Some Progress

A period of preparation is beginning to come to an end and the hard work will soon commence.

As noted in the last posting we have had to do a bit of research around the issue of an architect - it's a matter of costs, but when was it anything other for building projects?? The result of our efforts is that we have engaged a Scottish architect who is resident in France and therefore knows the demand of planning regulations and the expectations that the 'authorities' have. I shall meet with him at the house at the end of February to sort out what we want to do to the house so that he can draw the plans and make the submission for the Permis de Construire and also for the installation of the the Fosse Septique. He has indicated that he will submit these plans by mid March and the reasonable expectation is that we shall be able to proceed two months from that date. We shall see!

I've also acquired a caravan which I shall be towing to the house in time for the meeting with the architect. This will allow me to stay on site and start the clearance of the debris, weeding the courtyard at the front, sorting out the provision of electricity, telephone and water supplies and possibly the repair of the roof. The latter might just require the Permis de Construire to be agreed prior to starting though I am hoping that this won't be the case. We'll know better once we have talked with the Maire as part of this first meeting.

So very soon I shall be donning my French beret under my hard hat and setting about the first stages in the project to restore the house to a habitable state. Because of the lack of internet connexion and the lack of power this may be the last posting until mid April when I return to the UK, it depends on whether I feel moved to use an internet cafe to report the latest position. So read and then imagine me in my little caravan in deepest France wrestling with French bureaucracy and attempting to keep warm.