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  1. totoisacat

    Converting my garage to a office help needed.

    I had similar job done approx 11 years back and didn't get Building C O approval. I sold the house 2 months ago and the new owners weren't concerned about lack of Building Regs. Also if you go BCO route you could end up with planning issues as it could be deemed as a dwelling-part of your house...
  2. totoisacat

    House in France under Renovation

    Just watched re run of episode that was filmed in 2003/4 where a couple take on a delapidated old manor house-maison de maitre-in le Limousin region. Quite unbelievable what thye achieved-note they used the tile 'clips' refererred to earier in this thread. They bought about 15000 tiles...
  3. totoisacat

    new bath and sink taps problem (Hot taps only)

    Have you fixed this yet? Did it work with the old taps and existing boiler? Or has the new boiler been fitted together with the taps? Is the boiler a combi and working off mains pressure. If so is the pressure high enough from the water main?
  4. totoisacat

    Advcie for render and construction of new external wall

    Thanks for that. I note that it is designed for houses with solid brick single walls. The annex i have has been constructed with a double wall from concrete blocks so i guess that i could simply fill the void to achieve less heat loss. It seems that the system you point to is designed for...
  5. totoisacat

    House in France under Renovation

    At the end of the day there are numerous costs-some daily consumables (food, gas etc) and others like housing. If one can afford to sell up and go to live in France you will be able to retain enough to cover yourself for any minor changes in living costs. Food depends on where you are in...
  6. totoisacat

    Advertising For 1st Time - Suggestions\Experiances?

    Hi Neil Am into renovating and have taken a year out to dod so! However have experience in selling etc I would suggest: a. Website b. direct mail drop with a card-well designed-modern-photos and min of text but website link c. Free advertising utilising Google Maps If you are looking...
  7. totoisacat

    Advcie for render and construction of new external wall

    Have bought a place to renovate. An annex to the side of the house is like a cold box and i wish to insulate and rconstruct it. One thing i am going to do is take out 4 large windows (single glazed) and make stud walls based on existing window construction, which is fine. Questions are: what...
  8. totoisacat

    House in France under Renovation

    Blimey that was quick! When i was there 3 years ago i din't find prices any more than uK. I cannot quote prices as am not there at present but i guess the rate of exchange has made a noticeable difference. I did buy a drill for 15 euro, but admittedly it was made in China. Petrol was cheaper...
  9. totoisacat

    House in France under Renovation

    yes we bought a flat in SW France...a gift. Locals all tried to knock down the seller on price. I knew as they did that they were getting a bargain so offerd to pay whatever they thought was a fair price. Since the seller was inheriting the property and wasn't from the area she wasn't prepared...
  10. totoisacat

    House in France under Renovation Part 2

    Looks good what you are achieving. I bought a flat in SW France and brought out a UK plastere who couldn't manage to work with French plaster. I ended up doing it myself. I used a very fast drying Grey bas plaster-the elctrician was using it. So long as you kept it wet and worked quickly it was...
  11. totoisacat

    Cutting lead/iron pipe-how to?

    Have had a main pipe burst and need to mend myself as insurance expired. Have only cut copper pipes which is easy enough but does an old lead pipe need something special? It could be made of iron/steel also? Waterboard will not repair as it seems to have burst under our doorstep. Angle...
  12. totoisacat

    Damp problem and ceramic tube technology

    Thanks for your comments which i appreciate. However to test your knowledge more.... There is no DPC...i can see the bricks on soil! (200 year old property) External walls are deeply embedded into ground and thick so damp is not an issue with them but this wall is internal/shared with next...
  13. totoisacat

    Plastering straight onto brick

    I see what you meant now..didn't read it properly. I ripped some old tiles off wall in cottage i own and to level it up just platered a base for them, using 'hardwall'. Or do as previous chap said. OR you could add battons to wall and ensure they are falt (to each other) with spirit level and...
  14. totoisacat

    Three conflicting quotes on damp problem

    Forget meters adn type of etc. I would have thought some basic questions could be asked and responses to such may help find the cause easily, though depends on answers to questions! 1. How long has the damp been noticed. If present owner has seen devlopment after they moved in the something...
  15. totoisacat

    RENDERING INTERNAL WALL

    I want to part render an internal wall up to about 3 feet. I want to create a 'natural' white effect that you see in places to keep to the old style of the property. Can i just use white portland cement to achieve this in 1:5 ratio with builders sand? Do I need to add any lime? I read that i...
  16. totoisacat

    Damp problem and ceramic tube technology

    Thanks for your feedback and comments. This doesn't suprise me as it all seems too easy to be true, but how do companies who sell this sort of product get away with it! I shall therefore render the area which is damp (rising) and see what happens! The BCO said this may help. In my opinion it...
  17. totoisacat

    Plastering straight onto brick

    maybe the walls you are plastering on your are not wetting down first...plaster dries too quick and falls off? I am not a pro plasterer but have done a lot now and this has happened to me before. make sure your mis isn't too stiff also. Is the wall you are plastering onto bare brick? If so...
  18. totoisacat

    Damp problem and ceramic tube technology

    I have an old (200 year) annex that i am renovating for myself and have an internal wall that is damp as there is no damp course. I am thinking of rendering it though this will only 'lock in' the damp and it will overtime come through again i would assume. I have come across a company that uses...
  19. totoisacat

    Re-pointing brickwork - the colour of my mortar

    If you use white cement and not grey portland you obtain white mortar and then you can dye this. I suggest that you use with dye and test on small piece perhaps. If no dye is added it is white-what i have used recently to match a wall. Builders merchants should have dyes. White cement a bit more...
  20. totoisacat

    solid brick wall insulation the cost effective way

    Am not a pro builder burt am looking into same problem and have spoken to BCO. I am putting in studwork separated from main wall by 50mm and then infilling studwall with cellotex(70mm). Then outside this i use a silver sheet insulation (www.webdynamics.co.uk) and then 12.5mm foil backed...
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