Ralph

I have been studying previous Q & A's regarding qualifying periods for liability (more importantly non-liability!) of CGT, but am now more confused than ever! So apologies for all those who understand what is required, but I still need clarification! We have owned a property in France since 2003 (retaining our UK property) but so far only used it as holiday home. From the beginning of next year we will have retired (under the statuary retirement age by some 2 years), and intend to reside permanently in France, renting out our UK property as a bit of extra income. I have two main questions: 1. am I right in thinking that one needs to own the French property for 15 years to avoid French CGT, 2. if so does the period we have owned the the property but not lived in it (ie when it was a holiday home), count towards that 15 years?   Ralph Locke[8-)]

[quote]You think that Dave is kidding? However, I am no plasterer, but skim plastering is rare here. The closest I have found is Luteuce 3000, although the name has changed recently.... Plasterboard adhesi...[/quote] Thanks for your annswer, although I do quite seriously require the name of a proprietry brannd of browning. I have been trained to use sand and and cement as a base and would quite happily use that, however my trainer a fully qualified plasterer with over 40 years inn the trade assures me that as I wish to cover old tile cement ridges in a hurry and not wait several days /weeks for it to dry- then 'Browning' is the answer. So the question remains does anyone know the French name for Browning?

Sorry if this has been covered before, but couldn't find any previous posts. Can someone let me know the French equivalent for Browning plaster please? Whilst on the subject would also appreciate the equivalents for other plastering products, eg skim coat / plaster board adhesives / finish etc.  

I have just been browsing through some old postings re. plumbing and will have to admit to being one of the burks Opel Fruit referred to for using UK soft solder. So for when I return to our house at the end of the month and clear up any resultant floods, can someone give me advice on the following. 1. Is hard solder used with the same flux as UK soft solder? 2. Am I right in thinking that I will need to buy a hotter gas torch than the small butane/propane mix plumbers torch that I have used so far? If so any advice on type/make? 3. Does this hard solder have the same appearance as soft solder, in other words is it a roll of 'wire', or a stick? 4. When remaking my soft solder joints, will it be sufficient to melt the solder out of the old joints, re-flux them and then flow new hard solder into the joints, or do I need to replace them all? Any other advice on using hard solder would be appreciated - it's a whole new adventure for me!! Ralph

Thanks Nick - why do I always overlook the obvious! Ralph

I am trying to fit an additional toilet and have made all necessary connections / holes in floors etc. but now need to join the new soil pipe to the existing vertical soil pipe. I have purchased the usual 67 point something or other T piece, but am looking for a way to connect this without having to cut and move the pipe up in order to slip the new piece over. ( This is because it is fixed in place through the ceiling with cement and then tiled around, and I would rather leave tiles in situ if possible.) My question: is there an adapter to strap on / glue on which would allow this join to be done in situ? If so where can I get one? (Our house is in 31 about 40 miles south of Toulouse). My son who renovates houses in UK assures me that there is such a beast in England for 110 mm soil pipes, which has 'wings' which fold around the old pipe and are cemented/glued in place. Can anyone offer advice please? Ralph