DIY Plumbing

[Eusi]

Hi - I'm renovating a stone barn in the dorgdogne region and I'll be installing the manifold/flexible pipe system to distribute hot/cold water around the property.  Can someone point me in the direction of guidance/top tips so I don't fall foul of common mistakes/pitfalls?  I've already read of the useful "FAQ - Oil Heating, Hot water production and plumbing funnies" post but was looking for a more indepth/step-by-step guide.

Thanks

[Gluestick]

OK: I'll bite..............................

The principles of French plumbing are no different to any other plumbing: it is just the detail which varies.

If you can plumb  in the UK then you can plumb in France.

If you cannot plumb in the UK then you would not be able to in France.

 

 

[Pierre]

Very true, if you do not know how to do it it might cost you more at the end: doing the DIY work then getting it fixed by a plumber who will spend more time on it.

If you take a professional from the beginning it will be easier to get a good quote than calling them in an emergency when water is pouring all over the house.

[LEO]

It can be done !

I have done it, predominately  using JG Speedfit (white),a little French copper and created my own manifolds with easy permanent access,

Job done and understood. 

[Eusi]

Leo

where did you purchase your materials from and how much did you spend? I was considering purchasing the pipes, manifold and connectors etc from Brico Depot, but have been advised that the quality of their goods can be suspect!! Is this true of their flexible pipe range? If so, where would you recommend I purchase the materials from?

[Anton Redman]

I have had three cast compression fittings fail, pin hole leaks from seems etc. in France and all were purchased from local quinquilleries. I have not used the latest white multicouche but found BricoDepot PER and compression fittings to be no better and no worse than any other. Their cheap power tools, some sanitary wear etc.  are clearly build down to a price.   

Apart from Brico Depot in Perigeaux which normally has loads of UK vans and cars in the car park their trade is split between DIY and business. If you buy multi packs Leroy Merlin can be almost as cheap. Brossette and the other plumbers merchants are dearer and I have never had a big enough job on to try and negotiate a trade discount.  If you are buying manifolds it is worth finding the ones with built on stop valves which may mean a trip to a real plumbers merchants.

French experience limited to six shower rooms and three kitchens over the last 15 years.

[Théière]

I couldn't see any difference in the flexi's. With all mass produce items it's possible to get a bad batch.

Certainly the flexible gas pipe from brico depot is the same as sold in the other brico's because the packaging was identical but the price wasn't [:D]

 

[sid]

I'm reviving this old thread to ask if anyone has used "multicouche" piping more recently.

I want to install a small washroom/wc and for the water supply it seems that flexible pipe would be the easiest solution (for me anyway). Most of the pipework will not be visible and in any case I'm not too bothered so long as it looks neat. The advantage for me would be that there would be no soldering/brazing and I could hopefully do the whole run in one piece rather than making joints or trying to bend copper pipes.

Can this flexible pipe be easily connected into existing 14mm copper pipes? Does it bend easily and to what radius? This thread is a couple of years old so are there any new warnings/recommendations now?

 

[Théière]

Hi Sid,

From memory you can buy formers/guides which fit permanently onto the pipe to keep the constant radius of around 100-120mm, take a look in the Brico sheds.

[sid]

Thanks Teapot, I'll have to go and have at look at what they've got for bends, it's just that it's quite a journey just to look at stuff!

I've seen the compression joints in the Bricodepot catalogue; do you know if they are the same as for copper pipe? ie if I want to tee off a straight run of copper 14mm is there a specific joint for this in order to connect a piece of multicouche? And the multicouche seems to come in 16mm as the smallest diameter; is this because the pipe wall is thicker and this size gives the same internal diameter as 14mm copper?

I've got a lot of these finicky questions!!

 

[sid]

I thought I should post an update in case anyone is thinking about using multicouche piping.

I've finished my new shower room (At last !!, says Mrs Sid  [:-))]) . I used multicouche to bring the supply up to the 1st floor from the cellar and did this in one continuous run (well, TWO continuous runs, as we have hot water too! Talk about luxury. When I were a lad....  no, I digress [Www]).

The joints and tees are quite expnsive at around 10€ each and 25 metres of 16mm piping was 35€ and I needed a couple of special tools (inexpensive); a cutter and a reamer. The pipe is very easy to use and I had absolutely no problems with leaks at the joints. I thoroughly recommend this product! Incidentally, I found LeroyMerlin were the best suppliers as they always seemed to have everything in stock and very helpful assistants. There's nothing worse than finding that you're short of one vital component.

I had to move a cast-iron radiator as part of this work (90kgs !!! [:-))] ) and decided that I would use copper for this job, purely for aesthetic reasons. I've not done any light brazing previously but this too went surprisingly well.

I would not have liked to have attempted the water supply to the new shower room in copper though with all the bends etc; for me the multicouche wins for convenience.

Bon weekend

Sid

 

[Anton Redman II]

Thanks useful information