Pun

Hi Gary I know what your saying but, when the window finished I was left with the end of the bricked area and the window ledge had to be removed, once this ledge was taken out i had nothing holding the sides bricks leading up to the lintel at the top of the window frame I'd removed, so for a short while I had no support under the place the window ledge once was, "just space" I did get supporting blocks under a.s.p but it was a bit hairy, but I was working at ground level and not up on the top of the building. To be honest Im glad that jobs done and hope never again, to put it in bikers terms, have you ever tried to get the air valve on your tyre back into place once it's decided to go walkies?

Ive  had a large area in the garden dug out for a pool, I employed a legal company to do all the work from start to finish much against one or two friends idea's. I was told I was mad, wasting money, you could have done the job by so and so for half the cost under the table and so on and so on. The first day the pool arrived, and was lifted off the trailer by a crane and inspite of only having 8 farms in a six mile area (two are empty and for sale) the fence around our land was full of locals all looking at the pool being  layed on the garden, No problem so far, then the digger arrived up the bank of the garden like some Army vehicle to do the job, No problem so far, the first dig down and removal of one full bucket was cheered by all our french friends, No problem so far, Then the driver full of pride took a second dig?? Yes you've got it, we had a huge burst of water, 30 feet up, and a second cheer and in no time at all a natural pool we didnt ask for. Two hour's later the water for all the area was off "no cheering could be heard now" and some 3 hours after the free entertainment , a new pipe was fitted and everyone went to bed happy knowing they'd have water in the morning as norm. The point Im making is this if it would have been done on the black (inspite of a local  plan of the pipe laying system) we would have been in a hell of a mess. So Im pleased very pleased I didnt employ a cowboy.

Hi Gary, It's funny you saying that because last year when I was waiting to sign for this gite, I had asked the owner if he minded me taking some photo of the place as I was in the area, on arrival in august it was a very hot saturday and as I turned down the lane I found the fire service trying to put out the long grass that was burning and heading for the house, the tree's blazing and after they managed to get it undercontrol I was asked if I owned the place as the fire was caused by ale bottles that had piled up in this long grass and the sun had caused a refective reaction and a fire, only about an hour ago two of the very firemen that put the fire out called to sell this years calender.2007 I told them the pool was nearly finished and they said they new about our asking months ago, so your correct about the water being of use to everyone.

Hi, Ive put a doorway in place of a window in the kitchen, it's very much the same thing as once the window frame was out I was left with the bottom part of the door area to remove, now the thicknes of the area to come out was 2feet and the total floor to top of the door was  approx 6ft. having removed the window I had 3 people look at the job "all I wanted was the rubble removed so the door frame could be but into place, the average estimate was 800euro and it was from 3 to 4 days work. I did the job myself in a week including the plaster work and that was the hardest due to the going off time of the plaster approx 15min, very hard to get a good smooth finish in this time but I did it in the end. I was willing to pay the asking price but was let down all three times, hence I did it myself. Ask you local building supply people they may have a list of tradesmen .

The timing for cleaning the flu and chimney is not now "winter" it should have been done in the summer when the fire /woodburners are not being used, and what about smoke alarm, if you 've not got any now????? get them this weekend and fit them and test them, if you do have alarms now?? test them this minute. do they work?? will you sleep safe tonight? How many people know what to do or what not to do if you have a chip-pan fire. all this info is waiting for your collection at the local fire station and in some cases the mairies, and your insurance company should be asked by you (befor) you have a chimney fire, if they require any certificate showing you've had the chimney swept, It's to late after the fire, and very costly if you've not found out. Note in your diary, chimney sweeping  june 1st 2007. and the day this work was done. "you'll feel better knowing you tried."

As far as the pool goes, I know that as we have just nearly finished having one put in (by a local company) that when finished both the company and us have to inform the mairies dept that the work is complete and we will then have a re-rate for the property, by doing such work you have increased the value of your buildings etc and when you bought the building you payed property tax on the then value of the said building, now its worth more and so you pay an increased property tax. if you decide to sell after owning it for 15 years your property tax would be nil. and every year up to 15 years this tax de-creases year by year.  

As you may know we are sorting out a gite refurb, and we asked the local  dept if we could put a pool in the ground, No was the reply, and it was said that in this dept no one english or french could have the in-ground pool as this was farmingland "a sort of green belt thing". We did talk to our locals (8 houses in 6 mile area) and 2 said they'd asked only last year and the reply was a firm no. We had sent plans in twice showing that this would not have anything to do with farming and that our local's didnt mind infact welcomed the idea, but still NO was the reply. By reading the local notice bourd in the village of all forth coming events we also noticed that every month an officer visited the mairie/office and if you had any complaints you could talk to him. we went on the said day of his visit at 9am and found we didnt have to wait as we thought many people would have complaints to be delt with we were the only ones there. We put our case that many empty properties could be seen around here and that the schools needed more children to make the schools worth while, and that if we put an above ground pool in it gave no extra rates to the local communities and these above ground pools did not have the same saftey laws as the in ground ones did. Having said all this and that its about time we woke up to the needs of the locals and the amount of rates being wasted by not having safe pools, I thought we'd said enough, the officer said he agreed 100% and we would have a reply within 3 month. Well the outcome is the pool was fitted 6 weeks ago and will be finished later this week or next, So if you have been refused ? dont give up try this way it just might be the way forward. regards Pun.  

HI Sunday driver, First to reply to the question, Ive had BMW's all my biker days (58 in jan) and many makers have tried to copy bmw but never made it, the BMW's are strong and made to last,  mine is the RT.100and I got it new almost 25 years ago pre that I had a few bmw, I think the best was a 750cc and after I sold it I was really sorry, hence just after I bought the B.MW I still have today, It was made for touring and not road racing and you cannot chuck it round bends like the triumph, etc. I was talking to a biker a few days ago via the nett and I was saying out of all the bikes ive got I feel the velocette 200 is the one for these counrty roads, it's not fast, it's shaft drive/water cooled and full of tin, ie panniers and leg shields, but it just seem's right for these lanes. anyway back to BMW, not the cheapest bikes ever made but a good safe bike.

Hi  Will, just taking a break from this painting (kitchen) I think your right about the mine field bit, It was just over a year ago we signed for the gite, and the notire was telling me then that the law was changing very soon so that all empty buildings no matter who or how many people own them would be paying land tax  as so many families couldnt agree about selling and these buildings just stood empty and wasted for years, but if the owner had to pay a yearly rate/tax they wouldnt be so keen on leaving this building for so long. I must admit here in dept23 limousin (very much countryside) we see so many old farm houses ect just falling apart, it,s a crying shame.

Gary, have you just the one bike? Ive a 1965 triumph 650 bonny and a velocette 200 (noddy bike) the dream is to be able to spend more time on the bikes,but just now her indoors wants this gite completed a.s.p, I was thinking of offering the gite services to the bikers by adds in the verious bike mags. What do you think, good idea or not? we're 200 miles from dover so it would be a good stop off for spain ect,

Just incase anyone is thinking of moving to this part of France (det 23 Limousin) and wondering if the area has a winter? the reply is yes, this morning at 8am it was below freezing (3 degree) . The locals have told me it will be snow anyday now, and they are always on the ball when it comes to this sort of forcast. The garden is solid and the birds really seem pleased with the feeders being full every day, I had a visitor near our post box this morning, "a small deer" Ive seen this deer twice this week and I hung some cabbage bits on the hedge hoping to make a friend but we'll see how it goes. Im pleased the local hunters are not allowed to shoot the deer. Well back to the painting (inside work, the kitchen)

Hi ,Cat Many thanks, Ive had a good read of changes as you kindly provided, Its some reading isnt it/ but well worth knowing. once again thanks .

Hi Teameup, I didnt hear any word ref death taxes, but I did read in the ex-pats paper I get every month ref tax if you take french resident, and you own british   prem/bonds, It said that if you hold british premium bonds and you take french residence (ie pay french tax /medical etc) and you should win the prem/bonds then you pay french tax on the win. I didnt know this and Im wondering how many more ex- pats know about it,  

Hi  Will, The t.v. bit was about a couple who have not married yet, and I think 4 children was on the womans side of things, so as you say it's more involved as you go. they asked the question ref  the law in france if one dies, and thats what made my ears stick up when they said the laws changed. just thought I'd pass it on. Many thanks for your reply.

It was  satated on sky t.v. last night (a.place in the sun) dealing with a couple buying in France that the law changed in july 2001 ref the married french system with children, If the husband dies,and the wife and any children alive.  The wife now has the right to remain in the property with all furniture until she dies, the children cannot demand for the wife (widow) to leave the property as in the past old law they could. This is good news.

What about the brit/news papers that never have the free c.d,'s ect, "they cost enough here."  

Hi powerdesal, Ive sent you an "E" mail with all info. See you soon. regards Pun.

Renaud, We do a big monthly shop and on the way to the larger town (LA CHATRE) we pass a farm thats had the santa climbing up the roof for two years now and yesterday he was still hanging on inspite of all the storms ect for 2 years he's still there.

Powerdesal, If youre around this way ?let us know we have a coffee pot thats never cold and a welcome mat thats well worn. regards pun.

Hi Albert, (A) I did live very close to Chester for years and then moved to Bala, mid wales but Ive lived in many parts of the U.K. as I was in the Army for many years, and it.s now 7 years since we got the first house here in france and Ive owned the second house (a gite project) for just over a year. the gite will be ready for trading in the next 6 month but wont be in service until dec 07, ref children, We live in dept 23 limousin and its a very countryside area, the place is covered in farms, and  as I said the children are like children all over the world, kids are kids, but around here you dont see any signs of wrecked cars, theft, or kids being bad manners, But having said that we do see the odd child doing the child like thing as you'd expect, but both myself and wife dont feel any threat going out in the local village of an evening or when its dark, Ive never had any cause for any complaint ref leaving my car near to the local school when the kids are having a walk about ect. Credit when its due, the children in this area are good, But to give you a better idea of the area, 7 years ago we didnt see that many brit number plates but only this week on french local t.v. they said that in the cruise area alone the head count was 2000. So as you can see the area is growing fast. regards Pun.

Hi Cooperlola, I would have replied yesterday but Ive been working on thehen house roof, but many thanks for your reply and here goes with the bit I said about cheaper housing, Well like you If I was to buy the house I live in here in france back in england it would be a no no no. I just couldnt do it, But I also wouldnt want to bring the U.K. here to france, I do really love the french way of life I now have, Im not new to living away from the U.K. as I did spend many years in H.M. forces and served in many away places and all over the U.K. (training in Aldershot, ) "anyone from Buller barracks ? Hi hope you're  well. But the point I was trying to say is this, We expats here in france are the foreigners, and as such we should make every effort to remember why we decided (no one forced us to come here) to live here in the first place, It wasnt because of the love of living in the U.K.. I have a lot of friends both french and brit, and to be honest the brits do the most moaning, ie why do I have to pay so much for a plasterer, or its cost me a fortune to have this or that done, when in actual fact many an expat when back in the u.k.couldnt change a light bulb but come here buy what they call cheap houses that need a hell of a lot doing to them and then decide to do the work them selves and wonder why things go wrong. How many times have you seen the likes of  no going back, T.V. program  ,        only to hear,"" we didnt know the place wouldnt be ready in time, and we have  a booking? or we've run out of money and the banks not let us know yet if we can have a top up or the wife's having a baby. France really has a lot to offer but if you want to know about france and the area your thinking of living in then who better to get to know ? the local  french people, you cant live in france without dealing with the french, (not a lot of   english  people seem to  know that) ref the weather , here in dept 23 limousin about 200mile from Paris going south we really do have the best of both worlds, a short winter, and long summers, I would say it was worth while having a pool, it would get a lot of use in the summer. We do have frost and snow during winter but it's not for long.   Well I hope this has given you a sight of this area and my reason or my views on the topic, Like you cooperlola, I dont get up for work, but I do wonder how the times gone, "great life isnt it? Well I must go now and read up how to change a light bulb, bye for now.  

Hi Russethouse, I understand what your saying, but we do need some form of being able to ask the questions, (ie are these said people worth taking a chance) at the moment the owner has little or no way of knowing "in France anyway" if the person asking to rent,"  been a con artist in the past."   I dont want to go into to much detail but when I did have my own company I needed to have the people I employed vetted, due to the fact at one point I was working in police stations throught north wales on a monthly basis, It was costing me £300 per check to find out through a private company if the said future employed had any police form I needed to know about, with this information given by  myself to the police I was covering my company as to the fact I had made  the effort to check my staff was of good character from the date I recieved the completed and returned forms of the person I wanted vetted.  Im sure the police did checks of there own but I had to supply the said info. The point is I did have a place/company to go to for the said information, we dont seem to have this support at the moment in France for long term lets. Im sure as time goes by and with the new long term let site we will get more info and with this we may have a better way of dealing with the con people. I feel  that if the average owner got a sniff of a con merchant they wouldnt take the chance of being done, but having said this If your going to go into any form of gite or rent work you must do your home work befor starting to ask people to take your services, its no good crying after you found you hadnt given enough thought into the pros and cons the good and the bad side of what you intend making money out of. It.s a pity but understandable that Living France cant help in the service we all need ie name and shame, but we do understand why this can not happen. Im sure this time next year we all "both owners and customers will be better off and learned when it comes to french law's ref lets.   Regards Pun.                 .

Hi chris, Well said, you should be what you want to be, and I feel the same as you, I ment that as long as you or I dont start to drive cars here with no valid m.o.t. insurance. road tax etc, In this very page a member has said about folk driving without tax ect, has this vehicle got Insurance, m,o,t.? if the driver hits your car and has no Insurance by default ie no mot. how would you feel about the repair bill coming your way. The amount of people who dont bother to learn the french laws and what they can and can not do is just not true. Like you I really enjoy the simple things in life, my garden, country life, but I always remember why I came here. for a better life and to be part of this country and all it has to offer. regards to you chris, from Pun.

Hi   powerdesal. I'll try, no road tax, cheaper car fuel, cheaper house insurance, cheaper rates, "we do have a summer here in dept 23, every one say's hello, no theft, space all around, good food and wine at a price we can afford. The shop keepers are always helping in every way and a smile isnt hard to find. the fresh air, the country walks, my garden, and that "take your time feel" about life here. Ive found 3 things the french do thats french, (1) the family life, (2) the food and wine, (3) friendship. Ive not found this keep up with the jones thing  here in this part of France, any french friends we have dont visit to see your house, they come to see you. Ref   the way the french bring children up , Just go into a french cafe/eating place and you wont see them running around causing problems, In this dept (23) the council do trim the trees every year, they do have the get up and go to make sure the round  abouts etc have a theme, ie christmas dects easter , bulbs, summer flower, etc etc, even the little village has a weekend when the road is full of stalls selling anything, but it welcomes all, they do try. and last in my very short list, the weekly outdoor market, veg/fruit poultry, cheese, etc , and no parking fees as at any hospital Ive ever seen in France you dont pay to park,  and no waiting list if your ill, if you need medical help you get it, Well  powerdesal  I said I'd try to show you my liking of the french way and I hope Ive given you some idea from this dept (23) and Ive only said a few of many, regards Pun.

WJT, After reading your ivy problem I decided to remove the ivy from 3 large trees down our drive yesterday, I started at about 11am and finished at 4pm the trees couldnt be seen at the middle and after I'd fininshed the first tree I was really surprised at how much larger it looked, but this morning I could see how much the tree had spread out now all that ivy had been taken away. Having just returned from the local waste tip, Ive found a piece of this ivy and you can see how its twisted both around the tree and and pulled these very large branches tightly together, If you just try one tree, Im sure you'll find the effort  and result well worth doing and not as hard as you think, once you cut the bottom of the ivy the rest will pull away, all I used was a bow saw/small prune/and larger handled pruners/ a 15ft ladder., gloves and a rake. I did 2 out of the 3 trees and they are about 30ft tall.   P.S. make sure you wash your hands as ivy is poison.