Buying property in France: renovation and ongoing costs

The reason why many Britons use British labourers/craftsmen is because they charge less than French ones. However, there are disadvantages. If the British labourers ignore French rules, then insurance can be invalidated (British electricians, for example, are unlikely to understand the illogical laws regarding ring mains). The French will not allow bills from non-French companies to be offset against Capital Gains Tax (more about this later). It should be noted that the buyer needs to be very careful who s/he employs.  Tales of rogue builders are legion. A good tradesman will always be proud to give references. Take them up. 

Always, always, always keep all receipts for everything to do with renovation.

As mentioned above, when buying property in France, the buyer commonly underestimates the cost of renovation. Often seriously so. If you are not perfectly clear and complete in the description of the work that needs doing, preferably in writing, it is unlikely that the builder will understand what you want and cost it properly.

You should find out the rates for the property and the cost of the services. Add to these the fact that you will probably need to hire a gardener to look after the garden in your absence. You may also wish to employ the services of a property company to check the place at regular intervals, and perhaps to deal with the bills. The estate agent you deal with should have information about local services.