Ty Korrigan

Even I listen to Val...

Even I listen to Val...

I loath this assurance culture... My French family and another English family regulary assist with each others projects. The French are mystified with the Brits paranoia over this. Is this not a rather over hyped urban myth that having an accident helping a friend will lead to you being nailed...? I think its all rot put about by forum speak. I can see French neighbour helping another neighbour with a tractor not far away... Living dangerously eh? Should be sporting a T-shirt with 'NO FEAR' printed on the front prehaps... A naive posting I hear you say... Well 'do it yourself' doesn't mean 'do it without friends!'                                 

Installed! Fisher price plumbing for ages 10 upwards. I don't care about the price, it great fun!

Mad I say! You would need a truck full of goods and with the exception of paint prehaps, are goods, that are generally sought, that much cheaper to make it worth the while and are these people going to pay you a decent fee...? Then there is the problem of returning faulty goods... the chain just gets longer... The centralisation of the logistics of super markets is a good example. Every time you move a tin of beans it costs. How many tins of beans would you have to move to make it worth your while? (ie) what size of vehicle/ ferry ticket / fuel / frequency / thats alot of IKEA sofas and paint to cover that lot. Just get a job in a factory and save your self the head ache of it all! Realistic not negative

Good luck...I think you will need it! I have seen all sorts of bizzare minority services offered from massage/hypnotherepy in your gite to counseling but I can not imagine the owners of these businesses with a full agenda ever. At best scrabbling around for a few euros yes. Seems like alot of effort for what is a logisticaly difficult and select service. I have never heard of any-one bemoaning the lack of such a service ever. Of course you could always aim for the rich...  

Thankyou Alan!

It would be fasinating to know what that chap had to do in order to set up as such! 101 assurances...? 10 years served in each trade...?

Central Bretagne is full of single occupancy 100hp 4x4 vehicles... Bloody farmers!  

Why on earth is it so complicated here...? How did this complex system of paperwork evolve...? ONE CHUFFING PROCEDURE IN THE U.K! and that can take place 3 months after you start up! And yet there are ****** all controls on my barn renovation! World turned upsidedown...eh?

Hello, I am often asked by Brits and French to undertake tasks that are out of my remit.  I rarely refuse the work outright, preffering to find some-one qualified for the client and by doing so impress them with my savvy and super customer service... Don't I make you sick!It works though! I advertise 'TREE SURGEON AVAILABLE' on my publicity but would never dream doing this work myself.There is a small financial or more usually inkind reward for my passing work on to gratefull artisans. At the very least I get a sense of positive karma and well being from this.      

Hello, why do you need a 1 metre run of copper from boiler to PER...? If its a temperature issue, can't you lower the temperature of the boiler...? Tell me now and you may save me yet!

Zeb, I haven't got there yet! In fact I am trying to stay under it prehaps by this method. Thanks 'Q' for the advice.      

Is that a real forum or a joke...?  

Teamup oh mighty Guru... You who are wise in all things answer me this... What is the maximum velocity of an unladen swallow... What I really mean to ask is... if I hire/command the materials but the client pays for them. Do you think that by keeping my turnover more profit rich rather than than filling up my 27'000 allowance with expenses I shall be better off? Will they still use the normal formula for calculating my social charges or will they look into my affairs and...

Hello, a question for the panel...theoretical. Microbic with turnover 'approaching' 27'000 If I took on work that required the hire/purchase of materials, could I get the customer to pay for these in order to keep my turnover below the 27'000 threshold? The result I would be aiming for would be to keep my turnover more profit rich than a mix of expenses and profit. If this does indeed make sense and work, I am committing a folly by not simply jumping up to the next regime? Thankyou

I shall probally get hung for this... I advertised for 4 months before I registered in order to be sure of a good client base with which to launch my entreprise. I was totally aware of it's legality but I thought 'FECK EM' Stupid socialist co-operative paperpushing system... it defies all logic not to measure the markets potential by doing such. Sure the C.C.I supply any amount of information and statistics but advertising is the only certain way to find clients and to achieve a flying start...do they want me to succede or not..?

SIRET on cours... 10 days from registering at the centre de formalities to recieving the cherished number.

Hello, we are about to render a cob house in 35 near Rennes with eduit de chaux. We intent to mix it ourselves and apply it by spraying it direct from the mixer. All the equipement can be rented locally to Rennes. When we have done this I shall let you know the costs per m2. Certainly quite inexpensive for the bricoler... Sand is 10-15euros per tonne Chaux 11-14euros per 35kg sack Hire charges and our own time. Removal of the old cement render was just time and the cement is to be recycled to create foundations.  

Hello, why do you want to use U.K fittings? Everything you require is available in France. I wonder how many of these '*******' systems will come back to haunt the installer/owner in the future if/when they go wrong in any way.  I have just installed a complete PER system which was a delight to fit due its ease of installation and availability of parts.  Regards

Hello, the book number is ISBN 2-7372-4119-7 L'electricitie Pas~a~pas   I bought this from Super Catena stores. Good luck!

Hello, I have noticed that here that things go smoothly for me in general and that when I order a thing it arrives in good time and that shop employees are generally very helpfull. Until you want to return something... I have spent 'untold sums of wealth' in a certain (my favourite) brico store. However when I came to return some excess bits and bobs, the woman at the service desk changed her face for the death mask of Napolean before coldly processing the refund. One small part was without its original plastic envelope and this was pushed towards me with a sharp NO! Explaining my value as a customer to her fell on deaf ears as was my request to speak to the 'Responsable' The value of the item was nothing but it was the principle that spurred me. I ran retail outlets for many years in the U.K and we prided ourselves on an exceptional returns policy and customer service. Why here in France is the attitude 30 years behind the U.K? Today I found that the stand for my chauffe eau that was selected by a member of staff as compatible is in fact not and that the plastique sack that contained it has been binned... Another fruitless battle ahead...?

Hello, I have spent 500e on pub for the van and trailer. Budgeted 600e annually on regular colour ads in various small publications. Cards around the area, bars, boulangeries and brico stores, annually I have no price, as its mostly time and fuel. The cards cost very little but are proffessionaly made in colour so stand out better than home made ones. Advertising works for me, I am only an Entretein Espaces Verts but every customer is asked how they found out about me and by this I measure the efficacity of the ads. Its an investment as important as tools for me. Also cold calling to drop off pub or speak to maison secondaire owners that I come across in my travels. I park the van trailer with its huge banners 3m x 60cm near markets and other prominant places on days when I have no work lined up or my days off. Its early days for me but my proactive approach seems to be working for me and I am happy with the results. Don't give up!

I have a question... If my diesel 1.5 kangoo does 75 mpg on a long run at 85kph and I regularly get 650 miles from a tank. (Yes I drive like an old woman!) What would it do per gallon on veg oil...? I assume that different fuels have different calorific values. Any trade off in performance and economy must reflect in the price...?    

Hello, I read a book and did it all myself with a french family member. There was 3 phase electricity already supplied to the buildings and this has worked out a little more difficult to balance out but still great fun to do ( I like a puzzle) The material costs where a fraction of the cost of an artisans installation and ready advice from Leroy Merlin which I am eternally gratefull for was freely given. I recommend them for materials and service very highly. I wired to the french norm which as I had little experience of the U.K seemed logical enough. No need to get a certificate of conformity as there was electricity already supplied. Plumbing next with the excellent PER system... I love it!