Using UK basin & WC

[Gardengirl]

I've tried looking in FAQs etc, but I still can't find what I need, so any help on this would be very useful.

We have a very small bathroom and want narrow storage units and semi-countertop basin. We weren't able to find this in France last week, so are planning bringing from UK, where there seems a lot of choice. We are having a partial load moved over by a removal company next month, & they are keen to know size of load soon.

Can anyone say if there will be any problems fitting plumbing and waste for the basin. will UK fittings fit?Would we be best to bring the whole lot over?

Also, if we do buy here, we'll want to take the matching WC. Again, can anyone see any problems with the fittings? The bathroom WC outlet diameter is 102mm & the unit would have an integral cistern.

The water supply already exists in narrow blue plastic PER, & the WC soil pipe is already in place.

Thanks for any help, Jo

 

[Pierre ZFP]

Sounds all pretty standard.  You'll have no trouble getting the right size waste as all the standard sizes are readily available.  Just a couple of points to note are the water inlet supply are often 12mm or 14mm and not the usual UK 15mm.  That caught me out one Sturday afternoon just after the shops shut.  The second thing is that you best to ask for 'tubes'.  'Pipes' means something quite different [:$]

[Clair]

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]... you best to ask for 'tubes'.  'Pipes' means something quite different [:$][/quote]

The correct term is tuyau.

As for pipes, how do you know about that...?[:-))]

[Gluestick]

Strange..............

In Nord Pas de Calais they seem to use the term "Pipe" (pro. "Pip"),  and "Tuyau"  almost interchangeably.

 

[Pierre ZFP]

[quote user="Clair"]
As for pipes, how do you know about that...?[:-))]
[/quote]

Well, I was in a builders merchants (in Fruges actually Gluey) buying a load of stuff so I said to the charming girl at the counter if I could have 4 grande 'Pipes'. I knew something was up when she blushed  and the guy behind the counter started sniggering.  I thought he was going to explode when I asked if I could have a discount for so many 'pipes'.  It wasn't until much later that a native French speaker put me right.

[Clair]

4 grandes pipes!! [:-))][:-))][:-))]

I'd died of embarrassment!!!!!

[sheldonrobbo]

Why risk potential problems with connections and pipe sizes. French bathroom fittings are available in a far wider range of styles than UK ones and are far cheaper, they also fit french plumbing. I'm sure if you look around you will find what you want at a far lower price than UK and the most important thing is it will fit. Don't think i'd want to risk any problems with a uk loo on a french pan connector.

Best of luck

 

Sheldon

[cooperlola]

Yes, Sheldon.  Funnily enough, when we were doing up our bathroom in the UK prior to selling our home there, our British plumber told us to nip across to Calais and buy the stuff at Leroy Merlin because the choice and quality were both better!  Although he did seem to have something against French taps, for reasons I didn't quite understand.....

[Will]

There is a possible difficulty with French mixer-type taps in that they are usually designed to operate at mains pressure. This means that they may not work with the type of English system that has a cold water tank in the loft feeding a separate hot water cylinder. They will most likely be OK with newer systems.

Since the British regulations were relaxed to allow the push-button type of WC flush common in France, a lot of the sanitary ware on sale in Britain is identical to that which you buy in France. Many things do seem to be cheaper in France, but certain items, notably traditional-style baths, are a lot cheaper in England. Our experience - and I am no DIY-er - is that while the better loos, basins etc in France are very good quality, the cheap cisterns and taps from places like Bricodepot are pretty poor, although the actual chinaware is perfectly OK.

 

 

[cooperlola]

Aha, thanks, Will.[:)]

[Gluestick]

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]

[quote user="Clair"]
As for pipes, how do you know about that...?[:-))]
[/quote]

Well, I was in a builders merchants (in Fruges actually Gluey) [/quote]

Cor! My local town!

Strange this: my French chum, Phillipe, a retired lecturer was the last guy during Paques, to assure me that using "Pip" was OK when referring to tubes or pipes.

I shall take this up with he!

Might of course be a strange French sense of humour!

Leroy for taps and thermostatic shower mixers for me. Vast range and good value.

 I agree with Will: Bricodepot taps are a bit iffy.

 

[Chancer]

[quote user="sheldonrobbo"]

Why risk potential problems with connections and pipe sizes.  Don't think i'd want to risk any problems with a uk loo on a french pan connector.

Best of luck

Sheldon

[/quote]

There is a real irony here!

I have bought and fitted 3 toilette suspendus from Bricodepot, all had the same size outlet which for the two I fitted in England slipped on the soilpipe a treat but I had to buy an adaptor (500457 - 3€70) in order to fit the one in France[:D]

[terry]

Yes taps are different,E.G. pipe sizes

[Gardengirl]

Thanks for all the interesting comments. We are off to France again on Saturday for a week & will carry on looking for suitable narrow bathroom storage. If we still don't find any, we'll have to order them from England.

Thanks again, Jo

[Pierre ZFP]

[quote user="Clair"]4 grandes pipes!! [:-))][:-))][:-))]
I'd died of embarrassment!!!!!
[/quote]

If the order had been 'fulfilled' I'd probably have died of exhaustion [:$]

[Anton Redman]

Even if you live in 'Pas de Calais' it is a long way to go when you want to wash your hands

Using UK basin & WC joke - probably bad