Building project

Thousands of jobs lost as new building permits plummet in France

In the south constructions have dropped by almost a third

‘Our glittering straw home lets us retire in France on small pensions’

Cardamom in the plaster and a ‘glitterball’ wall - the couple who built a low-bills house from straw bales fill it with quirky ideas

French renovation firms invented ‘norms’ to con homeowners into work

Victims lost an average of €8,000 but some lost much more

practical

Do we need planning permission to install chimney in French home?

The layout of your home determines whether and what permission is needed

What are the rules for demolishing and rebuilding property in France?

Matthew Cameron, partner with Ashtons Legal, answers a reader query

Couple who built a straw bale house in France share their one regret

The Britons have reduced their annual energy bills to €500 by living off-grid and want to pass on the lessons they have learnt

Number of building permits issued in France continues to fall

Nearly 30% fewer permits were granted in the past 12 months compared to a peak in 2022; new build projects also remain low

Renovating a French property: be aware of planning rules before buying

Rules and restrictions can vary from region to region. Helen Fullerton of Ashtons Legal answers a reader query

Which materials have gone up the most for home renovation in France?

Overall, building work has risen by 9% in cost, with concrete prices specifically up 21%

TV couple who bought French hamlet open gite in a horsebox

The couple, who feature in the UK Channel 4 show Help! We Bought a Village, are rebuilding hamlet they bought for €26,000 in Normandy

More than 100 French areas newly added to coastal erosion risk list

The communes will be subject to stricter planning controls and have access to government aid to mitigate the threat

Couple fight buyer’s €140,000 repairs claim for self-built French home

The buyer has taken the British couple to court over a missing 10-year builder’s guarantee on the DIY property

Botched repairs on historic French bridge to be redone by same builder

A building company is told to try again after work on the damaged thirteenth century bridge left locals shocked and disappointed

Do all property extensions in France require an architect?

If you are planning property alterations, we look at what circumstances you will need to engage an architect

‘We built a €120,000 eco-house for a thrifty retirement in France’

The British couple self-built a kit home with the environment and lower cost of living in mind

Swimming pools, sheds: Tax due on installation is rising in France

The tax is applied once on the installation of a new built structure requiring planning permission or a prior declaration on someone’s property

DIY in France: Fixing garden wall is opportunity to study old methods

Writer Nick Inman’s main challenge in rebuilding his orchard perimeter was replicating the old mortar

DIY: Buying wood board for French property renovation can be minefield

Writer Nick Inman explains how he has learned to navigate bewildering builders’ merchants and what you need to ask for

When can a French business charge you for a quote?

It may not be the norm in France, but most companies are allowed to charge for a quote, except those in certain industries

Extra house building banned on residential island near Paris

The ministry has given special protection to Ile Fanac, in the Marne river, which is already a car-free zone

Building a house in France solves wrong home, right location conundrum

A reader explains how a new-build on her existing plot has let her carry on living in the Dordogne village she loves

French farmhouse DIY on a budget: Quick bathroom makeover ideas

Writer Nick Inman explains how a daring new colour scheme brought seaside chic to the space

DIY: Upcycling pallets keeps costs down on French farmhouse renovation

Ladders, gabions and even a bar are among thrifty and creative ideas for repurposing wooden pallets

Second home hotspots, pergolas, cracks: Five French property updates

We also look into one family’s three-year battle for planning permission to build a home on land they bought - only to find much of it has since been re-classed as non constructible

Can tradespeople in France raise price of job after signing a quote?

With building material costs increasing, we look at whether an artisan can revise estimates after an agreement has already been reached

Our green home made from tyres is part of us, says family in France

They started building their eco house, called an 'earthship', four years ago and now live off the grid in Dordogne

French builders look to be able to revise quotes with rising prices

Building and decorating firms propose adding a clause to quotes if prices for raw materials continue to increase

Village in west France halves housing land prices to attract newcomers

The building plots are being sold at just €7.50 in the remote village, after the Mairie has struggled to attract newcomers for the past 10 years

French home renovation: Must I replace bath with a walk-in shower?

A new law means it must be possible to put a walk-in shower into all newly built homes to help elderly and people with disabilities. We look at which properties this covers

A father and son’s dream to build a Gothic masterpiece in France

An American who took up stone-carving in his sixties – and is now 97 – is part way through building a Gothic masterpiece in the French countryside to house the 9,000 pieces he has carved so far

Dordogne authorities warn against British workmen’s cheap tarmac scam

A group of UK nationals are approaching local residents and businesses selling ‘discount’ tarmacking work, which turns out to be of poor quality

'We are building the world’s fastest Viking ship to sail France - US'

Four engineers from Toulouse, all friends from childhood, are attempting to build the world’s fastest drakkar Viking ship – and plan to sail it from France to New York

'I built my A-frame home in France for €35,000'

Architect Elizabeth Faure's project was captured by a 90-minute documentary and it has attracted more than 100,000 views online

60,000 French insurance contracts cancelled as firm closes

The liquidation of Elite Insurance has left 60,000 private and professional clients in France without construction insurance as of September 15, 2020.

France: Law against phone cold calling in place from today

From today (September 1) companies and individuals can no longer make telephone cold calls offering eco-friendly home renovation services in France. Those who do face sanctions.

French homeowners warned of new ‘eco’ insulation scam

Homeowners in France are being warned of a new scam, which is similar to the infamous “€1 interior insulation” scam, but this time concerns exterior walls and “eco-friendly” insulation renovations.

Make sense of ... building a new home in France

It may seem daunting but having your own home built for you from scratch in France is a realistic alternative to buying an existing property

Homeowners in France warned over €1 insulation offers

Homeowners in France have been warned again about the risks of having housing insulation done for just €1, as the offer continues to circulate.

French ruin château Rothschild to be restored to glory

The 19th century château Rothschild, in the Paris suburbs, and which once belonged to a banker to Napoleon III, is to be restored to its original state after lying derelict for almost 40 years.

We built our off-grid French straw house for €30,000

A three-day course on how to build a straw house on a foundation of old tyres helped a British couple with no construction experience create their own home in France.

French eco-designer presses for return of earth bricks

Industrial designer Etienne Gay could not find a machine to make high-insulating compressed earth bricks

France passes Notre Dame restoration law

A new law setting out the definitive reconstruction plan for the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris has been passed by the French government.

Tallest ever ‘eco’ wooden building opens in France

The tallest apartment building ever to be made almost entirely of wood in France has opened in Strasbourg, aiming to show the eco-friendliness of the construction method.

What self-build dreamers in France need to know

People decide to build new houses or convert barns for many different reasons.

Homeowners in France warned on insulation work scam

Homeowners in France are warned to be alert to poor quality home improvement work by unqualified builders - especially for low-cost, energy-saving wall insulation - which can lead to expensive repairs.

More revealed on illegal €57m Provence Château Diter

More details have come to light on how the Château Diter - the €57m Côte d’Azur château that French authorities have ordered to be torn down - was able to grow to such an extent in the first place.

What changes in France in March 2019

Changes for March include a shift in the kind of eco-friendly home improvement works eligible for an interest-free loan, a rise in cigarette prices, and new rules on scooter licences and workplace equality.

DIY in France: ladders and scaffolding

Mistakes and ladders... building a new life as a budding artisan. Some buyers fear renovation but others welcome it... our writer Nick Inman has a foot in both camps, as he tells in this first of a series of articles

Building a new life as a budding artisan

Some buyers fear renovation but others welcome it... our writer Nick Inman has a foot in both camps, as he tells in this first of a series of articles

Chateau’s owners lose fight to halt wind farm

Owners of a chateau have lost a bid to withdraw a wind farm’s planning permission - because being able to see the turbines was not a good enough reason to object.

Summer slump leads to 12.1% fall in new-builds

House-building slumped over the first half of 2018 with just 119,900 building permits approved between May and July... a fall of 12.1% on 2017.

Wood: the growing building material of the future

Builders are using cross-laminated timber (CLT) to replace concrete as the key material in modern construction with wooden buildings rising across the country, from Strasbourg to Paris, Le Havre, Nice and Bordeaux.

Building a house for €3,000 in France

(all materials included)!

Rules to build a loggia on our balcony in France

Our flat has a large balcony and we would like to enclose it with a loggia to make an ‘outside room’ – what are the rules? F.M.

Old church transformed into cultural events centre

A 19th century church in the Nord that was threatened with demolition has been transformed into a “cultural beacon”, including entertainment and events areas, concert space, and even a small hotel.

€250 million airport expansion scheme

France's fifth busiest airport is set to undergo some serious changes

Planning restrictions for building conservatories

If we add a conservatory to our house in Brittany we can give ourselves a bit of extra space to enjoy our garden... but we would need to know more about any possible planning restrictions and, apart from the costs, if there is a financial impact. Can you help? J.M.

Legal formalities of building wall with neighbour

We have spoken to our neighbours about building a dividing wall between our two properties and they are in agreement. They have said they will share costs as it will allow us both to grow plants to improve our properties. Are there any legal formalities, such as registering it with the notaire? L.N.