Operation Fireplace?

[Barman]

Seethe flue sticking out of the wall... a cast concrete thing?

The gas fire connects into that.

[smug grin emoticon]

The studwork just covers it all up... 

Yeah but you've gorra have a balanced flue these days ~ to reduce yer emmisions, an' then there's yer heat dangers.
Fire gets 'ot, studwork gets 'ot and before yer knows it ~ WHOOMPH 
I mean ~ stands ter reason don't it.

Ah... you're confusing Cyprus with Rules and regulations crazy UK.

I don?t need a balanced flue here; I can get away with what I like.

A balanced flue would be more efficient but I worked out that to have the fire that worked with the balanced flue and have the balanced flue put in would take me about ten years to get my money back?

Same when I bought my truck ? the ?polluting? version that didn?t meet the latest EU emissions regulations was ?600 cheaper.

Tell me about it!
During the kitchen revamp (ongoing saga) we decided to move the cooker about 12 inches to the left. This would be a safer place as we felt it was a bit too close to the doorway and with children etc etc ..... Well the chosen position placed the cooker squarely under the electrics box marked "Cooker". So that had to be moved. Well it's an old house so a new box would be a good idea and help to make the kitchen look updated anyway. Can I do this simple task. No I cannot. I have to employ a "qualified" electrician who has done the right courses and when he has done the job he gives me a certificate to produce if and when I wish to sell the house because the buyer's surveyor must be able to see the certificate proving that the job was carried out by a "qualified" person. ?80 quid to fit a new box (costing under a tenner) ..... but because it is a "new installation" I have to pay. The electrician who I employed tells me he had to pay over ?500 to "qualify" to do this simple task and has to retrain at college every few years to "maintain his skills" or his registration will be cancelled.

It is completely outrageous I agree?

Luckily we have yet to catch up here although there are signs of scaffolding on buildings sites, etc. starting to come in.

There is an interesting ?safety barrier? up the road to prevent access to a building site and presumably meet some bizarre EU regulation ? I?ll post a picture later.

I asked the guy who is going to fit the fire if he is ?Corgi? certified and he just laughed in my face. Used to be in the UK but there are no such regulations here.

Long may it continue I say?

[Snoopy]

We have two "open fires" and used to have them swept once a year for about £50. We burn only logs on them and thus there is not a lot of soot (seasoned wood will not create much soot ~ "green" wood will). This year my regular sweep apologised that his fees have gone up to £100 but he has charged £50 for the last 5 years so I guess he has costs to meet too.
He tells me that the cost of disposing of the soot is his major problem/cost as less people want it for their allotments/gardens etc so he has to have a licence to tip the stuff ....... he also gives me a certificate so that if I have a chimney fire the Fire Brigade will ask to see the cert or they will charge me for their attendance and my insurance will be invalid. The Fire Brigade charge £150 for the call out apparently and the final kicker? .... the certificate, which used to last for a year now has to be renewed every 6 months. So an extra £50 quid for the sweeping but twice a year not once = an additional £100 or in total £200 pa instead of £50
Maths is not my strong point but that looks like a 400% increase to me.

Oh and like all the others he blames the EU!

[Barman]

H&S Cyprus Style?

Not the impenetrable barrier that restricts access to the building site!

Although they were pouring concrete at the time, none of the builders had a hard hat, ear defenders, etc.

[Snoopy]

It's the same story all over the EU ~ except in the UK. What is it about this country that makes us slavishly follow every rule that they dream up whereas every other country ignores them (unless it suits them of course)?

[Barman]

It's the same story all over the EU ~ except in the UK. What is it about this country that makes us slavishly follow every rule that they dream up whereas every other country ignores them (unless it suits them of course)?

I dunno... 

The rest of them must be pissing themselves... 

[Misunderstood]

Now I am no builder, but why would you paint the ceiling before you start the heavy building work?

1. The fresh paint will get dust etc all over it.

2. You will gouge or chip some bits during the construction and have to paint it again.

Still, I am sure you wouldn't tell me how to plough a field.

Of COURSE not!   But I'd line up my tractor square-on in the bottom-left-hand-corner of the field and aim for some distant point.. drop the clutch and hang on........

[Barman]

Now I am no builder, but why would you paint the ceiling before you start the heavy building work?

1. The fresh paint will get dust etc all over it.

2. You will gouge or chip some bits during the construction and have to paint it again.

Still, I am sure you wouldn't tell me how to plough a field.

Of COURSE not!   But I'd line up my tractor square-on in the bottom-left-hand-corner of the field and aim for some distant point.. drop the clutch and hang on........

Ploughing is easy, I had a Ploughman?s Lunch once so am well qualified? I?m not sure I could choke all those Turkeys tho. 

[Darwins Selection]

Now I am no builder, but why would you paint the ceiling before you start the heavy building work?

1. The fresh paint will get dust etc all over it.

2. You will gouge or chip some bits during the construction and have to paint it again.

Still, I am sure you wouldn't tell me how to plough a field.

Of COURSE not!   But I'd line up my tractor square-on in the bottom-left-hand-corner of the field and aim for some distant point.. drop the clutch and hang on........

Ploughing is easy, I had a Ploughman?s Lunch once so am well qualified? I?m not sure I could choke all those Turkeys tho. 

Just pop a 'Cherie' mask over their heads and it is quite easy.

[Bar Wench]

It's the same story all over the EU ~ except in the UK. What is it about this country that makes us slavishly follow every rule that they dream up whereas every other country ignores them (unless it suits them of course)?

I dunno... 

The rest of them must be pissing themselves... 

They certainly are in Spain. The whole thing is laughable.

[Misunderstood]

Now I am no builder, but why would you paint the ceiling before you start the heavy building work?

1. The fresh paint will get dust etc all over it.

2. You will gouge or chip some bits during the construction and have to paint it again.

Still, I am sure you wouldn't tell me how to plough a field.

Of COURSE not!   But I'd line up my tractor square-on in the bottom-left-hand-corner of the field and aim for some distant point.. drop the clutch and hang on........

Ploughing is easy, I had a Ploughman?s Lunch once so am well qualified? I?m not sure I could choke all those Turkeys tho. 

Just a thought... If Turkey gets into the EU, will we have to call - er- turkeys something else to avoid confusion?

I have a vision of planeloads of tourists turning up at DS's place muttering about not quite expecting the level of cuisine on offer.   

[Marley's Ghost (Imbiber of Spirits)]

Now I am no builder, but why would you paint the ceiling before you start the heavy building work?

1. The fresh paint will get dust etc all over it.

2. You will gouge or chip some bits during the construction and have to paint it again.

Still, I am sure you wouldn't tell me how to plough a field.

Of COURSE not!   But I'd line up my tractor square-on in the bottom-left-hand-corner of the field and aim for some distant point.. drop the clutch and hang on........

Ploughing is easy, I had a Ploughman?s Lunch once so am well qualified? I?m not sure I could choke all those Turkeys tho. 

Is that anything like 'choking the chicken'?




Just curious

[Snoopy]

Now I am no builder, but why would you paint the ceiling before you start the heavy building work?

1. The fresh paint will get dust etc all over it.

2. You will gouge or chip some bits during the construction and have to paint it again.

Still, I am sure you wouldn't tell me how to plough a field.

Of COURSE not!   But I'd line up my tractor square-on in the bottom-left-hand-corner of the field and aim for some distant point.. drop the clutch and hang on........

Ploughing is easy, I had a Ploughman?s Lunch once so am well qualified? I?m not sure I could choke all those Turkeys tho. 

Just a thought... If Turkey gets into the EU, will we have to call - er- turkeys something else to avoid confusion?

I have a vision of planeloads of tourists turning up at DS's place muttering about not quite expecting the level of cuisine on offer.   

Oh I dunno ~ if what I saw on TV the other evening they'll be well impressed at the accommodation. From mud huts to timber sheds in one bound.

[Nick]

At a place we rented in Greece once there was a combined sink unit, oven and fridge.

The hot plates were inserted into the stainless steel drainer. The oven was next to the fridge.

Fantastically compact though!

[Barman]

At a place we rented in Greece once there was a combined sink unit, oven and fridge.

The hot plates were inserted into the stainless steel drainer. The oven was next to the fridge.

Fantastically compact though!

This one...
http://www.dalcoworld.com/index.php?mod=category&id_ctg=259

[Nick]

Close, but that is a more advanced model, and lacks the oven. I like the hotplates in the drainer.

Are they legal?