Simon Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 15mm is not found here, so buy the french equivilent, though I have found 22mm copper much cheaper in the UK. If you are using speedfit fittings, why not use that right through, it is quicker and works out less expensive due to not requiring so many joints? I personally favour Hep2o, which you can get in most of the big plumbing firms; you can get 16mm for use here too.Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 kathie said "Light fittings seem very expensive in France - and with a naff selection - unless you like decorative leaves trailing from everything.......................Yes but UK screw on lampshades/glasses etc don't fit continental lamps do they They are too small so no point in getting them in the UK unless you want to change all your ceiling roses, table lamps and pendants as well to UK fittings. Your experience of expense and lack of choice is not as I have found it in France, in fact when I lived in the UK I bought loads of light fittings in France on holiday, much cheaper and better choice, try shopping around other than the bricos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hastobe Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 [quote user="Ron Avery"]kathie said "Light fittings seem very expensive in France - and with a naff selection - unless you like decorative leaves trailing from everything.......................Yes but UK screw on lampshades/glasses etc don't fit continental lamps do they They are too small so no point in getting them in the UK unless you want to change all your ceiling roses, table lamps and pendants as well to UK fittings. Your experience of expense and lack of choice is not as I have found it in France, in fact when I lived in the UK I bought loads of light fittings in France on holiday, much cheaper and better choice, try shopping around other than the bricos.[/quote]I just checked our (UK) lampshades and glasses and none of them are screw on... Is this a recent change or am I missing something? It was our plan to take the complete lamps over and just change the plugs. We can get large decorative lamps (bases and shades) for between £20 and £50 in the UK - I haven't seen anything that sort of price and of similar quality in France - but if anyone knows of decent outlets in N Dordogne we would appreciate the info. Re the lampshades and glasses, when we looked, they all seemed to be the same as the UK ones - unless, as I said above, I am missing something?Kathie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 By screw on I mean by metal or plastic rings that go onto the lamp holder and hold the shade/glass in place. If you are bringing whole lamps from the UK it is not a problem but we were given a load of ornate glass shades from the UK but none fit any French lamps as the hole is half the size of the French lamp holders. For lamps, is Cahors too far for you? Try the shop on the left ( idf it is still there) as you enter Cahors from the south on the road with the car showrooms etc on the main thoroughfare that goes north to south through Cahors (the Rue de gambetta?) leading noprth towards the A20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 "By screw on I mean by metal or plastic rings thatgo onto the lamp holder and hold the shade/glass in place. If you arebringing whole lamps from the UK it is not a problem but we were givena load of ornate glass shades from the UK but none fit any French lampsas the hole is half the size of the French lamp holders."You can get adaptor rings from IKEA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 "You can get adaptor rings from IKEA."Yes you can get these to fit French shades/glasses etc to UK lamps Dick, but it does not work the other way round, the UK shades etc have much smaller central holes than their French equvelants, they just do not fit over the bulb holder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Ah, missed that slightly important piece of information!Is that because the screw fitting is wider OD than the bayonet? In which case being true it would be possible to change the bulb holder. Or have I still missed the point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearly Retired (I am now) Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 As someone just said - sheet glass for windows. I have brought some over a few times ( more than strictly necessary to be honest, due to mis-measurement unfortunately). I have never seen it for sale in France. Every UK town has its glass shop or two - I have yet to see one in France. What do you do when you want your glass fixed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 They sell all sorts of glass cut to measure at the Brico shops. The ones I go to have samples near the wood-cutting section.They also have miroiteries, where you can get glass and mirrors to measure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 [quote user="Dick Smith"]Ah, missed that slightly important piece of information!Is that because the screw fitting is wider OD than the bayonet? In which case being true it would be possible to change the bulb holder. Or have I still missed the point?[/quote]No, Yes, No The French and indeed European standard bulb holders (screw and bayonet type) have a much bigger outside diameter than the UK ones, they can be changed of course to the UK ones to use the shades etc but UK bulb holders are not readily on sale in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearly Retired (I am now) Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Clair,I have spent more time than is normal in French brico shops wandering around looking at all the stuff I can get / use. I must have been so pre-occupied around the wood areas not to have seen the glass - I'll make a point of looking next time. P.S. I need some "L" shaped moulding to finish off a velux roof window installation and there seem to be lot more sizes / shapes of softwood moulding offered in France than here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hastobe Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 [quote user="Ron Avery"][quote user="Dick Smith"]Ah, missed that slightly important piece of information!Is that because the screw fitting is wider OD than the bayonet? In which case being true it would be possible to change the bulb holder. Or have I still missed the point?[/quote]No, Yes, No The French and indeed European standard bulb holders (screw and bayonet type) have a much bigger outside diameter than the UK ones, they can be changed of course to the UK ones to use the shades etc but UK bulb holders are not readily on sale in France.[/quote]Thanks for this info Ron - we're now holding off on the lampshade shopping until we have reinspected / measured our French light fittings. You've probably saved us quite a bit - very appreciated!Kathie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yachty Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Bring all HEP and just change from supply onwards. fraction of the cost, fittings in UK 50p each, roll of pipe£50 time saved , priceless!There many other considerations but I will have two pallets of materials and tools, delivered to my door in 11 from Yorks for a days wages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Framboise Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 We were given some gorgeous Italian light fittings for our longere but they did not fit the French standard fixing as they were adapted for UK use. OH had to change the entire pendant/rose thingy in order to use them, but we do know that IF (and that will not happen) we were ever to sell up we would have to change them back to standard. They are gorgeous though and worth the effort! Like another correspondent we have yet to find anywhere that sells attractive new lighting products that don't have twiddly bits of vine tendrils hanging off them or just be, well, ................ horrid. Thats another reason why we have taken across our lamps & lighting, then been asked by French friends "Where did you buy such a lovely fitting??" and had to say "Angleterre". If we found place that sold this style we would have bought it locally and yet nobody seemed to know anywhere to do so. Is this a niche market for me I wonder? Kathie if you simply have to buy in UK because you cannot find what you want in France, this is what you need to do. When we bought the lights OH also bought a ceiling roses/pendant fittings from Homebase or B&Q and changed them over from standard, et voila! Its a pain of course but there you go [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpernel Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 [quote user="zeb"] It really makes me laugh though, the threads where people offer to bring over and sell us tonnes of plaster/Kingspan, or what have you, as they think we who live here can't find or get on with French equivalents.[/quote] I wish it made me laugh.[:(] I still can't find a French equivalent for Kingspan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gastines Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I notice Yachty brings over H20 Pipe fittings from UK so perhaps he can tell me if it's OK on French water pressure?When I say OK, I mean approved.Regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yachty Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Hep2o tech specs are available on their web site. However, product test result tables show pipe and fittings rated to 12 Bar and guaranteed for 50yrs. (depending on aplications).The product suits my applications perfectly, as well within my domestic water pressure. Hepworths export this product range to 40 countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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