Devon

[quote user="pachapapa"] Practical simplicity...an FTE ( fosse toutes eaux) with préfiltre incorporated. Usually contains pouzzolane but maybe plastic balls.   [/quote]   Thank's pachapapa. I installed an FTE. The job was fairly straight forward. Pipe depths for the drainage bed was set by the plastic access manholes supplied by a local builders merchant. I made one error by not using solid pipe from the upper manhole along to the 5 drainage trenches (1m down for the central trench) This was easily sorted. A spanc inspection I tried to arrange by email did not materialise but after a visit was arranged over the phone by a French speaking friend, the inspector was very helpful and did not have a problem with me covering the drains as I took photographs of all stages of the work. I left the top of the tank uncovered so the inspector could check the tank was level. The only other requirement was a vent stack venting just below the Fosse exit.

Off topic, but I installed a new fosse septique at my place in the Charente Maritime a couple of weeks ago. I emailed the address on the Fosse design information requesting an  inspection but no one turned up. Therefore I recorded the work I did with photos and left the filter bed so that the dimensions could be easily checked: can anyone tell me how to contact spanc to come and inspect the tank (also left uncovered)  and filter bed? TIA

The strikers and the weather gods willing, I hope to install a Fosse Septique at my place in the Charente next month. I could do with a couple of pointers if anyone can help. It seems I should place a rock filter just after the tank outlet: can anyone tell me how the filter is installed and can they be bought off the shelf? Are the drainage pipes layed with a slight fall or level on the sand filter bed? How far below the finished ground level should  the drainage pipes be? Thank's for any info in advance [:)] 

I have allowed for 2 hotwater tanks to be fitted. I have a 150lt tank for when there are up to 6 people at the house and a 300lt tank which will be used when there are from 6 to 12 people at the house. It wasn't a problem for the plumber and the sparks ran a seperate supply to each boiler. Two tanks require a lot of space and support obviously. I have a picture of the set up I could email you.

My place consumed about 220 sheets. The best price I could get for the French equivalent was about £60 a (2.5m x 1.2m) sheet. I sourced celotex at £17 a sheet in the UK. The exchange rate makes expensive French insulation even more costly. I would hire a van and buy in the UK if you need a large amount.

It would be just my luck for the euro to crash just I have nearly finished building my house using £s exchanged at 1.15 -ish [:(]

lol [:)]I guess meeting Kerry Katona would be the booby prize.

I am supposed to be touring around Iceland on my M/C in 6 weeks time: should be interesting [8-|]

I stopped buying newspapers about 18 months ago and have no intention of paying to go online and read what passes as news in today's media. I expect newspapers to go the way of the dinosaurs Thank's to the internet. No big loss IMHO

I would like to bring my 5.5m RIB fitted with a 100hp outboard over to France for a few weeks in the summer. My insurance covers me for public liability in Europe. Can anyone tell me if I need anything else to use the boat whilst on holiday near La Rochelle? Any Info appreciated [:)]

[quote user="Bugbear"] In the garage? .....................no,no no, far too cold. [IMG]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p211/Bugbear2/IMG_0467.jpg[/IMG] [/quote]   Mrs Bugbear must be one in a million [:D]

Where have all the bikers gone then [8-)]

[quote user="Tandem_Pilot"][quote user="Devon"] [quote user="brianagain"]We ourselves (cynics included) are to blame for allowing “the playing it safe culture” to develop - seeking to blame the HSE is a cop-out. Brian(again) [/quote]   I suppose the obvious question is what 'we ourselves' could have done to stop the absurd, wrap everyone in cotton wool situation we now find ourselves in.   Blaming the elf and safety nannies is not a cop-out: it's a start. [/quote] Indeed. Of course WE are to blame for voting them in power in the first place. However, I did not. [/quote]   Well, like yourself TP, I didn't vote for them either. So WE are not to blame [:)]

[quote user="brianagain"]We ourselves (cynics included) are to blame for allowing “the playing it safe culture” to develop - seeking to blame the HSE is a cop-out. Brian(again) [/quote]   I suppose the obvious question is what 'we ourselves' could have done to stop the absurd, wrap everyone in cotton wool situation we now find ourselves in.   Blaming the elf and safety nannies is not a cop-out: it's a start.

Awww, nanny wants to be taken seriously by a population its treats like dim 3 year olds. I think it going to take a little more than spin in the media somehow. Lets hope the recession over the next few years drives the elf and safety army of nincompoops back where they belong: running organisations like the Boy Scouts and Brownies.

[quote user="Théière"][quote user="Devon"] [quote user="Polly"]There is no such thing as a cheap pool. Start from that assumption and the real costs won't seem so bad! I can't quite see how you are going to dismantle a partially in-ground pool with decking. [/quote]   Above ground pool package kit around £3k Excavation for concrete base and re-inforced concrete base including removal of spoil 1500-2000 euros depending on site. Plastic pool dome £1200-£1500 Wow, that's cheap, worried about quality at that price, would not conform for security (important) Decking material £500-ish You are wide of the mark on that one unless its very small decked area which IMO would be a mistake. and the support structure which will allow you to remove the decked panels. Decking put together in panels so it can be dismantled in panels Possible alarm 300 euros or fence for security 2500 euros. IMHO that should make for a 'cheap' pool:  I am interested in which bit I have got wrong [:)] Cost of water each year to fill, based on water plus the waste water charge could be 2 or 3 times the water charge. [/quote][/quote]   Thank's so far to everyone who has replied. The prices I have quoted for a rigid above ground pool and dome are from a quick google search and the products appear to be a reasonable quality, supplied by large, established businesses. The decking: 24m pool perimeter x 2m wide = 100 decking boards @ £6 each =£600. I am a builder and have an digger on site, the spoil from any excavations can be lost on site. My costings were a bit 'back of a fag packet' and allowing for an alarm and materials for concrete to sit the pool on would bring the costs to £6k, not £5k as I originally posted. That said, I take the point that if you are gong to have a pool, have a good one, so I might bite the bullet and go the whole hog  and build an  in ground pool with a decent cover and heating: Looks like I better start doing some overtime [:D]

A day for me to assemble the pool in spring and a day for me to dismantle the pool in autumn  is hardly 'agony'. Plus I wouldn't have the wear and tear or maintainance to worry about: or how the pool was coping in minus tempetures mid winter, whilst I am in the UK   I have talked to a couple of people who have owned pools in the UK and the impression I get is dismantling a  rigid kit form pool would be less hassle than winterising a built in pool.   That's why I am interested in comments from pool owners in France.

[quote user="Polly"]There is no such thing as a cheap pool. Start from that assumption and the real costs won't seem so bad! I can't quite see how you are going to dismantle a partially in-ground pool with decking. [/quote]   Above ground pool package kit around £3k Plastic pool dome £1200-£1500 Decking material £500-ish Decking put together in panels so it can be dismantled in panels IMHO that should make for a 'cheap' pool:  I am interested in which bit I have got wrong [:)]

I have been looking at putting a pool in the garden of my place in the Charente Maritime. I have permission for a 8m x 4m in ground pool.   My problem is, it seems like an awful lot of time and expense for something that will be used 8 weeks of the year at best. I have been looking at various options and it seems to me an 8m x 4m above ground pool lowered halfway into the ground with 2m wide decking built around the top, plus a pool dome would create an attractive pool for around 5k. I could also dismantle the whole lot and put it away for the winter months. I have never owned or maintained a swimming pool before, anyone have any suggestions for a better way of owning a 'cheap' pool?

The BoE is keeping the pound weak. It is not difficult. The next time the £ is knocking on the door of 1.2 euros Mervyn King will say the UK's recovery is fragile and the pound will be back at 1.1 within a week. That's all that has happened for the last 12 months. The strong euro might be hurting the eurozone but I can't see Germany or France working to devalue it for political reasons: a weak euro would start to raise (even more) questions about the one size fits all currency.

I started reading the article as far as: 'Sperm counts are falling so fast that young men are less fertile than their fathers and produce only a third as much, proportionately, as hamsters'. Then couldn't be bothered to read more nonsense. Did the journo write that for a bet I wonder?

[quote user="nemltd"] Regarding the question of heating. When we were researching this question there were no absolute answers. You would think 'maths' and 'science' would give the exact answer...........Oil, Geothermal (Air/Ground source), Solar, Woodburners (with back boilers), Pellets, Electric, LPG, Gas? and no doubt someone, somewhere could add more options. Before you decide on how, please consider the insulation of your new home. We discovered insulation was the most common factor in maximum efficiency from any heat source.   If anybody has any real arguments, I know 'Poolguy' likes the sun! Please reply with them.   Tony nemltd [/quote] Not an argument but a thought: I agree insulation and excluding drafts are the most important aspects in keeping a house warm but why waste energy and keep a house warm? Wouldn't it be better to insulate the people living in the house. For example, put warmer clothes on when it's cold, use a warmer duvet or more blankets on the bed for when you sleep. It worked for me many years ago when I was growing up.

I am relatively new to France, only been sorting out my place for a year or so. In that year I have met some really weird, unpleasant, anti-English Brits and one or two indifferent French. If my 4x4 was damaged I would suspect some of the creepy Brit expats before I would consider a Native. Luckily, this forum seems to be mostly free of said weird, unpleasant anti-English Brits [:D]

[quote user="Dog"] Crumbs you expect to pack a lot into a week and are planning some big commutes if you have hired a gite. What sort of bikes have you got? What are you looking for fast sweepers, knee down stuff or some off road? There are Brit Bikers in 24 and we go out a few times a year. If you want a day checking out unknown, interesting and beautiful bits of 24 and around with some crazy activities I can sort you out. PM me if you want more details. [/quote] We hope to do a couple or three days of 500 mile-ish days at most,  a couple of days nearby:  Ille D'Oleron sort of places and a couple of lazy days doing not much. Oradour-Sur-Glane is a definate for one of the days. I have just ordered a copy of Das Reich by Max Hastings, recommended reading if you want to understand how the Oradour atrocity occurred apparently. Other than this we have kept our plans open and appreciate the suggestions and ideas so far on this thread. Good biking roads and scenary are the order of the day. The majority of the m/cs are Bmw 1200GSs (cue Ewan and Charlie wannabe jokes [:D]) A few of us went to Morocco last year: There is  a write up and some pics of our trip on another m/c forum. Hopefully the link is ok to put up here: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162868 Any suggestions for routes in 24 would be appreciated Dog. Local knowledge is always helpful. You have a PM [:D]  

[quote user="Quillan"] . One way not to go is the Tobin Tax which Lord Turner wants the world to instigate against banking and industry. Why should the world contribute to fixing the problems of GB's over spend. Its like me getting an overdraft and asking all you lot to pay it off for me, I rather think you would all tell me to bog off, bloody cheek[/quote] Any thing that sorts out the cancer of Greed in the city is a good thing in my books and will have to be addressed in the future if not now. Surely the £1.3 trillion pounds of Tax payers money propping up the financial institutions is the same as paying off a greedy corrupt systems 'overdraft'? The bad banks should have been told to bog off and been nationalised IMHO