Building Costs and Buying Problems
It is a pleasure hearing from regular readers and helping with questions over a period of time, I am glad some of the links and comments from others in the archives of these notes since 1997 have been useful - I just had this mail form a reader who contacted me a year ago about another matter…
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April 2007
Hi Tony
Long time no see, how are you? Question.Very roughly do you have a fig. for the cost per sq. meter for a new house build here in Fance not including land costs? Not self build.I have been unable to find a website that could assist me with this info.
Nice to see you back on line.
Ted
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Hi Ted,
We are all well and happy - hope you are the same.
Building a home on land which has services connected will cost from 1000 to 2500 euro per square meter, depending on the standard of finish - the sky is the limit of course, but for a good home, fully tiled and finished I would cost something at 1500 euro per square meter - this would not include an expensive fitted kitchen or gold plated bathroom fittings, but would be to a high standard.
So a nice villa of 130 square meters would cost 195,000 euro - you can supervise the work yourself and employ contractors direct - this could save up to 25 percent of the costs, but you need to be on site all the time - if you have a trade, masonry, plumbing, tiling, carpentry etc - you could invest your time into a project yourself.
Getting a good team or reliable overseer can be tricky - always take up references and inspect previous works done including talking to their clients.
Hope this helps
Tony
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February 2008
Hi Tony.
Long time since we were in contact remember we lived in Tremolat.Well since then we decided to sell up and go and live in the HauteSavoie. We have initialy rented a place and signed the promise to buy on a nice house.
HOWEVER we have by accident found out that the driveway to the house is commune land and therefore we cant fence it etc etc.We now know that the agent also knew but did not disclose this to us. We have talked to the Mayor and our Notaire.We still wish to purchase regardless, however we would like to know our rights about non disclosure of informatiom.Do you think we should look for some sort of financial retribution? Any words of wisdom?
Hope you and your family are keeping well
Ted and Jeannie
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Hi Ted,
The seller and their agents are legally obliged to inform you of anything detrimental about a property that they know about or should have known about. If they do not do this the contract can be cancelled by you and you can claim any losses.
It is very likely that this “servitude” would have become clear to the Notaire and explained to you on the final sales acte, before you paid, and this then would be your option to continue.
I am not sure what you mean by “commune” land - it will belong to someone (or the Mairie) and it must be clear as to the rights of way and the extent of responsibility for repairs etc.
If the access to the property is good and clear and there are no problems and if you like the property and consider it good value, then go ahead - perhaps make a reduced offer - only you can decide on this.
Taking any “legal” action is likely to take many years and much money for no conclusive result (in my opinion and experience)
Bonne Chance
Tony
Building in France, Business in France, Discover France, French life, fruk, living in france, Personal, Real Estate
