find that the toatl net cost works out far cheaper this way. neil (24) if it helps and you're in this neck of the woods, i can let you know of one or two locally who are / would be worth contacting

hiya we've a fairly significant area (40sqm approx) of flooring which - in places - will need a reasonable amount of filling after the sanding down etc... we don't madly want to use conventional wood-filler (pate du bois) is we can help it - not leats 'cos it'll be tub upon tub and trouser lightning in the euro department. i believe there is a 'recipe' for concocting a wood filler using sawdust and...??? - some kind of flexible glue i suspect - that goes off hard as in hard... and will take a stain...  anyone any thoughts..? thanks neil (24) ps - if it helps, the floor is a curious combination of ancient oak, old pine, some chestnut and one or two planks of elm...  

hiya in brief lutece 3000 is no more... its been superseded by the 2000 variant which works just the same... ie, it goes off slowly as opposed to the normal french platre which is a nightmare to use (as we've all doubtless experienced)... lutece 2000 isn't, however, that widely available and you won't (normally) find it in brico-bati-man-marche-those sorts of places but you'd need to go to a proper builder's merchant's instead... hope that helps kind regards neil (24)