Sextant · Category
Renovation
55 articles · Page 2 of 3
Building permits will become less restrictive
Benoist Apparu, the Secretary of State for Housing also wants to modify the tax system in order to encourage sales of plots of land.
How can you transform your balcony?
Often essential for those living in town houses, a balcony can be a breath of fresh air, and the ideal place to sunbathe and read in summer. Indeed not…
New build: Building sites increase
The number of building sites has soared by 33.7% in the past year and building permits are also increasing.
A secure pool cover is the safest way to protect your children
Since 2003, French law compels owners to install a safety system on any newly-built swimming pool. Owners who had a pool installed before the bill was adopted…
Add value to your property
Are you keen for your house to rise in value? By getting to grips with your drill, screwdrivers and your imaginative spirit, you can easily redecorate at low…
Ideas to convert an old outbuilding
As most lovers of all things French know, one of the main advantages of French country houses is that they often come with an outbuilding or two.
Save your money/energy with solar panels!
In troubled times like these when saving money can be essential to keep your head above the water, a long-term solution for a French property has revealed…
After renovating, don’t waste – recycle!
Plenty of British people want to buy a house to renovate in France either because they love a good project, or because they want their French property exactly…
Salon Renover in Paris
Are you planning to buy, or are you the owner of a French property to renovate?
10 ways to add value to your French home
Property – at home or abroad – is probably the largest investment most people will make in their lifetime. So what can home-owners in France do
Home automation: the new home trend
–> What is home automation? Home automation, or domotics, is a system which integrates electrical devices in a house with each other. You can have wireless…
How to renovate a listed building in France and access to grants
Today if you would like to buy an ancestral home – a castle, mill or old cottage – in order to restore it, be cautious: there are strict regulations governing…
Negotiating the price of a French property
Negotiating the price can be tough for the buyer, and even for the seller. But it can be cheaper if you concentrate on one main objective: obtaining the…
Rural, urban or a renovation, what’s better for you?
Let us help you decided what French property would suit you best! Rural houses: As far as the price is concerned, this kind of house is as expensive as a house…
Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Louis XV…? Furniture styles.
The 17th and 18th centuries saw the production of numerous styles of furniture in France and they can easily be identified thanks to their specific…
Asbestos in your French Property
Derived from the Greek word for ‘’unquenchable’’, asbestos is a natural material and has been used since 2500 BC in winding sheets, pottery and various other…
Discovery of Hidden Defects in a French Property
Let us first set the scene: you have happily purchased a property in France by yourselves but discover after some time spent in the property that it is…
Lead in your French Property
The issue of lead in old properties is a familiar topic to many home owners in Britain, as many of our old, historic buildings are full of lead paint work and…
Termites – The enemy within!
Termites are the nemesis of any property owner or perspective buyer as these tiny creatures have the power to reduce a building to a heap of sawdust. They can…
Reduction of French VAT for renovation works
If you hire a professional for housing renovation works you can benefit, under specific conditions, from a reduced VAT rate of 5.5%, instead of 19.6%.
Using an Architect: a few guidelines
It is not infrequent for properties to require significant works either of renovation or extension for example. One will need to prepare a budget and the…
Do yourself and the environment a favour with renewable energies
A photovoltaic device creates electricity from the sun’s light. France, with its long sunshine period, has started
Be aware of French swimming pool regulations
In France, if you own a pool or if you are planning to buy a house with a swimming-pool, there are few things that you should know about safety regulations.
Going hydro: How to become self sufficient the green way
Few people realise the impracticality of a new home in a former mill in its idyllic river side location.