new build

[Helmarion]

Has anyone any experiance of a new build ? My husband who is a registered builder would like to build a new house but does not want to employ a company to do it can you buy off the peg plans and manage it all yourself any comments would be helpful thankyou.

[moos]

Hello there. I don't know if this is much help, as we haven't yet got very far, with our new-build.  But, yes, you can do it yourself, and there are lots of french websites and self-building forums to give advice, if your french is ok for that. We wanted to go down the eco-build route using timber frame and straw bales, and  did the preliminary designs ourselves, then talked to the village carpenter who recommended an architect to draw up the plans. This has been fantastically valuable, since as well as getting the "permis de construire"  he's also made some brilliant ammendments, and drawn up very precise plans for the construction details, to send out for quotes.. We are going to manage the project ourselves, (encouraged by the architect, who's not at all phased by two women wanting to take this on)  We're going to do the straw-bale infill , and part of the masonry.  One  thing to bear in mind is that as "maitre d'ouvrage" you have to fork out heavily for insurance of the chantier. We haven't got to that , so can't say more about it as yet!  If you want to do something a bit out of the ordinary,  I strongly recommend getting an architect. 

Good luck. It's really exciting, as well as nerve-wracking!.