property in France
Discussion
My parents are coming to the end of a 3 year project on a place on the North coast of Brittany. A house with ajoining outbuilding and what used to be a barn surrounding a central courtyard. The house was inhabited when they bought it but required re-decoration throughout including a new kitchen. The barn has been converted into usable space with a bar/sitting room downstairs and (what will become) a workshop upstairs. The outbuildings which look like they were once part of a cow byre now house a utility room and storage space as well as undercover seating. The courtyard is now a garden rather than a patch or mud and concrete.
Most of the work in the main house was done by the family - I took a couple of working holidays out there to help build the kitchen and furniture and turn the loft into 2 more bedrooms. The barn conversion was a slightly more complicated affair involving some sureing up, a new floor and joists for a mezzanine floor as well as new windows. The planning process was long but not particularly painful. Perhaps it was because we were rescuing it from dereliction and generally improving its appearance, who knows. Perhaps we were just lucky!?
The building work was undertaken by a local builder without too much hassle, aside from poor timekeeping and time overruns which in all honesty were expected anyway. When they first moved in, the neighbours introduced my folks to a local chap who is very proficient in general handywork (though not building, hence the local builder doing the heavy stuff) who was very helpful and has become a family friend over the course of the job.
Most of the work in the main house was done by the family - I took a couple of working holidays out there to help build the kitchen and furniture and turn the loft into 2 more bedrooms. The barn conversion was a slightly more complicated affair involving some sureing up, a new floor and joists for a mezzanine floor as well as new windows. The planning process was long but not particularly painful. Perhaps it was because we were rescuing it from dereliction and generally improving its appearance, who knows. Perhaps we were just lucky!?
The building work was undertaken by a local builder without too much hassle, aside from poor timekeeping and time overruns which in all honesty were expected anyway. When they first moved in, the neighbours introduced my folks to a local chap who is very proficient in general handywork (though not building, hence the local builder doing the heavy stuff) who was very helpful and has become a family friend over the course of the job.
Shouldn't this have moved to the France forum? 
Anyway - ChateauCharly (Jason Park) is your man. He did it on Channel 4!
We have renovated some of our house - see my profile for pics.
Pros: DIY is much cheaper in France. Best large chain is Brico Depot (warehouse style, like B&Q in the old days). Leroy Merlin is the equivalent of B&Q now.
Our builder converted a 5x5m loft in to a bedroom (the one with twin beds on our site) and rennovated a bathroom for €10k.
Cons: French bureaucracy!
Language...
Make sure you make friends with the mayor first, and keep him up to date. We were lucky that our next door neighbour is his cousin!
Anyway - ChateauCharly (Jason Park) is your man. He did it on Channel 4!
We have renovated some of our house - see my profile for pics.
Pros: DIY is much cheaper in France. Best large chain is Brico Depot (warehouse style, like B&Q in the old days). Leroy Merlin is the equivalent of B&Q now.
Our builder converted a 5x5m loft in to a bedroom (the one with twin beds on our site) and rennovated a bathroom for €10k.
Cons: French bureaucracy!
Language...
Make sure you make friends with the mayor first, and keep him up to date. We were lucky that our next door neighbour is his cousin!
Puggit said:
Shouldn't this have moved to the France forum?
Anyway - ChateauCharly (Jason Park) is your man. He did it on Channel 4!
We have renovated some of our house - see my profile for pics.
Pros: DIY is much cheaper in France. Best large chain is Brico Depot (warehouse style, like B&Q in the old days). Leroy Merlin is the equivalent of B&Q now.
Our builder converted a 5x5m loft in to a bedroom (the one with twin beds on our site) and rennovated a bathroom for €10k.
Cons: French bureaucracy!
Language...
Make sure you make friends with the mayor first, and keep him up to date. We were lucky that our next door neighbour is his cousin!
Hi, the reason I put it in the other forum was becasue it would get viewed more! I didnt even know there was a France forum. Thanks for your help. the property is in Normandy if I get it.Anyway - ChateauCharly (Jason Park) is your man. He did it on Channel 4!
We have renovated some of our house - see my profile for pics.
Pros: DIY is much cheaper in France. Best large chain is Brico Depot (warehouse style, like B&Q in the old days). Leroy Merlin is the equivalent of B&Q now.
Our builder converted a 5x5m loft in to a bedroom (the one with twin beds on our site) and rennovated a bathroom for €10k.
Cons: French bureaucracy!
Language...
Make sure you make friends with the mayor first, and keep him up to date. We were lucky that our next door neighbour is his cousin!
Cheers
Puggit said:
I can recommend a Brittany based surveyor if you require - he'll cover Normandy too 
The French don't use surveyors, they bring a builder round to quote while they are looking at the house
cheers. Im hoping to get a few family members involved so we can have a holiday home and then rent out when we dont require use.The French don't use surveyors, they bring a builder round to quote while they are looking at the house
Edited by Puggit on Friday 22 May 18:38
Many thanks
Dave
David87M3 said:
Puggit said:
I can recommend a Brittany based surveyor if you require - he'll cover Normandy too
The French don't use surveyors, they bring a builder round to quote while they are looking at the house
cheers. Im hoping to get a few family members involved so we can have a holiday home and then rent out when we dont require use.The French don't use surveyors, they bring a builder round to quote while they are looking at the house
Edited by Puggit on Friday 22 May 18:38
Many thanks
Dave
Unfortunately you get taxed in both countries. If you end up paying 25% tax on your profit in France, you owe Darling the extra 15%
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