Le_Jars

Steve, thanks for your reply. I guessed what to put anyway, much like you suggested. The form is the Déclaration Préalable which is about 7 pages long, but much simpler than the previous Déclaration de Travaux I seem to remember. I did have to provide 7 copies of certain documents though (2 dossiers, a copy for each of them and 5 copies 'supplèmentaires'), so still plenty of work! Thanks for your replies.

Can anyone tell me exactly what I have to fill out on the 'preable' forms? Most of it seems irrelevant to a piscine? It will be a 12 x 6m pool, 2m one end, 1.2m the other. It is in a large garden (next to a neighbour with a pool), not near any historic buildings etc etc. Can anyone explain exactly what SHOB and SHON are? I have the 'plan cadastral', the 'plan de situation', a drawing of where it will go, what model it is, the terrace type around it and even a 'photoshopped' artist impression of what it will look like. Is there anything else I will need? Thanks in advance.

I love it on here, the way people don't get on their high horses, aren't judgemental and don't assume things. [Www] Thanks for all the constructive replies anyway.

Thanks Ernie for your helpful post.

We have some friends who have some debts back in the UK that won't go away and they are being threatened with visits from debt collection agencies here in France. Has anyone had any experience of agencies like that here? Many thanks for any information.

Unfortunately, he's already sold them off. I wish I'd thought of this idea earlier!

Yes, talking to the chap who used to do it is probably the best idea, but he could be a bit.....er...sensitive about it! No harm in asking him about stuff though I suppose.

We're thinking of hiring bikes to tourists as a business. Since the local bike hire place stopped trading (it was his only income) there is a gap in the market here and there is a real need for them over the summer. We will not be relying on this as our main income, it would supplement our other ventures, but has anyone had any real experience of doing this? Are there any obvious pitfalls we should be wary of, insurance maybe? Also has anyone bought bikes in numbers (20+) from a supplier? Many thanks for any input.  :)

Hello, does any one know what to do with the plastic and metal catches that come with a fidge freezer that fits behind cupboard doors. The one we've bought from Conforama has all the bits, but no instructions, I don't have a clue how they work. Anyone know, or have a copy of the instructions?

I've emailed you sweetpea.

You can't beat a stormy sky. [img]http://www.galerielepetitchien.com/paintings/storm_over_navarrenx.jpg[/img] I've taken lots and lots of photos to paint from, some examples here... http://www.galerielepetitchien.com/paintings/index.html

I've found the equilvalent of Nippon here, it's called Baygen or something like that. It's in a green tube and does exactly the same thing. Edit: It's Baygon, made by Johnson

Thanks all, yes Cathy I'll try that next.

If it's the same make as the name on the box with the red light on, it's 'silver pool' or something like that (it's not in front of me obviously). Definitely not a french sounding name, as I remember, as I stared at it for nearly two hours waiting for the light to go out![:(]

No, it's under the slabs that form the edge of the pool. I dare say I could put my hand down the back of it, just, but I couldn't lift it out or fiddle with it to any great extent. Also I wondered whether the light would still go off if the pool was at the right depth, but also stuck?

I am looking after a pool for someone and I have managed to get the pool cover stuck just a few feet out into the pool. It is electronically operated and rolls out from under the square end of the pool. It is made of that sort of rigid hollow plastic slats stuff. It can only be opened and closed when the pool is at exactly the right depth, this shown by a red light that goes out on it's 'control' box in the pool house. Before, I have drained a little from the pool (if it looks too deep), the light has gone off and therefore I can open/close the cover turning a key in a sort of 'lock'. I tried this the other day. I began emptying the pool, as I did so the cover automatically started moving across (as the key was still in the open/close 'lock' thingy). It rolled out about three feet then stopped. the light now remains on and nothing I seem to do (filling it up, draining it a bit and so on and so on....) will make it go off now. Anyone have any ideas what I can do next? [:'(]

Well, I did piggy back a connection from another plug and that seems to have done the trick; no sign of any shock anywhere at all now. Thank you all for your advice. :)

As far as I know, all the other sockets and appliances are fine as the place was re-wired a couple of years ago. Could it be that just this socket has a loose earth? Could I somehow link an earth wire to a nearby socket that does have a good earth? (does that make sense?).

Sometimes when I put my hand on my dishwasher or washing machine I get a small electric shock. How is this possible? they are both plugged into the same double socket, which I have had apart and can see nothing missing/in the wrong place. Should I be looking elsewhere? Is it dangerous? The plugs on both machines are the moulded type and are both very new. Any ideas? Thanks.

That's great! Thanks all, very kind :)

Anyone know how to say 'free to a loving home'?

Hello Magnolia, I've emailed you. Indy is around 6 0r 7 I think and Alfie is 2 - ish. Seperate is better I believe.

I'll pass all this information on, as I say I'm doing an ad for a friend. When I can work out how to phrase it anyway! This is Indy...sorry for the rubbish photo...she's the Jack Russell [img]http://www.galerielepetitchien.com/Indi.jpg[/img] And this is Alfie, the cross thingy... [img]http://www.galerielepetitchien.com/alfie.jpg[/img] A lively little thing he is!

How do I say that in French exactly? I want the wording to be 'Free to a good home' or 'a loving home' if there is a proper equivalent? I need to describe one as a 'mongrel' terrier also. Not doing it to my dog (god forbid!) but a friend's dogs. Many thanks in advance.

Thanks very much for all that info. It looks like I'll have to get an architect involved as virtually all the space inside the barn will be used in some way. Not necessarily a bad thing as I've heard lots of good stories of helpful and inventive architects around here, despite their cost! Thanks again for your help.