http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/ The process from start to finish of renovating and converting an old barn in Brittany, France into two new gites (holiday cottages). Copyright 2006 Ian Haycox Mon, 18 Dec 2006 16:13:41 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss Radio UserLand v8.2.1 radio@iphconsulting.co.uk radio@haycox.org rssUpdates 0 1 2 3 4 6 5 23 60 http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/11/15.html#a427 <p>Well, it's been a full season with the <a href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/2006/05/19.html#a419"> two new gites</a>. Thats five in total now. </p> <p>We always knew that in order to make a living five gites would be required and judging by the success of the last year, the two extra gites have made the difference. The renovation of the gites was hard work but the extra income is worth it. With the extra gites it also means that the fixed costs don't bite into any profit quite as much. </p> <p>All the guests this year in the new gites have been very impressed and having two slightly different layouts meant they catered for each type of families requirements. One gite has a ground floor bedroom and en-suite for wheelchair access and the other gite with the extra upstairs space for larger families. </p> <p>Fortunately there were no breakages or problems to note, so the extra attention to detail paided during the gite renovation was worth it. We do have a couple of lettings over winter and I'm hoping all the extra insulation in the walls and roof will make them comfortable and less expensive to heat.</p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags" />&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Gites" rel="tag">Gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/11/15.html#a427 Wed, 15 Nov 2006 11:15:48 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/05/27.html#a420 <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612225/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/45/153612225_1f9b8ca56f_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Gite lounge" title="Completed gite lounge" width="100" height="80" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612225/" title="Abricot gite lounge.">Gite lounge</a></span></div> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612220/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/48/153612220_9e16223e0e_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Gite master bedroom" title="Completed gite master bedroom" width="100" height="80" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612220/" title="Abricot gite main bedroom.">Gite master<br />bedroom</a></span></div> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612223/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/77/153612223_87f3407440_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Gite dining area" title="Completed gite dining area" width="100" height="80" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612223/" title="Abricot gite dining area.">Gite dining<br />room</a></span></div> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612224/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/44/153612224_248765a683_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Gite lounge" title="Completed gite kitchen" width="100" height="80" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612224/" title="Abricot gite kitchen.">Gite kitchen</a></span></div> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612221/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/56/153612221_c4294e69b8_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Gite bedroom two" title="Completed gite bedroom" width="100" height="80" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612221/" title="Abricot gite bedroom two with twin beds.">Gite bedroom 2</a></span></div> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612222/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/44/153612222_524f23f699_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Gite bedroom three" title="Completed gite bedroom" width="100" height="80" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/153612222/" title="Abricot gite bedroom three with bunk beds.">Gite bedroom 3</a></span></div> <p>Eighteen months hard work and the two gites are finished. Here are some photos of the most recent gite, <a href="http://www.brittany-holiday-gites.com/abricot-gite.html">Abricot</a>. The other gite, <a href="http://www.brittany-holiday-gites.com/fraise-gite.html">Fraise</a>, which was finished at the end of last year has photos on the website.</p> <p>Time for a well earned break.</p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags" />&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/05/27.html#a420 Sat, 27 May 2006 07:51:03 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/05/19.html#a419 <p>The gite is finished. Hurrah.</p> <p>Everything has been cleaned up and my tools are safely back in the workshop. I've no plans to see them for a while. Curtain poles are up, and Caroline has been hanging curtains and pictures. The missing kitchen cupboard doors arrived from IKEA, which was a relief. Nearly all the furniture is in place with just a sofa suite left to put into the gite lounge.</p> <p>Over the next few days we have got to take photos of the rooms and publish them on the website. The garden has been a bit of a distraction over the last few weeks, the grass growing like the clappers, weeding, hedge trimming etc. but fortunately we have got enough spare time to add the finishing touches to the gite and smarten up the garden.</p> <p>The first guests for the new gite arrive on Saturday 27th May.</p> <p>Update: <a href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/2006/05/27.html#a420">Gite Photos</a></p> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/05/19.html#a419 Fri, 19 May 2006 10:13:38 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/05/12.html#a418 <p>The kitchen is the new gite is finally finished. </p> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/145479113/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/50/145479113_4769108fc9_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Gite kitchen" title="Almost finished gite kitchen" width="100" height="87" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/145479113/" title="New gite kitchen with gas cooker, dishwasher and fridge installed.">Gite kitchen</a></span></div> <p>Well finished apart from the two cupboard doors under the kitchen sink. They are in the post from IKEA because for some reason we got the wrong doors. Hopefully they should arrive before the first gite booking at the end of the month. All the white goods, cooker, dishwasher, fridge etc. are in and working. The tiling is finally finished and grouted. On the suspended ceiling you can see the smoke alarm and fire extinguisher on the wall. Apart from popping in the other 'essentials' like a toaster, kettle, microwave etc. the kitchen is complete.</p> <p>With the kitchen finished it's really that last piece of major work in the gite. All thats really left is picture hanging, curtain poles a major clean up and shifting all my tools back to my workshop.</p> <p>So next week we should be able to dress the gite ready to take some photos for the <a href="http://www.brittany-holiday-gites.com/">website</a>. It's been a long slog but certainly been very satisfying to see the end of the project.</p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags" />&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Gites" rel="tag">Gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/05/12.html#a418 Fri, 12 May 2006 12:40:31 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/05/01.html#a416 <p>At the end of last week the upstairs rooms in the gite were finished. They have been almost there for a couple of weeks, but still needed light fittings, heaters, stairgates, mirrors, shelving, etc. Now that all the final finishing touches have been completed Caroline has been busy sorting out curtains and putting in the furniture, beds, wardrobes etc.</p> <p>The vast majority of the smaller stuff for the gite had already been bought but the larger items we left to later to avoid having to store loads furniture and move it all twice. The 'window' shopping and planning is the hard bit (well and paying for it) so it was just a matter of driving the van about and collecting the beds etc. </p> <p>We are both really pleased with the result and the gite is really starting to take shape. A week or so left downstairs for the finishing touches and the gite should be finished. Where have I heard that phrase before. </p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags" />&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/05/01.html#a416 Mon, 01 May 2006 18:29:39 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/04/27.html#a414 <p>I've been having a bit of a disaster tiling the kitchen this week.</p> <p>We bought 7 boxes of plain white tiles to do the walls above the cooker and kitchen sink that were on special offer. What I didn't realise was that there were three different batch numbers stamped on the boxes.</p> <p>Like the books say I took several boxes and randomly pulled tiles out of each box and tiled the wall behind the cooker and under the kitchen units. The result looked OK when I stood back but the tiles seemed a little 'grey'. I just put it down to the light.</p> <p>However halfway through the second wall I stood back and noticed the wall looked like a patchwork quilt of grey, white and off-white tiles. Truly awful. I just couldn't have lived with it. So I had to strip off the tiles and adhesive and chuck them out. Sorting through the unopened boxes revealed the batch number problem. Different shades of white.</p> <p>Luckily when tiling the first wall I must have used tiles from the same batch but the second wall was a mixture of three different tile batches. So the first wall got left, and I had to go out and buy more tiles, this time paying particular attention to the batch numbers printed on the tile boxes.</p> <p>Very frustrating having to do a job twice, but I guess that is what was special about the tiles.</p> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/04/27.html#a414 Thu, 27 Apr 2006 20:32:41 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/04/14.html#a410 <p>Finally got around to fitting the worktops and fitting the kitchen sink today. Got slightly way laid on some finishing touches upstairs because Caroline went to Ikea yesterday to buy beds, bedroom furniture etc, and it seemed like a good idea to get upstairs basically finished and cleaned up. There is only the last coat of paint to put on the window trims and around the loft hatch and it's finished.</p> <p>Anyway back to the kitchen today and putting in the sink.</p> <h3>Cut hole in kitchen sink for tap</h3> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474736/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/54/128474736_0606464d21_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Kitchen sink hole cutter" title="Kitchen sink hole cutter" width="100" height="77" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474736/" title="Kitchen sink hole cutter">Hole cutter</a></span></div> <p>The kitchen tap is fitted via a 35mm hole in the kitchen sink. The draining board is going on the right-hand side so I know the front and back part of the sink. I drilled a 10mm hole where the tap was to be positioned and the little black device in the photo is threaded through the hole so that the cutter is underneath the sink and the 'clamp' on top. By just tightening the nut the two halves cut a neat and easy 35mm hole in the correct place.</p> <h3>Markout kitchen sink location</h3> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474464/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/46/128474464_d30e9b0bcd_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Kitchen sink marking out" title="Kitchen sink marking out" width="100" height="74" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474464/" title="Kitchen sink marking out">Marked out position</a></span></div> <p>Stick and oblong of masking tape on the worktop and then lay the kitchen sink upside-down on the worktop. I positioned the tap hole on the centerline of the kitchen window above the worktop. It just seemed pleasing to the eye. Draw round the sink onto the masking tape with the sink positioned squarely on the worktop.</p> <h3>Markout the hole</h3> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474525/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/55/128474525_a38fa7f2ec_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Kitchen sink hole marks" title="Kitchen sink hole marks" width="100" height="80" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474525/" title="Marking out kitchen sink hole position">Marked out hole</a></span></div> <p>The actual hole in the workstop for the kitchen sink has to be 10mm smaller than the size of the sink. Fairly obvious really otherwise the sink would just fall straight through. So, on the masking tape draw parallel lines 10mm in from the kitchen sink outline with a straight edge etc.</p> <h3>Cut sink hole</h3> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474663/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/52/128474663_2bafc8d67a_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Jigsaw hole for kitchen sink" title="Jigsaw hole for kitchen sink" width="100" height="85" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474663/" title="Jigsawing sink hole">Jigsawing hole</a></span></div> <p>The scary bit. With a large drill bit cut four holes, one in each corner, for the jigsaw blade. Using the jigsaw just cut along the lins to join up the four corners. I used a brand new fine cut blade and put the canter on a low setting to prevent chipping the formica worktop. </p> <p>I have found in the past it's best to go slowly otherwise the blade skews off the vertical and you end up with sloping sides on your hole.</p> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474554/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/49/128474554_811770dda7_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Completed hole for kitchen sink" title="Completed hole for kitchen sink" width="100" height="53" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474554/" title="Kitchen sink completed hole">Hole cut</a></span></div> <p>Obviously if you are cutting with the worktop resting on the kitchen cabinets make sure you don't jigsaw through the cabinet sides, and before you ask, not I haven't made that mistake; yet!</p> <p>Pop the kitchen sink in place just to check everything fits OK.</p> <h3>Silicon sealant</h3> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474495/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/44/128474495_42a0f91357_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Applying silicon sealant" title="Applying silicon sealant" width="100" height="70" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474495/" title="Waterproof with silicon sealant">Silicon sealant</a></span></div> <p>If any water seeps under the kitchen sink and soaks into the wood of the worktop it could expand and 'blow' the worktop, so I put bathroom silicon sealant on the cut edges. Just pump a thick wiggly bead onto the edge and work it in with your fingers. I also do the same on the back edge of the worktop.</p> <h3>Kitchen sink clips</h3> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474684/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/44/128474684_6805d00eaa_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Kitchen sink clips" title="Kitchen sink clips" width="100" height="78" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474684/" title="Clips to fix kitchen sink">Sink clips</a></span></div> <p>The kitchen sink we bought came with 14 clips that hook under the sink and then screw up onto the underside of the worktop to clamp it down firmly. I did have to cut some notches in the kitchen cabinet horizontal cross members so the clips could fit onto the worktop.</p> <h3>Sealing putty and earthing</h3> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474580/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/51/128474580_3c6d01cc22_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Earthing sink" title="Earthing sink" width="100" height="80" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474580/" title="Putty and earth for kitchen sink">Earthing</a></span></div> <p>Nearly there. The kitchen sink came with with a roll of grey sticky putty like stuff that seals the gaps between the sink and the worktop. Just lay it round the edge of the sink. I also took the opportunity to connect up an earth wire whilst the sink was out.</p> <p>Now simply pop the whole lot in the hole, make sure it is squared up and tighten up the clips to install it. I tighten up the clips in a sort of zig-zag order, a bit like tightening wheel nuts, to pull the whole thing down square and flat.</p> <h3>Fit tap</h3> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474639/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/49/128474639_fdbbc7ce08_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Kitchen sink plus tap" title="Kitchen sink plus tap" width="100" height="74" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474639/" title="Tap fitted to sink">Tap fitted</a></span></div> <p>It is most probably easier to fit the tap before installing the kitchen sink so you don't have to be double jointed to get to the nut for the tap. However there seemed to be enough room for my hands so I did it afterwards. The tap was supplied with braided flexible hoses so connection to the water supply was trivial. </p> <h3>Fit waste</h3> <div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474608/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/49/128474608_48ddfbd7cd_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Waste pipes" title="Kitchen sink waste pipes" width="100" height="97" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474608/" title="Waste pipes for kitchen sink">Sink waste</a></span></div> <p>Finally fit the drain plugs and waste piping to finish the job. Our kitchen sink came with this amazing bending, twisting, adjustable contraption that looked really wierd but actually slotted in very easily. The flexible waste tube was glued into the pipe coming out the bottom of the kitchen cabinet. </p> <hr style="clear:both" /> <div class="flickr-frame" style="float:none; text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474716/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/52/128474716_e903326629_m.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Kitchen sink finished" title="Kitchen sink finished" width="240" height="177" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption" style="font-size: 1.3em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/128474716/" title="Kitchen sink finished">Finished kitchen sink installation</a></span></div> <br /> <hr style="clear:both" /> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags" />&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/04/14.html#a410 Fri, 14 Apr 2006 20:16:34 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/30.html#a405 <p>Finished all the painting in the gite yesterday. Two coats on the walls and ceilings. It covered very well. I think having a good undercoat helped.</p> <p> Today I started to fit the rest of the kitchen. Four more base units and three wall units that we bought from <a href="http://www.ikea.fr">Ikea</a>. You hear alot of jokes about assembling Ikea flat pack stuff, missing bits, vague instructions etc., but everything when together very smoothly. Nothing missing and pretty good quality. </p> <p>Fitting the sink unit carcass was a bit fiddly as I had to fit up the waste water piping for the sink and the dishwasher next to it. Just a lot of measuring, cutting pipes and holes and dry fitting. The carcass went in and out half-a-dozen times before it was sorted. The wall units were very easy as we had fixed thick plywood to the back of the plasterboard and it just involved getting everything level and putting in some large screws.</p> <p>I should be able to fit the rest of the units tomorrow then make a start on the 'return' wall for the units that finish of the last side of the U-shape</p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags" />&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/30.html#a405 Thu, 30 Mar 2006 15:14:37 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/27.html#a404 <p>Borrowed a dehumidifier from a friend to help dry out <a href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/2006/03/20.html#a402">the water leak</a>. It has extracted about 10 litres in the last 24 hours. It already feels more comfortable in the gite whilst working.</p> <p>Hopefully I should finish the second coat of painting tomorrow.</p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags" />&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/27.html#a404 Mon, 27 Mar 2006 19:42:35 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/23.html#a403 <div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/119751155/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/47/119751155_4d16b91ca5_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Gite staircase" title="Gite staircase." width="100" height="80" /></a> <br /> <span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/119751155/" title="Staircase">Gite staircase</a> </span></div> <div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/119751154/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/43/119751154_9ad9b427cb_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Gite living room" title="Gite living room." width="100" height="80" /></a> <br /> <span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/119751154/" title="Living room">Gite living room</a> </span></div> <p>The undercoat is now finished and I've started the cutting-in of the topcoat. The fan is doing it's job drying out the bottom of the plasterboard but the concrete is still very wet. I think there is still quite a bit of water under the floor. Hopefully now the weather is warming up a breeze through the open windows etc. will speed up the drying process. </p> <div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/119751151/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/40/119751151_5f893ef070_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Gite kitchen" title="Gite kitchen." width="100" height="80" /></a> <br /> <span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/119751151/" title="kitchen">Gite kitchen</a> </span></div> <div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/119751150/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/34/119751150_48f446c373_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Gite stonework" title="Gite stonework." width="100" height="80" /></a> <br /> <span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/119751150/" title="Exposed stonework">Gite stonework</a> </span></div> <p>The photos show the progress so far and by referring to the <a href="http://www.brittany-holiday-gites.com/abricot-gite.html">floorplans</a> you should be able to work out the layout. Only a couple of kitchen units have been fitted. This was to allow the gas man to come and fit the pipework for the cooker. Once the painting is finished there are more units to fit to create a U shape kitchen extending into the living space. The units will follow the line of the suspended ceiling above. Make sense ? </p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags" />&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/23.html#a403 Thu, 23 Mar 2006 17:40:31 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/20.html#a402 <p>Last week I finished all the plasterboard filling downstairs ready to start painting the gite downstairs. It's a bit of a daunting job because the kitchen, sitting area and dining room are one large space with very high ceilings. The walls are about 3.5m tall with exposed beams, so there is alot of cutting in around all the beams whilst working off ladders.</p> <p>Whilst I was painting the <i>sous-couche</i> (undercoat), I noticed in the kitchen area where the sink is due to go quite a bit of dampness on the floor and at the base of some of the plasterboard. Very strange because the concrete floor has a waterproof membrane to prevent damp, so the only possible explaination was a leak in the kitchen plumbing. The plumber had finished his work about a week before and capped off the pipework for the kitchen waiting for me to fit it. Everything seemed OK.</p> <p>However, after a bit of investigation, and removing a large section of plasterboard from the kitchen area in the gite revealed an unsoldered elbow on the copper pipe! Opps. The leak was pretty bad and had been flowing for about a week. All the water had flowed down behind the plasterboard and soaked into the concrete floor above the membrane. In places we could see water had risen up to the tiled floor and darkened the grount between the tiles. We hadn't noticed before as the floor is covered in tarpulins.</p> <p>A fairly simple fix, but a bit of an issue trying to dry out the gite. To start the drying process I put an osillating fan in place and turned up the VMC to maximum to help extract the damp air. Fingers crossed it will dry out in time.</p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags" />&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/20.html#a402 Mon, 20 Mar 2006 18:37:49 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/09.html#a399 <div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/112491820/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/37/112491820_0861dbe269_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Chauffe eau electrique" title="Chauffe eau electrique." width="47" height="100" /></a> <br /> <span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/112491820/" title="Chauffe eau electrique">Electric hot<br />water tank</a> </span></div><p>As part of the on-going hot water saga from <a href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/2006/03/03.html#a397">last week</a> we decided to add additional capacity to boost the current gas heated supply and act as a backup in the event of failure. The new electric hot water tank has been put in the laundry room and is plumbed into the existing hot and cold water feeds. The idea is to serve the two gites furthest from the existing tank to provide hot water faster and prevent any suppy problems.</p> <p>The water is heated up overnight (takes about 6 hours) whilst on cheap rate electricity. The tank is 250 litres in capacity and as you can imagine, very, very heavy once full of water. It is resting on a stand and bolted into the water with 4 large bolts.</p> <p>The water installation was fairly simple as the existing pipes run through the laundry room. The electric was a little trickier as I had to drill some holes through very thick (70cm) stone walls to get back to the fuse box. A bonus was that while working in the loftspace I came across my childhood <a href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/2006/03/14.html#a400">Scalextric</a> set. Yipeee</p> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/09.html#a399 Thu, 09 Mar 2006 17:29:23 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/03.html#a398 <p>A horrible job, but it's got to be done. Roof insulation.</p> <p>Put 200mm of glass fibre insulation in the roof space of the new gite this week. Yuck!</p> <div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/108685614/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/54/108685614_8d9bd0838d_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="VMC" title="VMC." width="100" height="80" /></a> <br /> <span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/108685614/" title="Ventilation mecanique controlee">Ventilation mecanique <br />controlee</a> </span></div><p>The good news is that once I finished that, I could finally connect up the last of the ducting for the <a href="http://www.leroymerlin.fr/mpng2-front/pre?zone=zonecatalogue&amp;idLSPub=1084460856&amp;renderall=on">VMC </a>and install the unit in the roof space. The VMC unit is a small box with an extractor fan that sucks all the moist/smelly air from kitchens, bathrooms, toilets etc. via a series of ducting and pipework running down the walls and over the ceilings.</p> <p>The unit runs 24 hours a day replacing air and keeping out damp. The unit I bought has a humidity sensor so that if the humidity increases, i.e. someone takes a steamy shower, the extraction speed increases to suck out more air. There is also a two speed override switch in the kitchen.</p> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/03/03.html#a398 Fri, 03 Mar 2006 16:50:47 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/02/22.html#a395 <p>The downstairs cloakroom and toilet have been painted with the sink fitted and the splashback tiled. I've also fitted the ceiling lights and insulated above the two rooms as well as fitting the ducting for the VMC (ventalation/extractor system). All the necessary lighting cables have been fitted for the kitchen halogen lights and the suspended ceiling above the kitchen also insulated with it's own VMC fitted. </p> <p>Quite a few 'behind the scenes' jobs complete and everything is really coming together downstairs now. </p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags">&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/02/22.html#a395 Wed, 22 Feb 2006 14:50:34 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/02/16.html#a394 <p>My plumber friend Ian fitted the electric hot water boiler (<em>chauffe-eau electrique</em>) this week and sorted out all the pipework to connect up the upstairs bathrooms and the downstairs toilet and cloakroom, so we now have the hot and cold water sorted. I've been filling the plasterboard in the toilet and cloakroom and Ian has tiled and fitted the downstairs toilet.</p> <p>We did omit one minor detail - a pressure reducer - on the cold feed from the mains supply. The mains feed here in France is at a high pressure, I would esimate it at about 6 bar, and because both the hot and cold systems run off mains pressure we found that we could fill the sink faster than the waste would take the water away, even with the plug out. So a quick trip to the shops and we now have a pressure reducer set at 3 bar, which still gives a very decent shower.</p> <p>We remembered in the other gite, but it must have slipped our minds in this gite! </p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags">&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/02/16.html#a394 Thu, 16 Feb 2006 14:29:44 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/02/09.html#a393 <p>Now that all the painting upstairs in the gite has been finished Caroline has been laying the laminate flooring upstairs. With her experience from <a href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/2006/02/06.html#a391">redecorating Cerise gite</a> she is now the flooring queen. Again, she used the same 'click' flooring with an integrated acoustic underlay already glued to the underside of the board. She also put an additional green underlay underneath for extra sound proofing. </p> <p>Won't be long before the skirting boards and architraves need fitting and painting.</p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags">&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/02/09.html#a393 Thu, 09 Feb 2006 14:15:22 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/02/08.html#a392 <p>One job I have been putting off was the last bit of plasterboarding work under the staircase for the downstairs toilet and cloakroom. Odd shapes and angles, differing ceiling heights and various fitting around the curved and twisting staircase. It also needed a bit of planning to allow for provision of the electric water heater under the stairs.</p> <p>With a fair amount of head scratching and a bit of trial and error we finally finished it off this week. We managed to squeeze the 150 litre hot water tank under the stairs and put in a door to close it off from the toilet. I did have to buy a standard sized door and frame and cut it down to size to make it fit, but it worked out well end the end. It does mean that the plumbing can be finished off and the last bit of sanitaryware installed next week. </p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags">&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/02/08.html#a392 Wed, 08 Feb 2006 14:06:51 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/02/02.html#a390 <p>My enthusiasm and drive is returning. The three rooms and the corridor upstairs in the gite have been painted. Classic white ceilings and cream/magnolia walls.</p> <p><style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 1px #000000; }.flickr-frame { float: right; text-align: center; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/108685613/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/42/108685613_d246e5c515_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="Abricot gite master bedroom" title="Abricot gite master bedroom." width="100" height="80" /></a><br /> <span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889061882@N01/108685613/" title="Abricot gite master bedroom">Abricot gite<br />master bedroom</a> </span></div>Compared to UK prices French paint is very expensive, about two or three times the price. No idea why, maybe someone else knows. Anyway the upshot is that we had about 150 litres of emulsion paint shipped over from England by Caroline's parents to paint both gites. Before painting the plasterboard, and after filling all the joints and screw holes, I bought some <em>sous-couche plaque de platre</em> from my favourite DIY store. It was only 8 euros (5 pounds) for 10 litres. It worked really well as a white undercoat on the board removing much of the grey board colour and helped prevent the paint being soaked up like a sponge. The smell and consistency of the <em>sous-couche</em> reminded me of PVA adhesive. People have advised me that bare walls should be 'washed' with diluted PVA before painting, so maybe this stuff does the job. </p> <p>This feels like a major step forward and the place is alot less like a building site and more and more like a holiday cottage. </p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags">&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/02/02.html#a390 Thu, 02 Feb 2006 13:20:18 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/01/26.html#a389 <p>At last all the taping and jointing of the plasterboard upstairs in the gite has been finished. All the walls and ceilings have been rubbed down and caulked ready for painting next week.</p> <p>As you can most probably tell, it's my least favourite job. Dusty, tedious and time consuming, but because I can't plaster, I don't have alot of choice.</p> <p>Also it doesn't make it any easier the fact that I've been through this whole process once before in the other gite, which is now finished, and I just want to get to the end.</p> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/01/26.html#a389 Thu, 26 Jan 2006 15:29:39 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/01/08.html#a387 <p>Started back working on the gite on Monday <a href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/2005/06/04.html">taping and jointing</a> the plasterboard walls and ceilings upstairs in the gite. The corridor and two bedrooms have both had thier first coats and the third bedroom is next.</p> <p>It's a bit of a tedious long winded job but once finished the walls and ceilings will be ready for painting. Slow but steady progress at the moment.</p> <img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" alt="Technorati Tags" title="Technorati Tags" align="top" height="17" width="14">&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag"><font class="small" size="-1">brittany</font></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag"><font class="small" size="-1">gites</font></a> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2006/01/08.html#a387 Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:08:26 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2005/12/05.html#a385 <p>As some of you may have guessed I've been taking quite of bit of time off recently from the gite renovation work. The first of the two gites, <a href="http://www.brittany-holiday-gites.com/fraise-gite.html">Fraise</a>, was <a href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/2005/09/05.html#a368">finished</a> at the beginning of September and we've since had some guests to stay. Lots of nice comments about the finish and presentation make the hard work worth it and a little out of season income is always welcome in a seasonal business. </p> <p>The second gite, Abricot, got a little attention, a bit of tiling and fitting sanitaryware, but the fatigue had set in. So, time for a break. A sabatical. Apart from catching up with a few odd jobs around the house and the inevitable repairs etc. in the existing gites I've been taking it easy. Much more socialising (good for my French) going to the cinema (first time for three years), and generally catching up for the three lost years whilst we've been building a business.</p> <p>But, there is still about two months work (maybe three) to finish off the second gite and that is planned to start in the new year. So until then I going to continue to relax, have a lazy Christmas and do some more of the things we all came to France to enjoy. </p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags">&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2005/12/05.html#a385 Mon, 05 Dec 2005 14:31:36 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2005/10/10.html#a383 <p>I was thinking back to the start of our gite renovation project when I just didn't know where to start, what job to do first, the 'correct' order of work etc. It was all a bit overwhelming and difficult to focus at times.</p> <p>Having a good grasp of the order of works does mean better scheduling/devis of the trades; macon, electrician, plumber etc, and act as a checklist of jobs to do and things to buy. Buying large quantities of materials too early is a pain as you seem to spend alot of time moving stuff around or climbing over it.</p> <p>In our case we are in Brittany and started converting a barn with a mud floor, stone walls and slate roof. So, from memory this is the rough order we did things in and it worked OK for us.</p> <ul> <li>Plans - draw up building plans</li> <li>Permits - obtain necessary permissions + fosse if necessary</li> <li>Excavate floor</li> <li>Holes in walls for PTT, Electrics, Water, Gaz, Drains</li> <li>Lay hardcore/sand and soil pipes according to plan. If necessary gaine for water, electric.</li> <li>Waterproof membrane, insulation and metal grid for concrete floor</li> <li>Lay gaine for electric feeds from fusebox</li> <li>Concrete floor</li> <li>Openings for doors, windows</li> <li>Fit doors and windows</li> <li>Fit Veluxes</li> <li>Upper floor(s) ceiling joists</li> <li>Upper floor(s) internal studwork (metal or wood) + doors</li> <li>Hidden cable and pipe runs (VMC, heating, water, waste, lights and power) as plan</li> <li>Plasterboard ceilings + make loft hatch(es)</li> <li>Plasterboard and insulate walls</li> <li>Tape and joint or plaster walls and ceilings</li> <li>Ground floor screed/chape</li> <li>Ground floor studwork and internal doors/frames</li> <li>Hidden cable and pipe runs (VMC heating, water, waste, lights and power) as plan</li> <li>Insulate and plasterboard</li> <li>Tape and joint/plaster</li> <li>Floor tiling/grouting</li> <li>Staircases (possibly earlier or later as may get damaged)</li> <li>Fit showers/baths</li> <li>Tile bathrooms</li> <li>Fit remaining sanitaryware, toilets, basins...</li> <li>Wood trims, architrave, etc.</li> <li>Paint ceilings/walls throughout</li> <li>Paint doors/frames thoughout</li> <li>Fit door furniture</li> <li>Upstairs flooring</li> <li>Skirting boards and ceramic floor plinths</li> <li>Fit electric switches, sockets, lights, TV points, PTT...</li> <li>Fit kitchen cabinets</li> <li>Kitchen worktops and sink + taps/hob and appliances (Dishwasher...)</li> <li>Connect services, water, electric, ... and check and get inspections if necessary</li> <li>Ceiling/loft insulation</li> </ul> <p>I haven't mentioned roofing or temporary electrical/water supplies as in my case the roof was sound and I had a long extension lead!</p> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2005/10/10.html#a383 Mon, 10 Oct 2005 09:25:19 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2005/09/22.html#a380 <p>Installed the electric radiators and towels rails in the new gite. We've got a booking in Fraise gite at Christmas so they will definitely need heating, unlike in the Summer. Fortunately we had planned to install heaters, so installation was very easy. Just a simple connection to an existing heating socket. However the towel radiators we forgot about, so I had to run some new circuits behind existing walls. Not an easy job threading cable behind plasterboard etc. Lots of string, bendy bits of plastic and another person poised by a small hole in the wall ready to grab anything that moves. </p> <p>Electric heating (well electric) is very expensive to run in France and we did consider other forms of heating the gites. The downside of the alternatives is that the capital outlay (installation cost) is much much higher than for electric heaters, and for the most part the gites are unoccupied during the winter months. So the electric heaters seemed a reasonable trade-off in terms of installation cost versus running costs.</p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags">&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2005/09/22.html#a380 Thu, 22 Sep 2005 16:52:51 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2005/09/20.html#a379 <p>Intentional holes I would add. After shopping all day Monday to buy heaters, towels rails and roof vents today seemed like as good a time as any to get on the roof. I'm not that keen on heights but the only way to install the roof vents was from the outside. Two vents, one for the septic tank (waste gas from the bacteria) and the other for the VMC. The VMC is a small extractor fan unit that sits in the loft and extracts moist air from the bathrooms and the kitchen via a network of ducting. It's a standard fitting in French houses (and gites) and quietly runs 24 hours a day sucking out damp air. There is a detector in the unit so that if the moisture content increases (during a bath or cooking for example) it sucks harder. </p> <p>The vents are about the same size as a slate tile and are almost a direct replacement for a slate and fit flush with the roof line. The previous owner of the house left a home made cat ladder that rests on the roof with the bottom of the ladder sticking into the guttering. I've seen the French roofers doing the same thing, using the guttering to support the cat ladder on the roof. Fortunately all our guttering is zinc and very securely fixed to the gite. I'm not sure I'd do the same with plastic guttering.</p> <p>Once the first slate (the hardest) is off the roof the others just slide out because they are all held on with stainless steel hooks. One end hooks onto a batten and the other to the bottom of the tile. You need to remove about 10 tiles from around the proposed site so you can slot the vent in place and get the flashing under the adjacent tiles. Replacing the tiles is as simple as removal, just hook them over the hooks working from the bottom up. The last couple of tiles are the hardest as they sliding up under the existing tiles. It was much easier having someone inside the loft space to coax the last couple of tiles into place.</p> <p>Now my knees have stopped knocking I can have that glass of wine postponed from lunch. </p> <div class="small"><img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags">&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag">brittany</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag">gites</a></div> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2005/09/20.html#a379 Tue, 20 Sep 2005 18:09:15 GMT http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2005/09/09.html#a369 <p>With the first gite (<a href="http://www.brittany-holiday-gites.com/fraise-gite.html">Fraise</a>) finished and the guests installed, it's back to work. However there was a major amount of tidying up and sorting out to do in the second gite (<a href="http://www.brittany-holiday-gites.com/abricot-gite.html">Abricot</a>). As we neared completion over the final week we just dumped all the spare materials, packing, off-cuts and all the various tools and equipment into the gite next door. By Sunday it was choc-a-block full of stuff. You could hardly walk across the floor.</p> <p>The last couple of days I've been to the tip (rubbish dump) with three van loads of junk and had a major clearout of my workshop and barn. Once I'd made space in the barn and workshop it meant I could move everything out of the second gite and sort out all my tools etc. and make a clean fresh start.</p> <p>Amazingly I've only lost one screwdriver in the whole eight months, but seem to have gained about ten 5mm drill bits. All the spare electrical, plumbing, screws, nails, etc. are nicely sorted into boxes and easy to hand. It did get to the point at the end where it was quicker to go to the shops for a much needed part than rummage through the debris looking for a piece. I think this time I'll be a little tidier and more organised.</p> <img src="http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/images/technorati.gif" width="14" height="17" alt="Technorati Tags" align="top" title="Technorati Tags">&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Brittany" rel="tag"><font class="small" size="-1">brittany</font></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/gites" rel="tag"><font class="small" size="-1">gites</font></a> http://perso.orange.fr/brittanygites/gites/2005/09/09.html#a369 Fri, 09 Sep 2005 15:17:00 GMT