Building and Renovation in France - Renovating In France

Drive through the French countryside or the centre of any village and you will see a plentiful supply of old buildings in need of some tender loving care to bring them back to their former glory. The British have an obsession with renovation and typically do a great job in breathing new life into old stones in a sympathetic way – a fact that did not go unnoticed even by French President Jacque Chirac when he thanked Brits for the contribution we have made in saving many French villages.

When Alex and I moved to France four years ago, renovation wasn’t on our agenda, as we had done no more than pay for a loft conversion in our London home. However, a chance meeting with a neighbour at my parents’ Languedoc home changed all that. He opened our eyes to the possibilities and urged us to take the plunge. After much thought, we found ourselves the owners of not one but three ruins. Each needed almost totally rebuilding from top to bottom: an enormous challenge lay ahead.

It’s not for everyone
We saved a stack of cash by doing a lot of the work ourselves, finding the properties, designing the internal layout and sourcing and transporting materials. Alex worked all day with the team of builders, keeping them supplied with sand and cement and managing the project on site. This was a lot of work and commitment. But you don’t have to take on a complete ruin!

Renovation is a great way to buy a property cheaply and then add value through careful improvements and repair, but it is essential that you don’t bite off more than you can chew. I would never recommend you take on such a project unless you are around to ensure it all goes smoothly.

Is there money in renovation?
In short, yes. Property prices have risen greatly in the Languedoc region in the last four years, but with careful selection and good planning I believe renovation can offer a unique opportunity to create a quality character property for resale at profit. This assumes you don’t over-do the improvements and get the finish right. The initial selection of the property and location are crucial to the successful sale at the end of the project.

Where to start?
Research the local property market and get a good feel for the potential sale price. Consider carefully your future clients and their demands, then research locations that best suit their needs. Don’t forget access – there’s nothing worse than finding you can’t back the lorry up to the property and tip your sand where it is needed!

Once you have confirmed the search area, it is time to decide what scale of project to take on. Don’t be put off by others who lack vision (our parents thought we were mad when we showed them the ruins we planned to buy, but later into the project they were amazed at the transformation). Trust your instincts. It is probably cheaper to start with an empty shell; the less knocking about you have to do before you can actually start, the better.

Do your sums
Once you have a good understanding of the local market, you can work out your budget. Don’t forget to include all of the purchase fees and other professional costs that will be incurred. For example, if you need to alter the exterior of the building you will have to apply for planning permission. This usually requires architect’s drawings, and time. Make allowances for the cost of materials, specialist labour, equipment hire and so forth, then add at least a 10% contingency to the total. Estimate the desired selling price, less any agent commission and tax as a result of the sale at the end of the project – this all comes out of your profit.

Once you have found a potential property, don’t feel rushed. Visit as often as you need to, take photos and measure the layout.You want to have a fully-costed plan of the finished project before you commit to the purchase. Make sure you understand any local planning restrictions: if you need permission, add a get-out clause suspensive to the sales contract to this effect. Remember, if the property is near a national monument, the chances are an application will have to be made to the powers that be at Batiments de France, which will add to the fun!

The devil is in the detail
The planning stage is crucial.We created to-scale plans using PowerPoint, which allowed us to add furnishings to the rooms and really understand the space. We also created plumbing and electrical plans. Having a finished plan before you start means there should be no costly mistakes, and knowing where switches go or that a waste pipe needs adding for the new bathroom will ensure everything is done at the right stage. If you feel out of your depth, seek professional advice.

When submitting plans to the local authorities, try to organise a meeting with them first, ask what their restrictions are, and what they would like you to do with the property. Better to get them involved at the planning stage rather than later on when it could cost you money.

If you are planning to use builders, check the quality of their work (contact past clients where possible). Get quotes in writing, and agree a timescale for the works, or perhaps try a fixed cost for the project (you could even add in a 5/10% ‘sweetener’ on top, if they get it finished in time).

The urge to splurge
For materials, look far and wide, but factor in the cost of van hire or delivery. The trick is knowing how to allocate your budget for maximum effect.

Don’t get emotionally attached to your project: this is an investment, not your own home, so don’t be tempted to splurge on fixtures and fittings. A basic sink can be improved by the addition of a designer tap, whereas the added value of an expensive sink is questionable. Paint is expensive in France, so we painted throughout with undercoat, which is much cheaper, and the results were great! Keep the decoration neutral so buyers can add their own touches. Always bear the buyer in mind.

The end is nigh!
Once the work is finished and the snagging list completed, ‘prop’ or furnish the house if you can. It is so much easier to sell a cosy-looking, furnished house instead of empty rooms. Take some great photos and prepare your marketing material.

Invite your preferred agents to value the property and then start your advertising. I sold one of our renovations privately and the other two through agents, so try both routes. Have an album of photos showing the progress of the project from wreck to finished home – buyers love to see the transformation.

Greg Taylor is a professional website designer and co-founder of specialist Languedoc holiday homes site www.creme-de-languedoc.com

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