nemltd

Thanks Ceejay Did you change the plugs or use adaptors, and was the fridge/freezer ok when you set it up? I know they don't like travelling. I don't suppose you found any cheap granite worktop installers in France, we are in the Gers (32) Cordialements Tony

Sorry, that last post was in response to ZEB Who let me lose on here?

Hi, Went to our local Woodburner seller/installer in the Gers, they sell Jotul (Norwegian) and Charnwood (English, I.O.Wight)! I honestly don't think the woodburner knows where it is! Have another drink! Yeeha!

Hi, Having decided to purchase an Ikea kitchen in France we have found that the 'electromanagers' are quite a bit more expensive, around £700 (c800 euros). Please does anybody know if we can buy the appliances in England and ask our sparky to fit them in the French kitchen. I'm thinking.............Warranty? Compatibility? Politics? or is it just very simple!, save the money! Cordialements et bonsoir peeps. Tony  

Hi, I realise this post was 4 years ago but, I am really interested to know what you chose and how it panned out for you. We have just gone through the same process and decided on a wood effect tile called 'wenge' (Brico Depot). Looks and 'feels' warmer than the often hard and cold looking tiles we have seen in many houses, but with the cooling effect in the hot summer months. Probably make good use of rugs in the winter. Similar money to laminate at 16 euros per square meter plus fitting. Time will tell if we have made the best decision, look forward to hearing your outcomes. Best regards Tony

Hi, Anybody know how Taxe fonciere is calculated? Cheers   Tony

Hi, We bought our house in January 2005 and were told by the estate agent that the Taxe d'Habitation was levied if on the 1st January you had furniture in the house. This also applies to the audivisuelle because its on the same document. We have had two demands for payment in 2007 and 2008 but wrote explaining the house is uninhabitable because of renovations, we did not receive a demand in 2009. We await 2010 with baited breath! Does anybody know how the taxe fonciere is calculated? Thanks, Tony

Hi, Found this post when looking for Veteran Football threads. We have been playing maybe 5/6 times per year for a few years and had a couple of trips to Holland to play a local Dutch Veterans team. A great weekend of football and socialising. We are based in Fareham near Portsmouth in the UK and thought it might be nice to hear if we could spread our wings and go on 'tour' somewhere else. Our standard is local league and I think there are some pretty standard rules for Vets football wherever you are. If anyone interested then just reply to the post and see what happens. Tony

Dear Canard Sounds like a very large project. We too went to the Mairie for a local builders list, our village is c150 houses. After the Mairie, we asked the local bar owner and the winemaker next door. The same two names kept arising, also the previous owners of our house had work done by the same builders/artisans. Is everybody in the village on his 'bung' list? Well there comes a point when you have to go with it. Can I suggest you have the work done in stages, this way you can assess the work in smaller stages without getting tied-in. May I suggest this will also incentivise the builder to perform at his best, given you have alot more work to hand-out. Nothing like nice local work for a local builder! 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. It does seem that you have the opportunity to create a very eco-friendly, heat efficient house. Personally, for my primary system I would go with a Geothermal Ground source heat pump  for DHW and underfloor heating, this can be reversed in the summer to take the internal temperature down by a few degrees. You have the option of individual room regulation, i.e. unused rooms, guest rooms etc. For a boost of living room heat in extreme temperatures, or just for asthetics, I would use a woodburner, medium to good quality, lower end of market can be less predictable on heat regulation and burn more wood. Under normal circumstances the Geothermal (Ground source) looks an expensive option however, as a percentage of your overall budget I would suggest its the best value in terms of running costs and future proofing your heating bills. Any doubts over maximum temperatures when its really cold can be allayed with the relatively inexpensive woodburner for daytime or evening comfort. Although with ample insulation there shouldn't be any cause for concern. I have also read about improvements to air source heat pumps recently, but if you research you'll find these still struggle in lower air temperatures and are more reliant on a secondary system. Scandinavia rely heavily on Ground Source (Primary) and Woodburners (Supplemantary). The only real argument against the above is installation cost, but considering your overall budget it seems to make sense. If anybody has any real arguments, I know 'Poolguy' likes the sun! Please reply with them. Good luck with your project and I'd like to know what you decide. Tony nemltd

Hi John, We tried the Marie and the local bar, also the Vignoble next door to us. We found the same tradesman were being recommended by the locals, and the tradesman that were recommended have been great. Perhaps a good place to start? Tony (nemltd) Horndean (Hampshire) and Gers 32    

Hi Grecian, We too have looked at various forms of central heating/hot water. Geothermique (Ground source heat pump) We discovered it is the cheapest to run by far but prohibitively costly to install. Bore holes or Coils are expensive and underfloor heating is recommended, although modern radiators and comprehensive insulation would be paramount. Hot water temperatures are adequate but not as high as you might be used to. Air source heat pump Much cheaper to install than geothermique but even with comprehensive insulation and underfloor heating, it does not give the levels of heat required in the depths of winter. It would seem the Scandinavians have cheaper hardware and already have the modern construction and insulation techniques to compliment the heat pump systems, so cost and efficiency is not such an issue there. Solar Our research suggests this is also very expensive to install and maintenance would not be simple, not many specialists around yet. Hot water seems efficient enough, you will need temperature regulators. Not very effective for heating. Oil - Standard or Condensing In France boilers are probably twice the price of England, our devi quoted 4000 euros plus TVA at 5% (renovation rate) just for the boiler (26kw standard) With a new hot water cylinder (200l) and various other hardware and labour, the devi rattled up to nearly 10000 euros, not including radiators, these are also very expensive in France, compared to say B&Q. LPG Not researched, would be interested if anyone has any details? In the short term we have decided to stick with our electric hot water cylinder (120l) and a new woodburner, while we save up some more! Would be interested in what you decide and why. Good luck Tony 32  

Waiting for a quotation for the tiling of 2 bathrooms, toilet and a bathroom. How does a tiler price a job? Is it per square meter, or does he/she look at the tiles, big, small, square or rectangular? Any advice gratefully received.

Our French electician has quoted for the sockets in various rooms but interestingly also for 2 sockets in the family bathroom we did'nt ask for. I emailed him today to say we don't need them, what do the French use them for anyway? The price to replace or fit new prises 16A is 115 euros per prise, plus TVA. Thats 230 euros plus TVA for 2 sockets/prises we don't need! the wirung is 40 years old. Does this sound ok?

Good old ebay, have been looking without any luck. Thought I'd stumbled on a bargain but obviously there are stoves, and there are stoves! Anybody know what to look for in a stove, just so I don't walk in to a cheap 'useless' variety. Thanks again for advice.

Thanks for the advice, may I ask if you replaced it, and if so what with?  

Hi all, hope everybody is coping ok in the recession, if you are permantly in France enjoying life then I am very jealous. We are a few years from that yet, still dreaming! Please can anyone help us? We have decided to put on hold the installation of a new oil boiler due to the cost, (also awaiting some details of solar water heating from 'poolguy'). Instead we would like to install a woodburner into our fireplace. Could anyone tell me the regulations on minimum distance from the front of the fireplace that the woodburner can stand, our 'maison secondaire' is in the Gers (32). We would really like to know of a professional installer but cannot find one. We have seen a woodburner (10kw) in 'Machine Mart' and would like to buy it subject to knowing if the size is ok for our fireplace. We are leaving for a week in France on Tuesday 9th June and would like to take the woodburner with us, if it fits ok. Thanks Tony

Thanks Clair and Alan for the info on posting pictures, heres the curved shower wall, and the aformentioned burk with the cup of 'Rosie Lee'! [IMG]http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss138/nemltd/DSCF1048.jpg[/IMG]

Hi Alan, I must say I'm not a builder before I start, I have a small used car business. The architect I used to create some drawings around a 'pigeonaire', I think thats what they call it, a round tower/turret type thing, came up with a round shower. He specified the hollow brick work that you see in 'new builds' in France. The macon I used (French), got on with it without question, please see picture before it was plastered to a finish. The brickwork is 100mm. Ignore the berk with the cup of tea! Tried to copy and paste a picture of our curved wall, but it won't work. If you would like to see it then please let me have your email address and I'll send it to you. Unless of course someone knows how to add a picture to a post?

Thanks John, This sounds a clever idea, I'd be please if you could find the terminology for me. If I understand, the undertile mechanical thing waterproofs the roof and then you cover with original tiles, the point being the mechanical thing is cheaper than 'new tiles' and 'underfelt'?    

northender, anton redman.   Thanks guys for your help[:D]

Trying to find the cost of 'Romanes Tuiles' on the internet without any joy, can anyone help? Thanks [:(]

Dare I pose an electrical question? Here goes................We have asked for a quote for replacing switches and sockets and were surprised at 120.00 euros to replace a 'simple allumage'. I'm hoping this is not just to unsrew one old switch and screw in the new, the 'interrupteur' costs about 5.00 euros. The house was built in 1968, do you think there maybe more to it, new regs or the like? He has also quoted to renew the breakers and consumer unit and something to do with 'edf' (1 alimentation depuit le disjoncteur edf et commende jn). [:)]

Hi Aly, Great bit of information for me. Do French decorators charge by the square meter, only so I can gauge the cost of the job you describe. Our red stuff is mainly on our south elevation.   Tony[:)]

Hello all, Our house needs a lick of paint, my problem is its rendered with the spanish style rough and textured render, looks a nightmare to brush on! Anybody know if there is a spray sytem that will cope with exterior paint? And any clues as to what paint to look for in the local DIY, bricolage or the like? Cheers[:)]

Hi Posties, We have a balcony with wooden corral style bannisters, about 6 or 7 inches thick, and it spoils the view when you sit out with lunch or the like. The Balcony ballustrades with a wooden top rail and about 3/4 horizontal rails, how much would that cost per metre for a straight run? My wife prefers the brushed steel colour/look. Roughly a 12m run. Cheers