Apartment and House Renovation : Architectural Firm

When our clients want to secure their construction budget, especially for a significant project, we recommend starting the design phase by creating detailed plans for the property (existing plan, project plan, demolition/construction plan, electrical plan, materials plan). These plans allow us to agree on a clear project roadmap that has been co-created between the client and the architect. They enable us to draft the specifications while taking into account the specific needs of the property, as we have all the measurements (amount of paint, number of outlets, brands, tile references, flooring, etc.). 'What is well conceived is clearly expressed,' and the more rigorous the project framing, the more it reflects in the success of the project.

In the context of the new legislation on building energy performance, the authorities aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the French real estate sector by 40% by 2030. After freezing rents for housing units considered as thermal strainers in 2022, measures are being specified for properties rated G, F, and E by 2023, 2028, and 2034. Undoubtedly, by the specified deadlines, these properties cannot be rented out for more than 4 months per year.

To counteract this issue, our architects primarily focus on :

• The insulation of the walls with particular attention to addressing thermal bridges.
• The controlled mechanical ventilation hygro B (CMVH).
• Replacing the windows (double glazing with argon gas), to which adjustable humidity-sensitive ventilation grilles are attached on the windows of dry rooms.
• The dry inertia electric heating system (when we are not in the case of a condominium where heating is collective).

A multitude of other options exist in addition to the aforementioned elements (heat pumps, solar panels, etc.).

The new DPE legislation has the consequence of creating new opportunities in the rental market in particular. It also underpins two issues on which actors like us must act: poor housing and the associated public health issues.

Choosing the right craftsman is a job for experts. From our side, our firm refuses to resort to conducting tenders for every project proposal. Indeed, working with quality requires that there be pre-existing trust between the architect and the craftsman, and that this relationship of trust is factual. This is how we have developed our network of partners throughout France. These are companies that handle all aspects of construction and accompany us on the 1000+ projects we carry out each year. Their insurance and guarantees are verified on a daily basis. We limit as much as possible the intervention of multiple companies on the sites for scheduling and organizational fluidity reasons.

The design deadlines for a project vary depending on the scope of the project. On average, it takes a maximum of 3 weeks between the first visit, the creation of the 5 plans, and the drafting of the specifications by the architect. As for the construction phase, several variables need to be considered: what is the size of the property? What ergonomic/logistic constraints are there for the artisans? What work needs to be done? It is up to the architect, based on the uniqueness of each project, to establish a clear schedule that the collaborating companies must follow. It should be noted that there is still time to be respected in the construction process: different trades have deadlines to meet (e.g., drying times), which justifies that, for consistency, their interventions must be sequenced. Finally, for a turnkey project (including furnishing & decoration), it takes 3 months for a studio/T2. For buildings (6 to 7 units), on average 6 months depending on the size of the units. Administrative phases may also be involved in some projects: submission of building permit applications, requests for subsidies, creation of meters, etc.

There are various grants available for energy renovation, with the most famous being the one provided by the National Housing Agency (ANAH). This grant depends on your taxable income and household composition and requires that you have the work done by a Recognized Guarantor of the Environment (RGE) company. Additionally, the general tax code provides for a reduced VAT rate of 5.5% for carpentry expenses, regardless of the quality of the company carrying out the work. Apart from these, there are also grants available under the Energy Saving Certificates (CEE) scheme, which are paid by companies recognized as polluting. Furthermore, there are other grants available, but their eligibility criteria may vary depending on the local authorities in the area where you purchased the property. Municipalities, departments, and regions may offer different schemes based on their political priorities.

We always work in pairs to ensure project continuity in case one of the stakeholders is unavailable.

This is why our clients' contacts are the architect and the technical sales representative they interacted with at the beginning of the project. All our sales representatives are renovation experts by training (structural engineers, energy efficiency engineers, etc.).