It’s a private message where we can send messages to each other and only we see them. If you click on my photo you should see a drop-down menu which includes a blue box saying message. Click on that and you can then send me a message privately which won’t appear on the open forum.
Your “things to do” list sounds fun!
OK, will do!
We recently bought a house in Finistère with a fantastic annex. Both sides aluminium sliding doors and on one side a big sliding window (all Bouvet). Zinc roof - noisy but fine with us.
Thank you so much for taking the trouble to post Helga, that looks just lovely! And is very much in keeping with what I’m hoping to achieve - unfortunately ours will not have that super width or window along the front. Nice floor too. And you’ve even got the stove, which I’d love to have though I think the chimney position will look strange so may have to rethink that one. (Love the cupboard as well). 
Hi Helga, that would imply not much insulation as rockwool and even glass fibre can lower noise levels considerably and obviously improve the comfort level.
Is there insulation below the tiled floor?
yes, there is insulation under the tiles. In the summer we were happy to be able to open everything. Right now we use the woodburner in the mornings. We are thinking of installing exterior stores, but for the moment we don’t feel that’s necessary.
Yep we broke the drivers window in our car a few years ago!
I think that would be a shame, I’m REALLY enjoying the thread!
I came here just to say the same! It was fascinating seeing @Mat_Davies’s updates on the other thread as his holiday let made progress, and I’m already emotionally invested in your project @SuePJ so I hope you do keep the conversation going, and update us as things move along, of course with the grand finale of you sitting in it when it’s all finished!
(Well if you are sure 
)
I’ve been thinking modern looking and so have happily been running off in that direction. When OH saw what I’d done, he thought it looked too much like a greenhouse stuck on the back of the building and suggested that it would be better if the windows and doors were set into stonework. It would feel more integrated with the rest of the house. What do you think?
(NB: all very rough and ready obviously, but at this stage it’s just to get enough done so we can go and talk to the mayor)
My thoughts on modern, bi-fold doors - maximum light
His suggestion - windows and doors set in stonework
And just to give context, this is the front of the cottage
You will certainly get less heat loss from the more traditional stone/block and doors/windows as opposed to the more modern frames and glass.
Low E glass, argon filled with warm spacer bars will reduce heat loss to be about 85% better than traditional double glazing.
I prefer this option - or completely modern of entirely glass in a glass structure to maximise the vue and minimise its appearance.
Sorry Sue, I have to agree with your OH as it just looks like it should be there and is way better integrated.
Its interesting as I would try/do to integrate with existing but architects and building control often want the new part to look new as it’s part of the buildings journey. Kevin Mclouds grand designs often shows this point.
I know of one such example in France, where a 12th century fabulous building had to have a modern-style extension … Heritage folk of the time insisted… “so that the difference will be obvious… so no-one will be deceived”…
Huh… some years down the line and the current Heritage folk are now asking how on earth the “modern” was ever allowed. They want to know why it doesn’t blend-in… why it quite obviously fights with the old style.
I love to see old buildings which have grown over the years… lovely stonework surely deserves some lovely stonework… even if one can only afford just a little section…
And the houses which look like Russian dolls… as if the extensions could all slide one into the other…
@SuePJ I do prefer your OH’s idea… the stonework looks great and the windows can be slightly different if you wish… yet they would still look better than the greenhouse effect.
Just a note of caution - building supplies are very difficult to come by at the moment which had pushed the price up dramatically.
Thanks for the warning Mat. It’s alright, we are talking longer term: next 18months / 2 years, not right now.
Hmm Brexit again?
No Coronavirus, specific shortages of Timber & Boilers.
80% of wood in France comes from imports.
The is one reason for this shortage of wood in France is the supply lack of supply from French sawmills.
If we take the example of oak, 1 in 3 oak harvested here goes directly to China, since this country has stopped really harvesting timber for the last 99 years, It therefore buying sources from all over the world and mainly from Russia.
Nowadays China is buying less and less timber there in anticipation following the Russian announcement to stop timber exports on January 1, 2022.
As a result, China buys its timber in France through traders who speculate on timber. This is why France is asking for a safeguard clause at European level in order to give countries permission to regulate timber exports.
All this provokes a logical reaction from French craftsmen who are afraid of running out of raw materials and who order twice their needs.
The another reason for this shortage of wood in France is its transformation, France is sorely lacking the industrial tools to transform it’s wood industry, In 2020, one in ten houses was made with imported wood, not withstanding 30% of the territory is covered with forest.
This industrialization problem forces French companies to source from abroad. It is therefore necessary to develop high tech companies (approximately fifteen) in France to no longer depend on European imports.
Finally, this situation is also explained by the increase in the price of sea freight (+ 400% for containers) and the growing scarcity of containers
