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......Can't be Wrong. Have any of you read this and has there been a discussion on the forum about it? (Search engine is crap) Am a couple of chapters in and enjoying it (and learning from it) hugely. regards......helen 

[quote]I can't remember the one I booked two years ago, and he STILL hasn't turned up! Same area though, told me TWICE he'd come. I'd put a stainless Gaine in place and forget the lazy gits! Alcazar[/quote] LOL probably the same guy that we phoned last year!! Problem is that you need to have chimney swept annually as a condition of house insurance - so, if your ramoneur hasn't turned up are you still covered? We removed old cuisiniere today and installed super huge woodburner with flue. Had a look up chimney and it appears clear but the cuisiniere was clogged up with clinker so will buy some rods and sweep chimney ourselves until M. Ramoneur turns up. Maybe we should add this to our business - chimneysweeps seem to be like gold dust! Anyone got a spare kid? Tony and Sue.......have you tried yellow pages or asking your neighbours............or doing it yourselves? regards......helen

shit!*****!*****!   sorry folks .......just testing!   helen

I agree with Will here. Our elderly neighbour died after a long illness a couple of months back and we popped around immediately to offer our condolences and help to his widow and daughter. Although they seemed to have few visitors, the church was packed (the whole village had turned out) and my partner was the only person wearing a black tie. Everyone was dressed in everyday clothes and one of my other neighbours who we gave a lift to, wore a bright orange trouser outfit. One of our neighbours sons came round after the interment to thank us for attending, but we wouldn't have dreamt of not going. regards.....helen (now been to more French funerals than English ones!)

Returned from Dover yesterday on Speedone in galeforce winds - well done guys! Noticed two motorhomes and a ford transit on board so if you are having difficulty booking on the website, phone them. regards.......helen

Hi Later - as a self-employed person in France (2 cats and no kids) I tend to agree with nearly everything you have said. However, I think that if you had actually lived in France you may find that you could've expanded your list of positives to a point far outweighing the list of negatives (sorry - late at night - does that make sense?). We have lived here for over two years, have been through the cost/bureacracy of buying and renovating old cottage, starting up a small entreprise, paying the horrific cotisations, experienced the health system, living in very rural hamlet with very elderly neighbours, etc.etc but I have to say compared to our previous lives working to live in the UK, this is a doddle! I drive everyday across countryside constantly changing with the seasons, there is hardly ever a bitterly, cold wind or grey, dull days, I actually know and chat with ALL my neighbours, the only crime in this hamlet that is still talked about was a burglary about 15 years ago and I could go on and on but you would be bored. OK - we have had a few grim times - like being skint for a few weeks after paying said cotisations at a time when I was unable to work through ill health (and at the same time my works van was costing a small fortune in repairs); like being far from fluent and sometimes really struggling to put a sentence together; like being just me and him living and working together - great most of the time but sometimes we could do with some space! We didn't do much research before we moved here - so little in fact that we thought we were the only Brits in the Charente for about three months!! By heck, though - I wouldn't change it for anything and I do hope you get your chance one day. regards......helen

.......and according to the blurb you can only book minivans! Haven't seen one of them for donkey's years. helen

Have to say Atlas have been brilliant! Bought a sideboard (buffet) when we first moved in as we had no kitchen and needed mouse proof storage! Bought a nice solid one from Atlas and they loaded it into our estate car - unfortunately we couldn't remove it for a couple of weeks (until we had help) as it was sooo heavy! Next visit they loaded in a sofabed - managed to remove that OK! They seem to hold good stocks and are often near a Fly store (more ikeaish stuff) which has vans to rent. http://www.atlasmeubles.fr I'll probably get flak for this but suggest you buy your bedlinen in the UK and take it over. Much cheaper and better quality. Duvet covers here have a strange envelope thingy to tuck in!! And pillow cases are square! We always stock up at Ikea/Tescos or Debenhams when in the UK. regards......and happy shopping....helen

You certainly don't have to have telephone and TV points in all rooms - we just told our electrician where we wanted them (no TV sockets upstairs) and that's what we got. Can't understand why you need telephone sockets in gites - just say no! VMC - again not obligatory but sensible to have it - no smelly rooms, no carbon monoxide poisoning etc. Sorry, can't remember what ours cost to install but I don't think it was anywhere near 700e. Again, we were asked where we wanted it and just opted for kitchen and bathrooms. regards.....helen

Hi Nigel - no idea about comparisons I'm afraid. Our plasterer (Brit) used the Lutece 3000L when he first came here and we've used it since. "L" means a longer working time - try to get the 3000L but if not buy the 2000L (available in most builders' merchants). Cost around 13 euros a 33 kg sack.   Good luck.....helen (PS I painted it with sous couche a few days later as I had no PVA and it was fine)

Yes - plasterboard (placo platre) and tape is available at all builders' merchants and is often on special offer (promo). Don't forget that the French normally use the metal rail system rather than wood studding - easy to master as long as you buy the right (very expensive) tools! For plaster buy Lutece 2000 or 3000 regards.........helen

Don't know who you are beani but it worked.....

Sorry Sheila but you are now in France and, although in places there are only about 25 miles between Angleterre and la France, the differances in products here is huge!! If you are sealing plaster board buy sous couche (seems the same as white undercoat to me). Don't know what the equivalent glue is. Next time you are in the UK bring back a tub!   regards........helen

[quote]Sorry my previous post was for Helen16, this one is for Dunrunnin. We do have ambition, if not we would not be considering moving at all. However you can have ambition without being greedy. Initiall...[/quote] Sorry Ann, I was not questioning your husband's ability. There is plenty of work in France installing fosses as you probably know - I don't suppose every house will ever be on mains drainage no matter what was promised! I was just joshing as they are fosse septiques not sceptics.   regards and good luck.....helen PS Not sure about the 10mtr rule, is that new? I think ours is further away than that (was installed with filter beds et al 2 years ago).

[quote]This is not an advertisment we would just like some advice and feedback. We have been advised by some French friends that there is a gap in the market, in our area 53, for an English builder, my husb...[/quote] How many fosse sceptics has he dealt with?

I'm surprised TeamedUp! I would have thought that after living in France for so long, you would have known that the temperature drops during the winter months throughout France - doubt anyone can do without some form of heating. If you want winter warmth maybe you should move to Spain or further south. I think you will get cold in Newcastle! regards......helen  

Have a look in http://www.pagesjaunes.fr  and type in location d'outillage and your department number. This should give your local hire shops - there are plenty around as French builders use them The  scaffolding (échafaudage) from these places is probably much more robust than that on offer in bricos.   good luck.......helen

Dick - the only TrannyV I know runs on alcohol! BaF - perhaps you are he? regards.....helen Ps I would still like to know the answer to my original question! Surely, one of the builders out there who brought skills and tranny to France has re-registered (as a French macon with French reg tranny perhaps).

Which department Woody?

[quote]Helen. Just in case you weren't aware, all utility vehicles in France whether private or public, have to have their emissions tested every year and the contôle every two as normal.[/quote] Val - I know - we already have one but need another and after looking around we can get a better/newer one for our money from the UK. BaF - have you been reading Christopher Brookmyre too - good, isn't he?   regards.....h

Hello canda - have you been into the Trésor Public at Champagne Mouton and made sure that they have your UK address for ALL your bills? Even after living here for a couple of years we had problems with them as they were still sending some bills to our old address in the UK!! Your rates are based on the size of your property - habitable space, number of bathrooms etc - same as the UK but we lived near North London when we were resident there and have found that our bills here (near Champagne Mouton) are a fraction of what we paid before. You have to pay for rubbish collection though even for a second home - that bill is sent separately. There are exclusions from paying the tax fonc. but is mainly those living agricultural dwellings or young farmworkers. If you want your letter box checked let me know! regards.....helen

Sounds easy but has anyone actually done it? Tranny in question is 1994 2.5 diesel with roller shutter on back (ex P.O.) and no side sliding door. Don't want it if we can't have French plates! Cheers......helen

Good news campers and renovators! According to their website, from September 14th you can book your caravan, van or mobile home on Speedferries. That's if they manage to mend the vessel of course! regards.....helen

Thanks both of you - we used the diagram on the Leroy Merlin website and it actually works!! (Don't worry Punch, we did employ an electrician for the initial rewire - this was just an extra that needed doing in la grange!)   regards......helen