Start building a life in France

Renovating or expanding your French property is the ideal way to complete your dream home but keep in mind that like in the UK, there are legal requirements.

As with any private contract is it is the responsibility of the person planning the building work, who must comply with the Normes Francaises (NF) which is the equivalent of the British Standard.

A code of practice, known in France as the 'Documents Techniques Unifies', must also be abided by, which give the rules for the design and construction of any building.

Those carrying out the construction must be insured regardless of what building work is taking place, including the owner of the property if he or she decides to carry out any maintenance work.

In France the rules regarding planning are in a document called the Code de l'Urbanisme and construction is well controlled with permission being needed for almost all types of development.

To apply for permission a Certificate d'Urbanism must be obtained which gives "approval in principle" but is not a building permit.

Planning permission will need to be obtained for any project over 20 sq m and you can expect to wait for two months to get approval. If you have heard nothing after this time, your application has been given the green light.

The final decision on whether you can carry out works on your French property rests with the mayor of the town and his team, which pass any very complex cases to the planning office.

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