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 Sometimes, people
moving to France and
looking for a
holiday home or a
main residence don’t
find their dream
home. Building a
house in the right
place can be an
alternative (in the
countryside, in a
village, close to
schools, facilities,
close to the sea,
etc…)
If you buy a plot of
land (particularly
in the countryside),
building a new house
can turn out to be
cheaper than buying
an existing house.
Building a house can
offer the following
advantages:
-
New homes can
provide more
comfort from day
one
-
New homes can be
located close to
schools,
workplaces,
facilities, the
sea, etc…
-
New homes can be
easier to
maintain than
old houses
-
New homes can be
a good holiday-rental
investment.
Give us your land
search criteria. We
can help you to find
plots of land
everywhere (on the
coast, in the
countryside, in a
village, etc…). Once
you have found the
right location, you
can decide to have
your house built by
a builder or to
contact an architect.
They will both
indicate whether or
not the land can be
built on and the
“coefficient d’
occupation des sols”
or COS (Floor Area
Ratio or FAR) which
identifies the
amount of habitable
space allowable on
the land.
If the plot is not
“viabilisé”, which
means it is not
connected to the
various services,
the builder or the
architect would
check if there are
any problems to
connect the property
to the mains water,
sewerage, gas, and
electricity and
telephone networks.
When you buy a plot
of land, you must
check that the
“certificat
d’urbanisme” (CU)
has been delivered.
If not, the notaire
will need to submit
an application and
in that case, you
can ask to add a
clause suspensive in
the compromis de
vente. In that way,
there is no risk
involved because if
the CU is not
granted, you will
not sign for the
land and the deposit
will be refunded.
The CU is valid for
one year only.
The builder will
show you different
base models. They
offer a range of
standard properties
that they will
construct for you
and to which you can
make internal
modifications
according to your
personal tastes. The
builder will
certainly show you
properties already
constructed by their
company.
You need to know
what is included in
the price,
particularly
regarding the
kitchen, the
bathroom, the floors,
the windows/shutters,
the heating, …the
garage and the
garden.
Once you have the
plans of the house
drawn, you will need
to apply for a
planning permission
(with the assistance
of the builder or
the architect). It
takes about 2 months
to have it delivered.
Once you have the
planning permission,
the builder will
apply to the mairie
for a déclaration
d’ouverture de
chantier (an
authorization to
start work).
After completion of
the works, you will
need to obtain a
certificat de
conformité to
establish that the
building complies
with the permission.
This document is
essential to obtain
exemption from
property tax for the
first 2 years after
completion.
Take the certificat
d’achèvement (certificate
of completion of
works) to the mairie
or send it by
registered post. The
certificat de
conformité should be
sent to you within 3
months.
From the granting of
the planning
permission to the
completion of the
works, it takes
about 12 months to
build a house. The
day when the keys
are handed over, you
can move in and
start a new life in
France….Welcome
home!!!
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