So we’re off! All three of us this time (Molly Tom and I) are off to Montemboeuf soon to meet the builders and the timber frame companies.  We have had most of the quotes back, so we have just been going through them to work out where we can make savings and if there is anything we need to add and/or remove from them.  The companies that Tom has met all seem really keen and are also full of ideas as to how we can make it a Passivhaus or as close to that as possible.   They have all been very helpful and I ma excited to meet them.  This is quite an important trip because at the end of it, we will have probably chosen our builders and timber frame company and will be ready to employ one of them.  This then makes the whole thing very real, but also very exciting.  I know Tom’s French is already up to it, but as I have said before, I think I am going to have to gem up on a few important building terms for when we start on site! Passe-moi le marteau s’il vous plaît (par exemple)

We have also heard back about our étude de sol (soil survey). They told us what I, the local farmer and a few others already knew, the soils isn’t clay, but loam. It is fine for building on, i.e. no complicated foundations needed, and is great for growing plants, fruit & veg etc.  Ideal for my lovely brother-on-law, Al who will hopefully be doing our landscape plans.  We did buy our land from the owner of Pépinières Charentaises,  so we hope that the land is fertile!

Watch this space, we’ll let you know how we get on…..