Travaux or Construire?

[The Templars<P><STRONG><SUP><EM>Templar<EM><SUP><STRONG><P]

We are planning on some internal modifications to our habitable property but are unsure as to whether we require a permis de construire or a declaration de travaux.

Firstly, the only access to our upstairs bedroom is currently by loft ladder so we are going to have a staircase installed by a registered French carpenter.

Secondly, our large open plan bedroom is going to be divided up in to two bedrooms by the carpenter by using pannelling and a door.

Are we required to speak to the Mairie about these changes and apply for permission or do we simply inform the local tax office of these changes? There will be no other structural changes made.

 

[sophie.b]

Talk to your mairie as they will be able to tell you what their preference is.

However, from experience here (the Limousin), if you're doing work that changes the rentable value of your house (and creating extra bedrooms probably would!), even if your work doesn't change the exterior of your property you need to do the full declaration de travaux.

[The Templars<P><STRONG><SUP><EM>Templar<EM><SUP><STRONG><P]

Thanks for that advice. It is as I expected.

[Gyn_Paul]

Of course the Mairie will give you the definative answer, however, if you are simply sub-dividing an existing bedroom you aren't adding to the tax-liable living area, are you?

Mind you, if your access to the 'bedroom' is by a sort of loft ladder, the odds are that this is currently (in tax terms, you understand) not a habitable area.

My Mairie told me that I can replace the ladder/loft hatch access to our boarded loft with a staircase but would need permission to add velux windows.

paul

[The Templars<P><STRONG><SUP><EM>Templar<EM><SUP><STRONG><P]

The bedroom is simply being subdivided in to two so I suppose, yes, the 'living area' remains the same but I understand that the rentable value would increase as the property will then change from a one bedroom to a two bedroom therefore the local tax would surely increase. The house is classified as habitable even though access to the bedroom is by loft ladder. The Mairie will be the definitive answer.

Thanks for the help.

[Coco]

We recently had to apply for a permis de construire as we are converting the barn adjoining our house into habitable space.  However, when talking to our Maire about it, we mentioned that we thought we would need an architect as the final surface area would be in excess of 170 sq metres.  She immediately suggested just applying to convert the ground floor and putting veluxes in the roof (so it would appear to be a huge double storey room) to keep it under the thresshold, and then doing the first floor afterwards.  Her reasoning being, that once we had permission to turn the barn into a habitable area we were entitled to do anything we liked internally, without asking permission from anyone.  All she did say was that we would have to advise the tax people afterwards about how many new rooms we had created.

[The Templars<P><STRONG><SUP><EM>Templar<EM><SUP><STRONG><P]

Thanks. Our barn/garage will be next in line so that is worth bearing in mind.

[Val_2]

I've just been to see a neighbouring maire about a conversion of an outbuilding which has a CU certificate but never used for habitation,for a client. Unfortunately because the internal measurements for the bedrooms and bathroom are well in excess of the 20m² rule, the full Permis de Construire will be required and the work will be subject to full 19,6% TVA and not 5,5% as it is regarded as a new build even though the shell is old. Remember this if your finances are tight as 14% extra to find is a lot of money.