France Surveys

01/04/2016

Is it a good idea to have a pre-purchase survey in France?

The answer to that question has to be yes. Why? Well, it’s true to say that when people decide to buy a property in France – for a permanent move or as a second home – we sometimes enable our hearts to rule our heads. We should always follow our dreams of course, but it’s important to be aware of the potential pitfalls and consult a professional before embarking on a new project, whether this is a full renovation or a house in good condition that only requires minor works.

It’s true to say that generally there are fewer building inspectors in France and building methods may differ to what you will experience in the UK. That said there are plenty of excellent artisans who use their traditional skills to renovate and maintain properties. However properties can have hidden defects which means that an obtaining a pre-purchase survey before you buy is the best advice.

As part of the home buying process in France, there are compulsory diagnostic surveys that are the responsibility of the seller but this will only provide you with a certain amount of information (for example in relation to lead, termites, asbestos).

An independent survey by an Expert en Batiment will however provide you with a more complete picture. The survey reports – in English – will advise you regarding the structural integrity and condition of the property and an overview of the state of the services. Furthermore it will highlight any defects found and provide an opinion of the causes and seriousness of the defects found.

So you can proceed with your property purchase with complete peace of mind.

France Surveys are experts in providing these reports for home buyers, with reports written in English and delivered to the client within 48 hours. We cover the Dordogne, Charente-Maritime, du Lot-et-Garonne, Corrèze, Charente and the Haute-Vienne departments. To find out more about our services, visit our website www.7ex-diagnostic-immobilier.fr , phone 09 83 53 15 56 or email [email protected].

29/02/2016

If you’re looking to buy property in France for the first time, whether it is to purchase a holiday home or even to live permanently here, the process has some differences to the UK which English speakers may be unfamiliar with. This can include understanding, what is the role of an Expert en Techniques du Bâtiment the French equivalent of the British qualification, a Chartered Building Surveyor. These are independent surveyors who are qualified by training and experience in all aspects of building and construction. What’s more, Experts have to conform to a strict code of professional conduct by law and professional indemnity insurance is compulsory.

It is the responsibility of the seller to arrange for the various diagnostic surveys when deciding to put a property onto the market, but there is another option which is available to buyers, who may wish to have a separate report which provides them with information about the overall condition of the house, apartment, farmhouse or even chateau that they are intending to buy – the pre-purchase survey. Although not compulsory, these reports will benefit the client by giving more information about the property and could identify issues which need attention before proceeding to buy.

This survey represents an unbiased independent opinion on the structural integrity and condition of the property and an overview of the state of the services, highlighting any defects found and providing an opinion of the causes and seriousness of the defects found.

France Surveys are experts in providing these reports for home buyers, with reports written in English and delivered to the client within 48 hours. We cover the Dordogne, Charente-Maritime, du Lot-et-Garonne, Corrèze, Charente and the Haute-Vienne departments. To find out more about our services, visit our website www.7ex-diagnostic-immobilier.fr , phone 09 83 53 15 56 or email [email protected].

03/02/2016

Consider a pre-purchase inspection survey before you buy

The Corrèze department is a department based in south western France, north of the Dordogne and is named after the river Corrèze. The region benefits from plenty of good value property and has a landscape which features many rivers, lakes, mountains, beautiful countryside views and small towns. So it’s not surprising that it’s popular for house buyers including those from the UK. What’s more, there are plenty of colourful and lively markets, cafés and restaurants to enjoy good food and wine.

When searching for that special property, whether it is as a maison secondaire or as a permanent residence it’s also important to use the skills of an expert to undertake a pre-purchase inspection survey before buying your new home.

Whilst it is not compulsory to instruct a surveyor to carry out this time of report – unlike the compulsory diagnostic surveys – it is certainly to be recommended and could well save you money in the long-term.

The pre-purchase inspection survey provides information relating to the services available and will highlight any defects that have been found and also give an opinion on both their cause and significance.

France Surveys is fully qualified under the French system and provides this service complying with a strict code of professional conduct. Reports are written in English making it easier for our clients to understand any issues identified during the survey. We cover a number of departments in south west France including the Corrèze.

To find out more visit our website www.7ex-diagnostic-immobilier.fr, phone 09 83 53 15 56 or email [email protected]. We are always happy to discuss your requirements so please give us a call.

01/12/2015

Why paying for a pre-purchase survey is money well spent…

If you are thinking of moving to France it’s quite possible that you are thinking of relocating to the south west of France. This beautiful part of the country includes the area from the Atlantic coast of the Charente Maritime region, the vineyards of the Charente which produce the world famous Cognac, through to the green and lush countryside of the Limousin countryside and the stunning surroundings of the Dordogne.

Choosing the region and village or town that you wish to live in is obviously the first step but once you find your dream home, it’s also important that you obtain a professional view regarding the home that you have decided buy: which is why we recommend that you use our services for a pre-purchase inspection.

Yes a pre-purchase inspection survey (written in English) will cost you a bit of time in terms of reading the report through and clarifying any points you don’t understand, and obviously some money too… but in the long run you will be very pleased that decided to go ahead. Over time, you will benefit from being able to plan for any necessary repairs or improvements which could save you money. Deciding to commission a pre-purchase survey will be worth every centime that you spend…

The South West of France is a region that we at France Surveys are proud to serve; our company is located in Brantôme, near Limoges, in the Dordogne (24) which means we can reach all of these departments easily. We are also pleased to discuss with clients their proposed property purchase and for more information, visit our website, phone 09 83 53 15 56 or email [email protected].

06/11/2015

Don’t end up with any unwanted extras....

Does the perfect house exist? Maybe. But it’s more than likely – especially if you are buying an older property – that there will be issues that you will need to consider first before you buy. Paying for a pre-purchase survey can therefore give you some peace of mind – and help you avoid any horror stories along the way.
Without a pre-purchase building inspection, most buyers won’t know if the roof leaks or the foundations are cracked. By having a pre-purchase report carried out before you buy a property, you will have information that is both useful and give you value for money.

We come across a number of myths about the surveying and property buying process from time-to-time which sometimes deter people from opting for a pre-purchase survey. For example, you may hear “You don’t get what you pay for”. Well, in our case you will always receive a written report (in English) within 48 hours of the survey visit, prepared by a certified technician qualified according to French law. French surveys may differ to the type undertaken in the UK or by chartered surveyors but what you will receive is un-biased and independent opinion relating to the structural integrity of the property being sold. The survey will identify any defects that have been found and provide an opinion on both their cause and significance.

So in summary here are our 4 Key Benefits of having a pre-purchase survey:

• You will receive a concise written report in English about the property
• You will avoid any last minute surprises which could delay the sales process
• The report will help you to budget for future maintenance
• You will have peace of mind…

For more information, visit our website, phone 09 83 53 15 56 or email [email protected].

08/10/2015

Buying a dream home in France continues to be the aspiration of many and it’s easy to see why, with property generally affordable, in good supply and with so many different regions to choose from.

We all have images in our mind of enjoying the scent of the lavender fields close by, watching sunflowers gently blowing in the gardens and admiring the many vineyards which dominate the landscape. But purchasing a property – whether as a second home or as our principal residence – is an important decision and it always pays to get the best expert advice first.

It’s certainly true that the conveyancing process is quite different to the UK and many buyers take the view that a pre-purchase survey (or condition report) is not necessary in France. However, whilst a minority of UK buyers do commission a pre-purchase survey before proceeding, it is a recommended step to take. The role of an Expert en Bâtiment is to provide an un-biased and independent opinion relating to the structural integrity of the property being sold. The pre-purchase survey will provide information relating to the services available, highlighting any defects that have been found and also give an opinion on both their cause and significance.

France Surveys provides pre-purchase surveys and is fully qualified under the French system, complying with a strict code of professional conduct. Reports are written in English making it easier for our clients to understand any issues identified during the survey.

For more information on pre-purchase surveys or our other services phone 09 83 53 15 56 or email [email protected].

09/09/2015

FOR MOST homeowners, having to deal with Asbestos, Termites and Lead in your house is not something that we are used to tackling…. but for a Diagnostic Immobilier, it is part of our daily work and we can produce a report that will help ensure that your property sale goes as smoothly as possible.

A French home buyer’s report must include a diagnostic test which covers six areas: asbestos, lead, energy performance (DPE energy performance), termites, gas and electricity. What’s more, this report must be produced for both the sale and renting of a property. In the case of termites, this is not compulsory in all areas of France due to the localised nature of the problem.
Asbestos (amiante in French) was used in buildings for many years and the purpose of our reports is to clearly state whether or not it is safe.

It’s our job to collect the required information for a property and we are able to provide reports within 48 hours – for the Seller, this enables them to understand the condition of their home quickly and in the vast majority of cases, it will give them the reassurance they need. When a problem is identified however, we can give advice on a potential solution.

Although many of our clients are fluent French speakers, we appreciate that the most are not… therefore all of our reports are translated into English, are valid to the point of sale and are certified by accredited technicians.

In all cases, we are here to help deal with any queries before or during the house sale process… so give us a call on 09 83 53 15 56 to discuss further or email [email protected].

23/07/2015

Choosing the right kind of lighting to brighten your home, whether you are looking for ceiling lights, wall lamps or other forms of illuminations, is important to ensure you create the ambience you are seeking. The French word for lighting or illumination is éclairage; you can use this word and add others depending upon whether the lighting is automatic, wall lighting and so on...

20/07/2015

http://www.completefrance.com/living-in-france/real-life/5_tips_for_renovating_a_property_in_france_1_3992327 Some good tips here. We should however add that before you buy you should undertake a pre-purchase survey... ours are available in both French and English. Click on our website for more details.

Expats David and Elaine Morgan successfully renovated a property in Aveyron, they share their tips on how to make a property renovation run smoothly in France

20/07/2015

Yes indeed. France is a great place to live, as well as to visit...

As France, the world's most visited country, celebrates Bastille Day, we ask why it is so loved

16/07/2015

Today we thought we'd share photos of the area around Sarlat, a remainder why many people choose to buy property in this area.

Les dernières plus belles photos Instagram de et du avec quelques photos de et

Nous vous attendons nombreux sur notre compte Instagram

Merci aux auteurs des photos qui nous ont autorisé à les publier ici.

Sources :
1 https://instagram.com/p/4ZcESFmEiK/?taken-by=pingus47
2 https://instagram.com/p/4YwmxTqwp0/?taken-by=moodslifestyle
3 https://instagram.com/p/zfIb-PoL7N/?taken-by=manu.delpech
4 https://instagram.com/p/4BgJE9IL0j/?taken-by=manu.delpech
5 https://instagram.com/p/4eM6unHiP0/?taken-by=nita7000
6 https://instagram.com/p/3O_3yvlHo8/?taken-by=kentochmervel
7 https://instagram.com/p/4opjWljkKj/?taken-by=jessecooper_92
8 https://instagram.com/p/4l4HPmH9Vl/?taken-by=julgates
9 https://instagram.com/p/sXCZ1pvb0M/?taken-by=robinho21

13/07/2015

Most of France has experienced very dry conditions of late, with little rain and now some restrictions on the use of water in place in parts of the country. Collecting rainwater for the garden is always a good idea throughout the year, and is especially useful for watering the garden during the summer months. The French use the term Récupérateur d'eau de pluie or Cuve (basically a water tank). These can be purchased from most supermarkets, garden centres and many discount stores.