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Vacation home renovation in France: 3 tips!

  • Process
  • France

Want to renovate a vacation home in France? A good idea but don’t underestimate it. There are a lot of houses for sale but you have to make sure you don’t get cheated. Therefore, keep in mind the following 3 tips when buying a French vacation home.

Be vigilant about the quality of the houses

Old houses in France are usually not in such good condition as in the Netherlands and Belgium. We are used to regularly maintaining our home and doing odd jobs, such as replacing the windows or insulating the roof. French people often do not have this habit. As a result, the houses are authentic but this obviously affects the quality. Be vigilant about this if you fall head over heels in love with a beautiful house in France.

Keep in mind energy legislation

The French “Diagnostic de Perfomance Enérgique” (DPE) is similar to the Energy Label in the Netherlands and Belgium. It gives an indication of a home’s technical condition and energy consumption. Currently in France, the DPE is only mandatory for new homes. However, the question is how long this will be the case. So it is a good idea to take the DPE into account now so that you can be sure that your house has an optimal energy label, for example if you want to sell it in say 10 years. Also, make sure you thoroughly renovate your French home according to current energy standards. That will result in a better energy label, which can also help you in a possible sale in the future.

Do not underestimate renovation costs

Renovating a house in France involves a lot of renovation costs. Do not underestimate them, because during the purchase phase it is not always easy to get a good idea of the technical condition of a house and the associated renovation costs. You can possibly have a building inspection done by a construction expert. In any case, try to pay attention to energy efficiency (insulation, ventilation). A sustainable home will save you a lot of maintenance costs in the long run. So you can enjoy your vacation home in France!

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