No, it's not really me......
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No, it's not really me...... |
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My Project
Having a background in building and property development is definitely a help, but even so, many products and methods of construction here are so different to the UK that it was a steep learning curve, especially as I had decided to do all the work myself......... The property built in stone (pierre) is
around 100 years old and consists of a large garage with an entrance from Le
Rue de l'Ancienne Distillerie, a courtyard with an entrance from the Ave de
la Marie (right opposite the mairie...:-( ) with a large loft (grenier)
above the garage and a room adjacent under which is a room at courtyard level
which will be the new utility room (buanderie).
I rented a caravan and put in the courtyard initially, as somewhere to put my weary head after a hard days work..... soon found out that caravan life was not for me and decided to build some studio accommodation in the garage below.....with adjacent office.....and three weeks later it looked like this.......so the caravan could go....:-)
The only access to the grenier was up some difficult stairs from what will be the new utility room....and as I wanted access through the window overlooking the courtyard my first job was to construct some stairs with a balcony......
Then the major tasks begun.........
This will be the third bedroom..... and for the next few weeks........my new floor starts to go down, 22mm Hydra Flooring on 65mm Polystyrene flooring insulation. Then the roof windows have to go in......Light at last...:-) followed by insulating and plasterboarding the whole ceiling of around 110 metres....with two people a major job....by yourself...a huge undertaking...especially working off step ladders and trestles with planks...
My new floor goes down....at last something to walk on... About this time....I received a letter from the Mairie informing me that I did not have permission to put windows in the roof.....:-( Oh dear.....I foretell big problems.... Well, for a start my command of the French language is still in it's infancy....and my knowledge of the planning system is about the same.... I should say at this point that I was told by the Notaire and by an architect working for me that I did NOT need any permissions for my planned works.... OK, now I needed a local architect who could speak
French AND who knew the system...well, having spoken with a few local
Brits a certain Ed Jenkins name cropped as being a suitable candidate....
well after my first contact with Ed and his subsequent telephone call to the
Mairie we ascertained that I was within 50 yards of an ancient monument, the
local church!! So certain other rules applied!!! Luckily I had obtained a cheap copy of "Autocad" a couple of years ago but had never used it.....this is a designing/drawing program for a PC used by most architects these days, but, for the amateur....a VERY steep learning curve.....made more difficult by an old brain....mine.....:-) Anyway, after two trips to Ed getting advice on the Mairie's requirements, and about a week later and MANY frustrating hours where the PC almost ended up in the courtyard skip..... I had produced a set of drawings, plans, elevations, sections etc ready for the Mairie. Then all the photos they needed, close and distant views, before and after.....Thank goodness for all my PC experience over the last 9 years..... The Permis application was taken over to the Mairie for it's consideration....now we WAIT, up to two months! Meanwhile work cannot stop.....this has to go on......I cannot afford to stop!!!
Much, Much more Later.......... and lots, lots more photos here......
This site was last updated Wednesday December 24, 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
