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Building & Renovation
Council Tracks Planning Culprits by Satellite
The town council of Carcassonne has decided to make use of aerial and satellite photos to tackle planning violations.
02 Nov 2010
Planning Permission in France is Time Limited
Planning consent once given can expire if you do not act on it, as an expat from the UK recently found out to his cost.
15 Oct 2010
Septic Tank Surveys Become Compulsory
House sellers will be required to have a survey of their septic tank undertaken from 2011.
30 Sep 2010
Building Construction Costs in France 2009
The average cost of constructing a new property in France in 2009 was €1,048m², broadly in line with the costs in 2008.
15 Sep 2010
French Building Land Prices 2009
The price of a building plot in France in 2009 averaged €55m², an increase of €1m² over 2008.
01 Sep 2010
British or French Builder?
When renovating or constructing your French home, does it make sense to use a French or a British builder?
15 Jun 2010
Builder Ordered to Pay €85,000 in Damages
A builder has been ordered to pay compensation for unauthorised building works, despite having only implemented the plans prepared by their client!
01 Jun 2010
Obtaining Planning Permission in France
What are the procedures for making a planning application in France and obtaining planning permission?
02 Mar 2010
Local Rate Relief for Home Energy Conservation
New and older homes constructed or renovated to an efficient energy consumption standard are eligible for five years' relief from the taxe foncière.
16 Feb 2010
Home Energy Efficiency Standards in France
New homes have to comply with them, and existing owners can get financial support to achieve them, but just what are the energy efficiency standards in France?
01 Dec 2009
Smoke Detectors to Become Obligatory
The installation of smoke detectors is soon to be made obligatory in all homes in France, but in recent tests most models did not comply with performance standards.
01 Dec 2009
How to Build a House in France
Unless you are intending to self-build, you are going to need to enter into a contract with a building professional, but there are different approaches that can be taken.
17 Nov 2009
Maintaining Your French Heating Boiler
French law imposes an obligation to maintain your heating boiler, as well as your chimney or flue.
15 Oct 2009
Sun Shines on Solar Panels
The financial incentives for the installation of solar panels on your French home are now so strong that it is becoming a very tempting proposition.
16 Jun 2009
Property Rights in France: Openings in Buildings
We are pleased to release today a further section of our 'Guide to Property Rights in France'.
16 Jun 2009
Planning Application Taxes in France
Although no application fee is payable for a planning application in France, there are fees and taxes with any consent that may be granted.
02 Jun 2009
Water and Drainage Services in France
We are pleased to release today our Guide to Water and Drainage Services in France.
01 May 2009
Mobile Homes in France
We are pleased to release today our Guide to Mobile Homes in France.
01 Apr 2009
French Tax Credits for Home Energy Conservation
There are generous French tax breaks available if you undertake works to improve the energy efficiency of your French property.
17 Mar 2009
French Mortgages for Home Energy Conservation
The French government has launched an enticing package of financial incentives for homeowners to undertake energy conservation works.
03 Mar 2009
