Department71
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Posts posted by Department71
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Don't forget you should also have some idea of the amount of water in the WHOLE of the heating system, the stuff you buy to use in the central heating system has to be diluted just like the stuff in the car. You don't use the motor grade antifreeze!
The stuff we put in is made by fernox? it is a mixture of antifreeze and inhibitor. Yes it is a slow job I made a take off that I could attach a container to, this was filled up with the desired amount of antifreeze and topped up by the filling loop.
Good luck.
Steve
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Thanks for the replies all.
Glue stick, yes I went to the funnies and had a look there, there was only one reference and that was a picture, the pump and the expension vessel were on different circuits, on was on flow and other was on return, but I don't know which was which.
Think there could be a difference of opinion on this one, the Glow-worm stuff says "A diaphragm type expansion vessel conforming with the constructional requirements of BS4814 shall be connected to a point close to the inlet side of the circulating pump" I can't see it makes much difference where its put, as everyone knows things are done differently in France, maybe this is another one of them.
Steve
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Where do you put the expansion vessel on the central heating system, in the instruction book for our glow-worm system in the UK it shows the vessel on the flow for a sealed system, but on our french central heating system the vessel is fitted on the return circuit back to the boiler (coal/wood) Does it make any difference? as I assume its only there to take up the expansion of hot water in the pipes. The pump is on the flow, that I believe is ok. It has the usual safety valve and pressure gauge fitted.
Any comments appreciated
Steve
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Alcazar
You know as you get older you also get more tactful, it took my wife years to train me to say "break wind" she is nearly there with the septic!
We are going to more quots on our return, also I may just get the wall re-rendered and have a look at building a wall myself instead of the metal railing.
Steve
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What ever you do make sure any doors don't just have padlocks on them, we found this out to our cost. If you have padlocks also fit the yale type locks (ie with just the keyhole showing on the outside). they are fairly cheap and fulfills the insurance company conditions. But check thhis with them and get it in writing if possible
Good luck
Steve
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Em, I originally had a problem on the price of hiring the scaffolding I could not believe it would be over 4000 euros just to hire it, that rang a warning bell. As mentioned on the first post the house is a single storey small farmhouse (holiday home) the quote mentions 28m2, so I assume that is the area to re-render.
Re the damp proofing, as explained we have steps made of brick and stone on the outside that go up to the attic, it is these that we would like a metal rail on the outside edge (for security) and the steps repointed/made good. It looks like he wants to use some super dupa resin based stuff to seal the steps after he has repointed. This is the problem of not being there all the time, you visit just have time to cut the grass and break wind then its back to the UK, Oh how I envy those of you who live there and have the time to sort things out.
So it looks like he thinks we are the famous rich Brits.
Steve
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We would appreciate a bit of feedback on a quote we have just received from a local builder. We have a small old fermette of the style of single storey, comprising house, barn and stable. We need one end of the house re-rendered as the old render has blown, we also have some stone stairs that go up on the outside into the roofspace. We asked for a quote to re-render the end wall, put up an iron rail on the outside of the stairs and make sure the stairs are sealed IE. repoint the bricks/stones. Below is a breakdown of the quote, I appreciate it could be how long is a bit of string, but all I am asking is does the quote look reasonable. We notice that the scaffolding works out at over 4000 euros (and we aren’t buying it!) As I think someone once said "I don’t mind paying the going rate but I don’t want to be stitched up" and be known as an easy touch.
Any comments?
Steve
DEVIS DES TRAVAUX
Montage de l'‚chafaudage
Transfert du materiel 100.00
Installation de l'echafaudage et callage 3,500.00
Brochage de l'enduit 2,500.00
Nettoyage de debris et evacuation 800.00
Enduit sur pierre a’la chaux 28 m2 1,750.00
De’montage de l'echaffaudage 850.00
Nettoyage de l'escalier 250.00
Joint de l'escalier 390.00
Garde corp et pose et sce’llement chimique 3,500.00
Total HT 13,640.00 euros
"TVA 5,5 %" 750.20 euros
Total TC 14,390.20 euros
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I would agree to some extent with Cassis about Brico Depot being better then Brico Marche, they are certainly cheaper, but it all depends on the quality of your local Brico Marche empire (ours is not bad ) If you have a Depot around the corner go for that, but if you have to go on an away day to get your day to day diy supplies the local shop would work out cheaper and more convenient. Re getting the local builders supplier to obtain the goods at 5% tax, I would have no problem with that, it maybe is "against the law" but I think we are taxed too much anyway and if you can save a bit go for it.
I shall await the comments.
Steve
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Follow on from the questions, what is the quality of the units like, I assume they are on a par with MFI units.
Steve
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We have a Brico Marche not far from us and when we were looking for windows we looked at their prices, we also had the Brico Depot price list. Marche were dearer by quite a bit, we asked them if they did the price guarentee thingy the same as Depot. We got the windows from depot in the end. You might try lapeyre ? they have quite good bargins sometimes but it is a suck it and see re sizes on offer. But saying this we usually use Marche for our diy stuff as the prices are usually not bad. Plus Depot is 50 odd miles away.
Good luck
Steve
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Anton,
Can you set this to change channels on the sky box? IE record something on BBC1 at 7pm to 7.30 and later in the evening a program on say ITV. I don't have a problem with the video side as this can be set to record through the scart lead from the sky box. The problem is changing the sky channels when no-one is in.
Cheers
Steve
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I remember a while back you could buy a remote to turn on/change channels on a sky box and a video recorder, if I am correct it had two clock like dials that allowed you to set different programs if you were out etc.
Does anyone use one of these, what are they called and can they still be obtained. Or am I talking a load of rubbish.
Steve
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Funny how they can increase a fuel surcharge one day and reduce fares the next
Steve
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Anyone found any supermarkets in the calais region that will accept English cards in their 24/7 automatic machines.
Steve
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Just returned after using our new toy, saves the boss doing acrobatic's out of the passenger window trying to reach the ticket.
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We have also purchased a NRJ card I have a couple of questions if anyone can help me with, we have registered it etc via the internet, we are now back in the UK until the end of May when we will return to France. Do I have to make any phone calls or top the card up before our return to France in six weeks or lose the service. I remember something about UK cards and having to do something within the first month or lose it all. Plus on their web site they show a VISA card sign to top up via their web site, UK Visa's? One other thing when we returned to the UK we had a text message from them saying we can topup using Vodaphone UK coupons, any ideas on this.
Thanks
Steve
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And I bet sod law states we shall find out the batteries are flat with a queue of French cars behind us at the peage.
Steve
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Do these things have batteries that have to be replaced? can't see anyway of opening mine.
Just a thought.
Steve
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Got mine from Brico Marche last year but I saw them again on sale the middle of Feb.
Give them a try. You can use it on different sizes of downpipe, the instructions show you how.
Steve
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We had a water meter that didn't work for a year or so (must have been a bit of grit jamming it) as we used to give the meter reading to the neighbours eash time neither of us realised the reading were the same, any way as soom as we realised we popped down to the water people and arranged to have the meter changed.
Have just paid water bill, there was no mention of the time it didn't work.
steve
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So I take it I could get one by using my British debit card (Nationwide) . Anyone know what the opening hours are at the one outside boulogne?
Steve
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Paul,
Many thanks for the quick reply, we will look into this further when we go back in a couple of weeks. The etc would be the washing machine. but it is primarily for the water heater. They don't charge more for electricity if I have this fitted and keep the same puissance do they?
Regards
Steve
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It seems you inherited the moles the neighbours got rid off.
Steve
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Reading the threads about off peak electricity we have decided to go ahead with it, with that in mind I intend to put a contacteur jour/nuit into the fuse board to run the water heater etc.. I need a signal wire to go from the meter to the contacteur, I assume it does not need to be a heavy cable. Any assistance appreciated as althouth I am happy and safe dealing with electricity I want to do it right before the elec people come to replace the meter.
Cheers
Steve
New NRJ Mobile tarifs leaked
in French Satellite TV, French Internet and Telephone
Posted
I am in UK until the 20th October, do you think I could top up via the vodaphone network. This could bypass the new tariff.
Any ideas
Steve