adadada Posted November 8, 2004 Share Posted November 8, 2004 hi every one , greetings from australia. I am thinking of buying a barn in the limousine area. i will be in europe from jan when I hope to come and do a reccy. My question is what is the worse case scenario in terms of cost for completely renovating a barn with a good roof and walls , but nothing else ie no rooms , no utilities .. nothing. I would not be doing the work myself , and I am wondering how much the whole thing would cost using local labour. I would be really really grateful for advice/ opinions on this. many thanks ada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackadder<IMG src="http:forums.livingfrance.comimagesline.gif"><BR>Blackadder<BR>Keighley and Creuse Posted November 8, 2004 Share Posted November 8, 2004 Ours is 14m x 9 m internally and we were 'quoted' around £80k for a 4 bed, 2 bath, kitchen and 3 reception rooms.So a total of around £100k. How close the that figure it'd be is anyones guess, it seems you think of a number and add 10-100%!The good thing with an empty barn is that there is nothing in it to create problems...i.e that wall needs strengthening/moving etc. Its the old blan canvas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adadada Posted November 8, 2004 Author Share Posted November 8, 2004 ohh!!! so much ok, may be I wont be able to do it all at once. If you dont mind , could I ask , just to turn up and buy the thing how much are we talking for legals etc before I start any renovating? thanks ada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted November 8, 2004 Share Posted November 8, 2004 Work on the theory that the purchase price is roughly 18-20% of the overall cost of renovations. Remember France is expensive for workmen and materials. I would also add on another note that should you find a suitable property, you do not take the word of the agent or even the notaire,but check with the local mairie first that the building will receive authorisation to be renovated. There are many new regulations in force now that you could end up with a white elephant only fit for agricultural use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adadada Posted November 8, 2004 Author Share Posted November 8, 2004 oh my good ness, and i cant remember a word of o level french!! ada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill3<P>Jill3<P><P><a target=_blank href="http:www.france-on-line.info" target=_blank>www.france-on-line.info<A><P><P> <P><P> <P> Posted November 8, 2004 Share Posted November 8, 2004 Hi,Message in pm for you.You really need to look around, some barns are being sold for more than a renovated house.Good hunting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackadder<IMG src="http:forums.livingfrance.comimagesline.gif"><BR>Blackadder<BR>Keighley and Creuse Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 There are still barns to be had in the Limousin.Ours was 30,000 euros and it had been newly rebuilt with a brand new roof. Structurally it was excellent. No services at all but we had a clause in the initial purchase stating we required a certificate d'urbanise.We paid 30,000 euros which was around £19000 at the time, plus about £1000 notaires fees, fixed by the state and £200 for the translator, a local ex pat.Then we had an Englsih architect do some rough ideas sketches and paid £120 cash, took these to a french architect ( we speak no french, he spoke no english) and got across exactly what we wanted. After a few to'ings and fro'ings of the plans, the finals were submitted and approved without any problem. Cost was around £1600 all in.We used a local architect as he knew the mairie, the area and would know what would be approved and what wouldn't. The locals see you using local people and putting into the local economy, must make a differance. What you have to look at is that after maybe £80000 or £100000 incl purchase cost you will have a 3/4 or 5 bed property with large grounds, irrelevant what its worth, its your home. In England you'd pay 3 or 4 times that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adadada Posted November 9, 2004 Author Share Posted November 9, 2004 black adder, thanks that is really helpful. Might I be so rude to ask what you did about finance?, how did you pay for the rennovations? did you have the capital ? Im considering whether to get a mortgage for something completed or to do the whole thing slowly.I would appreciate your advice ada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 [quote]hi every one , greetings from australia. I am thinking of buying a barn in the limousine area. i will be in europe from jan when I hope to come and do a reccy. My question is what is the worse case sc...[/quote]Hi AdaI discussed this question with a French builder who said , if the building is made of traditional random stonework, you could base the price on euro 1,500 per square metre. This conversation took place in July 2004. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 I think you have to be in love with the location / views from the site for it to be finacially viable versus a new build. Compare and contrast installing French windows in a barn with a metre thick stone wall and simply leaving the space for a window in a new breeze block or red brick wall.We have been looking at new builds from commercial developers at substantially less than the 1500 euros quoted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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