Permis De Construire - External Doors

[DaveH]

This is my first posting to what is definitely the best Forum/Forums on the Net.

OK. Now I've buttered you all up please can you help?

I have looked on the forums and cannot find this theme, but if it is

there then I hope you can go through it again - I'm sure others will

appreciate your considered opinions.

We have a Permis de Construire for the conversion of a barn to a house.

The plan shows the barn door as two large doors essentially as they are

now. Our intention is to replace the two rotting heavy doors with a

lighter wooden construction to look as per plan - BUT -

1. It does not say what materials can be used - Can I use wood, uPVC, metal?

2. It does not say what colour - Can I paint them white, red or stain them?

Our intention is to construct them in three vertical sections, with

concealed hinges in each door so that they can fan fold and take up

less space when open. When closed they will look like the doors on plan.

3. Can I construct them how I like so long as they 'look like' the doors on plan?

We have been told by our mairie that we can 'do what we want' on the

'inside' of our property - SO - We are also intending to place a large

glass screen with glass doors on the INSIDE of the outer wooden doors -

essentially using the outer doors as volets. This would provide an

airtight construction whilst allowing light into the barn/house when

the wooden doors are open.

4. Is this considered 'inside'? Are we allowed to do this?

5. Where does the exterior end and the interior begin - probably the most fundermental question?

6. If we leave the outer wooden doors open and only close them when we

return to UK are we breaking the terms of our Permis? Should they be

closed for a certain amount of time each day to look like the doors on

plan?

The 'house' would be about 200sq m when complete and we are aware that

an architect would be required to change the Permis. We have consulted

our neighbours opposite the doors who have no objections. We are trying

to work within the terms of the Permis but avoid the additional time

and money which would result if the above is considered not

possible under the current PdC.

We intend to visit the mairie to discuss this with him but would like your opinions first.

We look forward to your comments and thank you in advance.

DaveH

[Val_2]

We did such a job last year for a client and the DDE sent the clients forms to fill in with the exact nature,type and colour of all materials to be used after the initial PdeC was passed. They also sent an inspector to check on the surroundings to make sure they were going to blend in as it was in the countryside with no neighbours. I suggest you contact them as they override the local mairie on planning decisions but as you are going to have to employ a french registered architect then HE should be doing all this for you anyway as part of the project.