Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Started Lucarnes
The front doors are finished, as is the back window and side door. This morning they started on the new lucarnes, (dormer windows), but it threw up a problem. The A-Frame beams upstairs that support the roof would foul the proposed position of the windows. They architect had drawn them directly above the doors, and had not taken the beams into account. I think it was fairly obvious that he not been upstairs and just drawn them in the most aesthetically pleasing position.
The builders' have been really helpful, visiting the architect, getting a carpenter on-site within 10 minutes to see what options we open to us, getting the plans re-drawn and taking the time to explain everything. We had the option to invoke the architect's insurance to move the beams and put the windows in the original position, but being pragmatic and to save time, we decided to move both windows (the left one right and the right one left) to keep the symetery.
It's quite humbling living here in France, compared to what things were like in the UK, everyone has been really kind, generous and taken the time to be patient and help us enormously. The language is still a bit of a barrier for me and the cutural differences take some getting used to, but the fact that people seem to have more time (and space) for each other makes everything a whole lot better.
| 8:20:45 PM
Started Lucarnes
Taxing Gites
A useful article on the tax implications of letting gites. Caveat actor
| 12:35:55 PM Taxing Gites
