Why bother with a design or building plan for your renovation project?

Ask yourself an honest question. Would you really try to tackle a stone house or villa renovation project in a foreign country, in a foreign language, in a foreign system, without an accurate plan of works?

Without a detailed plan of works you will lose time, you could lose money, or even be refused any French planning permission you need altogether.

With a thorough renovation building plan you will reduce errors, save time and money and get accurate quotations. With a plan you will get exactly what you want - not what a French builder thinks you want. And there's a big difference, as many have discovered to their cost.

TIP: You have to become a control-freak if you want to avoid costly errors and heartache. Do not be fooled by the sunshine, wine and smiling friendly builders. This is business and your money, and there's no shortage of people who want to part you from it. A building plan is essential backstop, and not a "nice to have".

With your ideas carefully and professionally presented, you’ll be taken seriously by both quality French builders and French planning authorities.

If you’re thinking about a minor refurbishment or a complete renovation project of a stone house or villa, you should think through the importance of having a well produced plan of works before you start. It’s the part that foreign owners forget, often with upsetting costly results.

When you choose PROPLAN from renosud you give your renovation or building project the best chance of succeeding on time and on budget and without arguments, upsets and problems so many people bring upon themselves.

Even small building projects can be unpredictable and difficult to manage without a plan of works. A simple bathroom refurbishment is fraught with potential for error and misunderstanding. Taps in the wrong places, doors hung the wrong way around...the list can go on.

You should consider a PROPLAN in any of the following areas:-

• Anywhere where planning permission is required
• Simple or complex remodelling
• New terraces
• Part or full building renovation
• New kitchens
• New swimming pools
• New bathrooms 

In almost any building works you will need some kind of permission. Your local Mairie (town/village council) will nearly always want to see your ideas or plan in drawn form.

A well presented plan makes a big difference. First impressions do count. Whenever you need planning permission you should consider a PROPLAN however small the job. All PROPLAN projects are priced individually and are affordable, and far less expensive than using a registered French architect, which is costly. The reality is your plan could save you hundreds, or even thousands of pounds in mistakes, set-backs and heartaches.

Your PROPLAN will help you manage your project with confidence from start to finish. Or renosud can manage your total project for you. From start to finish.

What is PROPLAN and what do I get with a renovation building plan?

PROPLAN is a professionally produced building plan that accurately defines your intended project. It is your project in drawn form, produced using professional architectural drafting software.

It tells the builder exactly what you want, right down to where you want the light switches and plugs. Your plan is printed and issued to your contractor/builder as the absolute point of reference for your project. You use it to manage your project, making sure everyone understands exactly what you want, right from the start.

Assumptions about what you want will lie at the heart of most of the possible mistakes that can occur in your project. It is very difficult to explain points of construction with verbal language alone, especially if you do not have specific French building vocabulary.

Your drawn and agreed plan is your insurance policy; if what is built does not match the plan the builder signed, then you have recourse to proof of what was intended. Or better still, with a renovation or works plan you'll avoid all the nasty mistakes and set-backs altogether.

How does it work?

1. Consider the design brief

Firstly, we'll meet with you, or by conference call and internet, to define the design. This is where we will share with you our design ideas & best advice from many different stone house and villa projects. Design is more than just the aesthetic elements. The design has to wok in the real world, and there's a budget to work to. Over the years we've worked on every type of property from old stone houses to villas. Together we can define the very best design for value, style and practical feasibility.

2. Measure your stone property or villa

Next your property is surveyed and measured. Depending on the size of the project we will take all the measurements necessary to re-create your property (or section of your property required) in drawn form. This "existing" layout is used as the basis for the proposed drawing. Your builder/contractor will end up with both before and after plans, which reduces guess-work and generates very accurate quotations because the builder can SEE what changes from existing to proposed. The biggest source of inaccurate quotations and climbing costs is the builders failure to grasp the full nature of the intended works. This is why you must make sure your ideas and intentions are clearly set-out in drawn form.

3. Produce the renovation plans

After a survey of your site, renosud set about creating detailed ‘before and after’ plans to scale, including plans for plumbing elements, electrical layout and floor plan elements. marking every socket, switch and built element clearly and unambiguously. If necessary elevations are included too. Our aim is to make sure that your project is clearly shown in drawn form, with no confusion or assumptions.

• Floor Plans before and after
• Floor by floor, room by room
• Your plan shows exactly what you want
• Dimensions are clearly shown
• Easy to understand elevations and sections
• A4 or A3 printed colour plans
• Plumbing plans
• Separate electrical plans
• Professionally bound
• Plastic laminated versions for use on site
• Everything you and your builder need to understand and manage your project successfully

3-D Visualisations

3-D visualisations of your project convey your exact ideas with precision and perspective. Visualisations reduce errors and misunderstandings as everyone can see what you want and expect. Your plan will include high quality photo-realistic visualisations.

You will be able to see your design and renovation come to life. We can send you a VRML file and a free plug-in so you can walk around your design in 3-D in a simple web browser from the comfort of your own home.

Kitchens & Bathrooms