French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED

French Reno Diaries - Rants & Bants! (The one where the dream meets French paperwork)

Win a château? Sounds dreamy. Until you realise you might also need a business plan, a visa renewal strategy and enough income to satisfy the prefecture. In this Rants & Bants episode, Sue, Rosie and Micala chat about the Win a Château TV show, the realities of post-Brexit life in France, language requirements, titre de séjour delays and yet another heated Facebook debate about décennale insurance. It’s lighter than our chunky episodes, but if you’re renovating or planning to move to France, there are some important realities woven in. As always, we’ve pulled together the key points on our website if you’d like to revisit anything - www.frenchrenodiaries.comResources mentionedChâteau DIY: Win a Château – Channel 4 spin-off competition showThe Connexion – English-language publication covering expat legal issues in FranceCAPEB – French trade body representing building professionalsMini glossaryDécennale – 10-year structural insurance required for artisansPréfecture – Regional administrative authority handling residency mattersTitre de séjour – Residency cardDCEM – Travel document for minors residing in FrancePompe à chaleur – Heat pumpRaccordement – Connection/fitting (e.g. around a Velux window)SMIC – French minimum wage threshold used for visa income assessmentsConnect:Facebook | InstagramSubscribe to the newsletter: www.frenchrenodiaries.comEmail: frenchrenodiaries@gmail.comFind out more about us and our French reno businesses:Maison Bretagne (Rosie Ellis)S.R. Charpenterie (Sue Peake-Russell)Paul Wilkins Electricien (Micala Wilkins)Credits:• Produced & mixed by: Katy Wright• Music: Grand Project

How to be a good client (and get the best out of your artisan)

What makes a French renovation project run smoothly? And what quietly destroys trust between a homeowner and their artisan? In this episode, we reveal the secret to being a good client in France - and what it's fair to expect from your artisan. From communication and paperwork to boundaries, payment terms and unrealistic deadlines, we share what actually helps a project succeed (and what makes trades walk away). If you’re renovating in France and want better results, fewer delays and a more positive working relationship, this episode is essential listening. We’ve also pulled together the key takeaways on our website if you’d like to revisit them.Resources mentioned:Artisan Central – Trade mentoring and marketing platformOBAT – French quoting and invoicing software for building tradesPenny Lane – Accounting software used by French businessesQualibat / RGE – French certification bodies for building professionalsMini glossary:Devis – Formal written quote (legally binding once signed)Facture – InvoiceDécennale – Mandatory 10-year building insuranceSIRET number – Official French business registration numberRGE – Government-recognised environmental certification for tradesAvenant – Written amendment to an existing quoteConnect with us!Facebook | InstagramEmail: frenchrenodiaries@gmail.comMaison Bretagne (Rosie Ellis)S.R. Charpenterie (Sue Peake-Russell)Paul Wilkins Electricien (Micala Wilkins)Credits:• Produced & mixed by: Katy Wright• Music: Grand Project

French Reno Diaries - Rants & Bants! (The one where Micala gets nostalgic about Burger King)

In this Rants & Bants episode (our shorter, more spontaneous, but always - okay, mostly - reno focused chats), we get all het up about everything from being ghosted after sending detailed quotes, to Facebook “expert” opinions on pricing, to the realities of buying and flipping property in today’s French property market. Most importantly though, we discuss Mr Kipling cakes and Burger King. Plus, the chic brackets we're importing from Poland...Resources mentioned:The Connexion – English-language newspaper covering French news and current affairsLeroy Merlin – Major French DIY and renovation retailerBrico Dépôt – Budget building supplies chain in FranceCastorama – DIY and home improvement retailerCauston – Decorative hardware and electrical fittings supplierMini glossary:Devis – A formal, legally binding quoteArtisan – Registered tradespersonAttestation d’assurance – Proof of insurance certificateMarchand de Bien – Property trader who buys, renovates and resellsTaxe foncière – Annual French property ownership taxConnect:Facebook | Instagram Subscribe to the newsletter: www.frenchrenodiaries.com Email: frenchrenodiaries@gmail.comFind out more about us and our French reno businesses: Maison Bretagne (Rosie Ellis) S.R. Charpenterie (Sue Peake-Russell) Paul Wilkins Electricien (Micala Wilkins)Credits: • Produced & mixed by: Katy Wright • Music: Grand Project

Planning a dream, not a nightmare: Everything you need to know about planning permits before renovating in France!

Planning rules can make or break a French renovation. So, in this episode, we unpack how planning permits in France actually work, why the mairie should always be your first stop - and what can go wrong if it isn’t!If you’re renovating (or thinking about buying) property in France, this episode will help you avoid expensive mistakes, delays and legal headaches. We’ve also pulled the key concepts, definitions and resources together in written form on our website, so you can revisit the details whenever you need to.*** www.frenchrenodiaries.com ***Resources mentioned in the episodeService-Public – Official French government guidance on planning and permitsLocal mairie – First point of contact for planning rules and applicationsPLU (Plan Local d’Urbanisme) – Local planning framework for each communeGéoportail – National mapping tool showing zoning, flood risk and boundariesMini glossary: French planning termsPLU (Plan Local d’Urbanisme) – Local planning rules set by the communeDéclaration Préalable (DP) – Simplified planning permission for certain worksPermis de Construire – Full planning permission for larger projectsCertificat d’Urbanisme (CU) – Document confirming development rightsBâtiments de France (ABF) – Authority overseeing protected and historic areasAffichage de permis – Mandatory on-site display of planning approvalConnect:Facebook | InstagramSubscribe to the newsletter: www.frenchrenodiaries.com Email: frenchrenodiaries@gmail.comFind out more about us and our French reno businesses:Maison Bretagne (Rosie Ellis)S.R. Charpenterie (Sue Peake-Russell)Paul Wilkins Electricien (Micala Wilkins)Credits:Produced & mixed by: Katy WrightMusic: Grand Project

French Reno Diaries - Rants & Bants! (The one where Rosie slips on her Riot Women shoes)

What are you really paying for when you hire an artisan in France? Why do two quotes for the same work look so different? How much profit do artisans make on renovation work? If you're asking yourself (or Google) these questions, you'll find all the answers here!In this Rants & Bants episode, Rosie, Sue and Micala talk openly about the realities of running trade businesses in France - and what homeowners often misunderstand about how those businesses work (spoiler: we’re not milking you for all you’re worth and driving around in Ferraris). We also hear about Sue's upcoming adventure in Kenya, where she’ll be building a mud hut for a family. Please consider supporting the project via Sue’s Just Giving page - even the smallest contribution will help provide tools, classroom resources, hot meals, and support for families who have so little.👂If the money-talk in this episode grabbed your attention, make sure you listen to Episode #2 Why budgets blow: The brutal truth about renovation costs in France.Resources mentioned in the episodeNasio Trust – UK charity supporting communities in Kenya through housing and education projectsFacebook expat and renovation groups – places where renovation questions are often asked (and misinformation spreads)Riot Women (BBC One) – TV series about women finding their voice later in lifeMini glossary (for new renovators in France)Devis – a formal written quote for worksArtisan – a qualified tradesperson operating in FranceTVA – French VAT BTP – ‘Bâtiment et travaux publics’ (the French construction and public works sector)ConnectFacebook | InstagramSubscribe to the newsletter: www.frenchrenodiaries.com Email: frenchrenodiaries@gmail.comMaison Bretagne (Rosie Ellis)S.R. Charpenterie (Sue Peake-Russell)Paul Wilkins Electricien (Micala Wilkins)