Renovating Property In France

Many of the bargains in French property are to be found in old village houses and rural dwellings, once the homes of small farmers and agricultural labourers. These people deserted the land, sometimes many years ago in order to seek a better life in towns and cities elsewhere. Thus the dwellings have frequently been unoccupied for several years. If you contemplate buying one of these you need to know about renovating a property in France. You will need to reconstruct in order to makethe house habitable and above all comfortable.

You now have a choice as you can either do the renovating of your French property yourself or you can get somebody else to do it. If the dwelling is in pretty bad shape it is no easy task to do it yourself. Either way first you need to check whether the place has electricity, a water supply, sewage and if the roof is sound. Remember structural repairs are expensive, and often it is cheaper in the long run to get someone else to do the job.

If in any doubts, get an expert who knows all about renovating a French property. A surveyor known as 'un expertise'' or architect will be able to tell you what the true cost of renovating your French property will be. However, they can often be expensive - especially architects. Many people therefore decide to go it alone with their french property rennovation.

It is always a good idea to use 'locals'. They are full of information and it pays to have them 'on-side'. When the surveyor has given you an idea of cost and you have decided to go ahead. You need a builder. You maysave money by using a ' moonlighter' but if he does not have a 'Sirot No', meaning he is unregistered, you have no come-back under French law if something should go wrong.

The builder will need to give you an estimate for the job, this is called a 'devis'. The more thorough and detailed this turns out to be the better. If you accept the 'devis', you make and sign a second copy with the builder. This then becomes the fixed price contract providing that work starts within three months.

If you are renovating a French property that requires major alterations it is possible you will need planning permission. To secure this it is necessary to respect local architectural traditions and to build in the style of the region. When you set out on this buying process, you will sign an agreement with the seller called a 'compromis'. Be sure to instruct your notaire to include a clause stating that if you are unable to obtain the various permissions necessary to renovate your French property that you can escape from the contract. There is absolutely no point in being saddled with a house with which you can do nothing.

A quick caution, France is a nation that loves paperwork. Keep the receipts and VAT records of all works done, as you can reclaim these costs when you sell, assuming of course you make a profit and fall liable for Capital Gains Tax. You must also have ' Dommage et Ouvrage Assurance' which covers you in case any of the construction crew are injured on your site. Finally as the builder goes about renovating your French property it pays hugely to keep an eye on the work. This easy enough if you are camping on the building site, but if not, frequent visits are recommended. Enjoy renovating your french property because in time you willnot only enjoy your new home but be justly proud of it.