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Income Tax in France

Healthcare in France

Inheritance Law and Wills in France

Visas and residency cards for France

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The reality of restoring an ancient façade in France

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of renovating an old French farmhouse

Fitting new gates on a French driveway does not have to be hard work

Nick Inman completes his project with a little help

A brick-by-brick guide to making rustic-style French gateposts

Nick Inman disguises a new fixture as something centuries-old

practical

Where can I find cheap DIY tools in France?

We also review whether second-home owners can bring tools to France from abroad

Opinion: Another week off – how I love living in France

One of the many things I adore about the French is their attitude to time off.

What are the costs and rules for DIY home solar panel kits in France?

The number of those choosing to install solar panels themselves is increasing

Noisy chickens, chimneys, renovations: French property round up

Our pick of property stories you may have missed

From €135,000: Five renovation projects to give grand homes in France

These properties just need some love (and money) to restore them to their former glory

Sellers responsible for DIY defects in French home after sale

A seller is liable to pay compensation if completed works are later found to be faulty, confirms court

LIST: See what state aid is available to repair home goods in France

Changes to the scheme on January 1 will increase the amount available and extend the list of eligible items

Will renovation grants be extended to DIY projects?

The French agency Anah is considering the possibility of including DIY projects in its MaPrimeRénov' scheme

DIY projects on French homes may become eligible for renovation grants

Those running the MaPrimeRénov’ scheme are not ruling it out but must deal with fraud and organised crime first

Progress on French DIY tortoise house is slow and steady...

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of renovating an old French farmhouse

Community workshops make DIY accessible in France

A growing number of community workshops have sprung up in France offering DIY enthusiasts access to space, equipment and skills to develop their projects

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

DIY: Check the price of cement in France and bag a better deal

Nick Inman discovered he had been paying his trusted, local supplier over the odds for a bag of cement - he challenged the manager and got a surprising response

French DIY: My mission to build a cost-effective garden pergola

After losing his box hedge to caterpillars, Nick Inman attempts to revive his garden by taking on the challenge of a DIY pergola

Cost of home DIY projects rises due to shortages: should you delay?

We share tips for households thinking of starting works

Repair Cafés: a way to save broken items from the bin in France

There are now 400 such venues in France. We visited one in Nice to see how it works

French farmhouse renovation unearths tools that tell everyday history

Writer Nick Inman would rather dig up an ox-drawn plough blade than a Roman mosaic - and enlists the local heritage association to help

France lockdown: Are DIY shops still open?

DIY shops were open during France's first lockdown in spring - and are on the list of essential business which can stay open this time too

France lockdown: Can I go to a home/garden shop 50km away?

Shopping for essentials is permitted, with no travel or time limits

Do ‘trade descriptions’ laws exist against selling items under weight?

The general principle is that the quantity sold should be at least equal to that advertised and the legal tolerances are higher for items sold in small quantities than for larger volumes

French farmhouse renovation: Installing a gable window

Faced with a gaping hole in his French barn, Nick Inman decides to install a gable window. Only problem? It is 7.5m from the floor

French farmhouse renovation: How to install cobblestones

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of renovating an old French farmhouse. Here he shares how best to lay a cobbled garden area

French farmhouse renovation: Concreting a barn floor

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of renovating an old French farmhouse. Here he talks about transforming a barn floor for a wedding day

What is in my DIY toolbox after 18 years in France?

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of renovating an old French farmhouse. Here he reveals his DIY toolbox after 18 years’ trial and error

DIY tips for French farmhouse renovation: Where to get help?

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of renovating an old French farmhouse. Here he talks about where to find DIY advice

DIY tips for French farmhouse renovation: respect the basics

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of renovating an old French farmhouse. Here he talks about mixing DIY with creativity

DIY tips for French farmhouses: how to cover tiles

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of renovating an old French farmhouse. In the October print edition, he talks about covering up tiles, and whether or not to do so.

Green grants and tax credits for French homes

Grants and tax credits are available for people insulating their homes or taking other environmental measures, such as putting in solar panels or cleaner heating boilers, but they come at a cost...

Selling self-renovated French home: faults found on sale

Reader question, answered: we’re renovating a home. What comeback falls on us if we sell and a fault is found with work we did ourselves?

Understanding electricity in French homes: DIY tips

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of renovating an old French farmhouse. In the September print edition, he talks about how you can get to grips with French electricity.

Tips for renovating roof timbers in a French farmhouse

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of renovating an old French farmhouse by himself.

France confinement: Are DIY goods ‘necessary items’?

Since confinement was imposed in France on March 17, and all “non-essential” shops were closed, there have been further questions about what police consider “essential”. We answer a question on DIY goods.

Covid-19 in France: The shops and brands still trading

A number of brands in France - including Nicolas, Interflora, and Castorama - are finding creative ways to continue serving customers in safety despite the government-ordered shutdown.

Tips for buying a rainwater tank in France

A wide variety of rainwater tanks can be bought, with farmers’ supply shops often having the best prices.

French farmhouse renovation - roof window

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs ofdoing it himself with tips and information he has learned renovating a French farmhouse. This month: Fitting a roof window need not be a hole lot of trouble

French farmhouse renovation - November 2019

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of doing it himself with tips and information he has learned renovating a French farmhouse. This month: Plastic fantastic plumbing

French farmhouse renovation - April 2019

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of doing it himself in our regular column... here, he explains the trick to understanding how an old house was built

French farmhouse renovation - May 2019

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of doing it himself in our regular column... here, he talks candidly about sanitary issues and the dirty secret of a septic tank owner

French farmhouse renovation - July 2019

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of doing it himself with tips and information he has learned renovating an old French farmhouse. This month: know your cement and lime mixes

French farmhouse renovation - August 2019

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of doing it himself with tips and information he has learned renovating a French farmhouse. This month: the secret life of French shutters

French farmhouse renovation - September 2019

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of doing it himself with tips and information he has learned renovating a French farmhouse. This month: Know your roof - and understand its philosophy

What self-build dreamers in France need to know

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

How to learn language of French 'bricolage'

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of doing it himself in our regular column... here, he discusses how to find the right advice

Ultimate DIY equation

RE: The article “ How to decide if you should do it yourself ” (Connexion, February 2019, see here).

Seek answers to restoration queries and ye shall find

Nick Inman charts the ups and downs of doing it himself in our regular column... here, the difference between a renovation and a restoration

Quick reliable help at home

If you need a tradesperson urgently to fix a leak or mend a broken lock, then the website mesdepanneurs.fr could help.

How to decide if you should do it yourself

Thinking about having work done on your home? The first, most crucial, question is: can you do it yourself? The second question is: should you, or would it be wiser to call a professional?

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

Tour on avoiding DIY accidents launches in France

The first national “tour” on how to avoid DIY accidents at home is launching today (Friday October 5) across France.

DIY repairs... if you dare

People often think it is cheaper to throw away broken appliances and gadgets and buy replacements rather than pay for missing parts or repair.

Disservice done

Cheap pallets can make an ideal DIY shed

Continuing our series on becoming self-sufficient one step at a time, we look at one of the best-known features of most gardens... the shed

Save money by using a DIY garage

Car maintenance costs continue to rise year on year and with the new stricter Contrôle Technique starting on May 20 (131 points will be checked as opposed to 123 now) they are likely to rise again but there are ways to keep them in check

You can go far with a cello and a woodworking machine

Sue Evans and husband Mark found their hobbies came in useful when they moved to Tarn-et-Garonne

Learn DIY repairs and save a packet

Repairing household appliances instead of buying new ones could save you a LOT of money...

Workshops help fix your machines

Workshops to teach people how to repair their own white and electrical goods are proving a success

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