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Electrics Plasterboard and worktops


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Had a wonderful time on Saturday in the Brico Depot at Montauban trying to work out exactly what I needed to make up socket outlets and light switches. Eventually got what I wanted? Something I did see (and this was in the Legrande Mosaic range) were plates (into which you insert the socket outlets and switches) with hooks on that you turned a screw to bring the hooks in to play. I thought that they might have been used on plasterboard but it did not seem quite right - can someone enlighten me.

Also, we are going to need some plasterboard. Now, back in the UK it has struck me that we did not see i in the store. Is this something that they tuck away or will I need to go elsewhere. 

Finally, the OH is keen to have either granite or marble worktops in the kitchen. Now, I am thinking both weight and price. I know that the bst place is a funeral supplier. Any one any idea of the price per square metre?

Paul

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I can't help you with the first two, but having just ordered the granite for our new kitchen I can recommend someone in Fumel, about an hour and a half away from Montauban.  They were really friendly and helpful, and we ended up spending over an hour there choosing the granite from a huge range in their factory, discussing finishes and looking at photos of kitchen and bathroom worktops they had supplied and fitted.

I don't have the paperwork to hand at the moment, but if you are interested I can pm you the details, let me know.

The price was a big surprise, far cheaper than I had anticipated, and worked out at the same figure in euros that I had paid in pounds sterling 6 years ago for a smaller kitchen in the UK. We bought a whole slab, rather than a fixed meterage.

They even gave us a spare slab of our chosen granite free to take home with us, to check that it would work with our kitchen cabinets and flooring!

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The plasterboard backboxes are round ,and the switches and sockets have hooks which grab  the sides when the screw is done up.They are specifically designed like this to make it nearly impossible to wire up[:'(]

As for Brico Depot,our one has 3 seperate sections.Bits,windows/doors, and building materials.You have to shop seperately in each. A tip; don't load your van in the bits section,and then have to unload it when you need to get your plasterboard on.I can't imagine anyone would be stupid enough to do this!![:$][Www]

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" The plasterboard backboxes are round ,and the switches and sockets have hooks which grab  the sides when the screw is done up.They are specifically designed like this to make it nearly impossible to wire up "

The round boxes are great. Spend a very small amount more than the minimum on a scier a trepan ( Trepaning Saw) and you get a decent set where the mandrel bolts into the hole saw rather than selecting from a choice of blades which spring into place.

For new instalations you should be able to buy switches and sockets which have screws which match the holes in the new round boxes. As they are also meant to fit a replacements they also have 'griffes' c;aws but you do not have to use them.

Using the deeper boxes and winding the wires round rather than trying to bend them at 90 degrees can make connection easier. Also using bourne de connection rapide rather than dominoes helps for junctions boxes.

May post links shortly :

http://www.iboss.fr/catalogue/outillage-atelier/accessoires-electroportatifs/scie-trepan/

 

 

 

 

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Just to add........

Despite them still being sold all over the place, Fixation à griffes ( the claw type switch and socket fixings), have been interdit  in the French wiring regulations for around 2+ years now. All sockets and switches should be fixed securely to the back box with screws . I can only assume that there must be millions of the old type left in circulation that manufactuerers are trying to get rid of. They are terrible with griffes (especially sockets that take a lot of tugging).So if you want a decent installation that will last don't use griffes. In general the Consuel at the moment won't pick up on this, but at my last Consuel inspection last week , the inspector said they are beginning to implement this regulation more strictly.

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The more I look at the posts on here the more I think we need to get over to france and have a look at  identifying the differences in the france and english building specs. I've been a joiner and Joinery foreman for over 15 years now, and my partner is an electrician, so I think I've got the easier end in transfering my skills to france!!!

Been told that most french stud walls are using metal stud and track, is this true, or is that only in new builds?

Chris

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The Legrand Mosaic "plates" are available in two types (various sizes of both types)- one type a "plate" screwed to the surface and the other the more usual ones with the hooks that grip the side of the wall box. The idea of the plates is that you can fit a range of different types of thing into them (e.g. DIN speaker sockets, network socket, TV/Satellite sockets, various lights and alarm bells, as well as standard sockets and switches).

Ian

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[quote user="milims"]

Been told that most french stud walls are using metal stud and track, is this true, or is that only in new builds?

Chris

[/quote]

 

Not just new build Chris - extensively used in renovations.  I have heard a number of British tradesman disagree strongly but the French ones claim it is very much quicker to install than timber and therefore works out cheaper overall.  Plus you can leave the framing materials in the rain without them warping.

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Many thnaks for all your replies - been very useful, especially the bit about loading the plasterboard first [:D].

An additional thing. The house that we have just bought has just a simple timeswitch controlling the boiler. I shall be installing some low temp thermostats so that the boiler comes on only when the temperature drops low enough for there to be a danger of frost (when the house is unoccupied). In looking around the Brico Depot, I saw programmable thermostats but did not see a boiler programmer - do they exist in France?

Paul

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Thanks for that Andy, I can definitely confirm that metal stud and track goes up a lot quicker than timber stud and if put up correctly you get instant walls, but there is a down side to the stuff we use in the UK, standard size is 72-75mm and whilst this allows you to put 3" of insulation in, the structural integrity in comparison to a timber frame is considerable reduced.

On one office rip-out  and refurb I was involved in, one of the labourers decided to have a go at doing like they did in the matrix and an advert by running throug the walls. needless to say that he got through 3  stud and track walls with comparative ease, but the 4th was a timber stud wall which knocked him onto his backside when he ran at it!

Hey ho, the joys of having a complete office block to yourself and a gang of looney labourers let loose with sledge hammers and a couple of brain cells!

Chris 

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