BRIAN Franklin continues his story of how he and his wife, Lucy, slowly and sympathetically returned a collection of outbuildings found in the grounds of the Chateau des Cresses, in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France.
And Brian also passes on some of his top tips for making a success of a large house renovation project in France.
One of the salient reasons our Le Cuvage project progressed with such confidence and competence was the planning.
We employed a French quantity surveyor, along with an independent project assessor, conducteur/driver, as our French friends called him.
Before we moved a single lump of earth or hacked into any structure, we commissioned a comprehensive build programme assessment, and cost estimate by a specialist building economiste. He organised devis (quotations) from a minimum of three different companies before making any recommendations and final selections.
The companies were assessed on experience, quality, reputation and approach, as well as price.
This pre-estimate and budget confirmation covered all the key areas of build including structural works, carpentry, windows and doors, heating and electrics, plumbing, partitioning, plastering, and roofing, etc.
The final document was very detailed and professionally put together - in fact, a veritable tome.
Once decisions were made and contractors chosen, a full critical path was developed for all the different stages of construction and installation.
This was then monitored and reported on every week, along with price control checks which measured contractor invoices against actual production and original quotations.
Any variations or additional work required would be assessed accordingly and quoted for approval by us before any work was commenced.
The initial cost projections for our share of the main works, including architect’s fees and agreed joint external works (but not kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, tiling, painting and decorating, and any other special requirements) was approximately £260,000 for our two dwellings (two-thirds of le Cuvage).
Once all the final plans, along with these initial estimates, were fully agreed between all parties then our project was started.
Before we continue with our renovation story, another aspect of development in the preparatory stage of some sites which is often overlooked – that of earth removal.
This can be particularly expensive in France when hiring huge diggers, lorries, and then finding somewhere to dump the soil.
But we were lucky. Tons and tons of earth had to be removed at the front of the cuvage before any real building work could commence. This was essential to define the surrounding land levels, and to carve out two new driveway accesses.
Huge trucks of the cleared earth were moved a very short distance to the rear of the chateau’s ‘orangery’, owned by some of our French friends who needed to build up the land to the rear of their previously converted property.
So, free dumping for us, free soil for them. Now the ‘orangery’ has enough extra land for a full-sized tennis court.
Progress of the renovation and conversion of Le Cuvage was pretty rapid. In the early stages of a project like this it always feels like destruction rather than creation and it was sad to see the large ancient barn being brutally disturbed from the slumbers of its historical tranquility.
However, following on from last month’s editorial, our ‘dream house’ in France was now close to completion. Every time we visited the site our excitement grew as we saw the house taking shape externally and internally.
Having progressed with ease to an advanced state, with all major construction, plumbing and electrics, external doors and windows, internal walls, terrace, roofing and rendering completed, our thoughts and ideas turned to flooring, kitchens, bathrooms, and lighting.
We designed all the layouts for the bathrooms and produced detailed drawings for our architect to discuss with different contractors. We chose the wall and floor tiles, baths, sinks, showers, and taps. I have to admit, we didn’t hold back, this was our ‘dream house’, so we wanted it to look and feel like one.
I also developed a design for the railings for the stairs, mezzanine, and exterior terrace, and created drawings for the specialist metalwork contractor.
We then chose top of the range wood-burning stoves, which we positioned as a central feature in the large living areas to provide a focal point to the rooms, as well as keeping them warm during the cold Rhone-Alpes’ winters – so necessary in view of the large spaces and ceiling heights involved.
It may appear strange, then, that we chose Ikea kitchens. This was done primarily for ease of installation, but also for their quality and extremely good value for money.
It was fun being involved in these finishing touches, but, of course, there was much, much more to come.
My top tips when buying and renovating in France:
- Reduce risk by choosing your region well. Proximity to airports, access to autoroutes, schools, and other local amenities are all important.
- Assess the cost of any renovation and conversion as accurately as possible, including extras. Budget well. Get good local advice.
- If the project is 170sq.m. or larger, you’ll need to employ a good, locally recommended architect to assess the project and draw up some plans for the local builder to follow, as well as the local Marie to approve.
- Check and double-check what the estimates include (removal of top soil, re-roofing, installation of bathrooms, etc.
- It is also good to have some honest French friends on the ground to keep an eye on progress for you if you are still resident in the UK. It will also often help to get better prices from local contractors.
Related articles:
Discovering The Roannais in the Rhône-Alpes
Le Cuvage project turns into a grand design
It's a serious business building in the Rhône-Alpes
Topping-off a grand design of a building project
Brian and Lucy Franklin run the Pure France Now website which looks to highlight the delights and opportunities of The Roannais in the Rhône-Alpes region. They provide business event hosting, holiday rentals, property finding services and enjoy promoting the area to visitors.
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Another great article. We made the same choice kitchen wise for the same reasons. The only caveat is IKEA have no or very small service spaces behind the cabinets - easily remedied. I also agree that a bilingual French builder friend who is sympathetic to the project and personalities is worth his weight in gold.
Posted by: Susan Walter | 29 June 2011 at 08:13
Thanks for the positive comment, Susan. I'm glad my recent article has been appreciated, and that it has obviously hit the right note. I have always tried to provide a personal story about our renovation project, but also hoped to pass on some pointers on the way.
Posted by: Brian Franklin | 30 June 2011 at 10:42