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Cost per sqm for renovating a sous-sol


Richardk
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As I understand it the cost per metre squared for new build is somewhere between 1,200 to 1,500 euros. Does anyone have a feel for the cost when converting a sous-sol to habitable space? We're interested in the concept but would like to understand the financial side a little more.

Assuming you are paying someone to do this, does it make little difference to the above and hence you're still looking at 1,200 euros or so? Or can we halve that to 600 euros for example?

Any knowledge people can shed on this appreciated. Let's base it on a 100sqm space for ease of calculation.

Thanks,

Richard

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On post 1950s French builds loads of sous sols are deliberately left with enough height for storage, garage etc but not enough head room to be taxed as rooms. If you have to dig out the ground to give you enough height to live there it will be pretty expensive, probably more than the gain in value from the new space unless you are in a major city centre.

The next question is how you will get light and air into the rooms. If the sous sol is in the raised mound created when the house was built it may be easy. If you are digging out sand stone easy but if your house is built in granite hard and expensive work.

If it is built in modern brick or block and is almost above ground then it can be viable. Basement to living room conversions in London really only picked up steam when the typical house price with an unconverted basement reached say £ 300,000. However sous sol to living may be easier in France.

Not sure if that helps

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Thanks for that. The particular case in point here is:

* 3 sides are entirely above ground level

* of the remaining 1 side, some is above, some isn't

* height is about 2.2 metres, certainly enough for a room although a little lower than normal

* the house is modern, about 15 to 20 years old

* no digging out required, simply sectioning the area out into rooms, putting windows and doors in as appropriate and wiring etc...

From what you're saying this is probably a reasonably viable conversion but I'd still appreciate any ballpark guestimation you can give on a per square metre cost.

Thanks,

Richard

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Just spent about 8,000 euros on 40 square metres of kitchen dinning room BUT that was materials only except for ready mix for the floor. Not built down to a price but Euros 4.30 a metre for floor tiles and mixed own tile cement and grout etc. 

At a very broad guess minimum Euros 800 a square metre if you are thinking of employing people to do it. Cost of windows is not the issue it is how the rest of the walls above them stay up until you get lintels in place.

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Anton  -  interesting, many thanks. If we do the project perhaps we'll go down the route of someone else putting the windows in place (+ responsibility for the property falling down....) and then we'll do as much as we can of what's left.

Your input was exactly what I was looking for and much appreciated, so thank you.

Richard

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[quote user="Richardk"]As I understand it the cost per metre squared for new build is somewhere between 1,200 to 1,500 euros. Does anyone have a feel for the cost when converting a sous-sol to habitable space? We're interested in the concept but would like to understand the financial side a little more.

Assuming you are paying someone to do this, does it make little difference to the above and hence you're still looking at 1,200 euros or so? Or can we halve that to 600 euros for example?

Any knowledge people can shed on this appreciated. Let's base it on a 100sqm space for ease of calculation.

Thanks,
Richard
[/quote]

It all depends on what you want to do! We converted our sous-sol which was just concrete block walls, concrete ceiling & floor when we started, but already had windows, which we renewed anyway. Well worth doing to provide for instance an office and a summer kitchen/laundry room - not forgetting the cave de vin as well!

The easiest way is to add up the costs of the materials, which you can price at the local brico, add in 200 euros/day for labour, then add 20% for contingencies. You will have to take a guess at the labour hours, because only you know how much work there is to do!

Peter

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