Cost of building a new house

[Spectrum]

Thanks everyone - tis a lot more complicated than I had thought it would be - we built our garage ourself and thought we could probably do the same with a house but......

This is what me and DW did first years in a caravan, no running water no mains electric, after seven years got water, a year later got mains on, 18 months later got mains disconnected then onto big gennys, got caravan in garage part of house, just interior to do, a genny had a hic up, and burnt the house down . We had a lot of building experience in the UK only renovation and one total re-build a derelict cottage, the DW family was all master masons, and builders, I learnt various trades from them so was confident we could succeed which we did, so much so that the insurance company valued what was left of it higher than we could have dreamed of, and suggested that we should manage the new build, should have taken his advice, I suppose what Iam saying is too many Brits come out with the same idea, the vast majority THINK they know how to build a house, I know at least one qualified carpenter who thought like this his woodworking was good the rest, Iam surprised its not fallen down yet There is no building control in France which was a big surprise allowing anyone who has done Lego to buy some land and build any old house, I could give lots of examples but rabbited on too long. If you are 100% sure you have the ability and the funds to employ pros when you are stuck we wish you luck.

[rsm]

I take issue with your "there is no building control in france " statement. There is building control ,All ERPs( établissements recevant du public) are subjet to them ,usually done by someone like Norisko there is also a set of rules the DTU (document technique unifié )that detail the standard of work.

[Nomoss]

This is what me and DW did first years in a caravan, no running water no mains electric, after seven years got water, a year later got mains on, 18 months later got mains disconnected then onto big gennys, got caravan in garage part of house, just interior to do, a genny had a hic up, and burnt the house down ................

What sort of "gennys" did you have, and who installed them?

[Spectrum]

RSM there are no building control officers in France ie there is no one that comes and check every stage of your build before you do the next stage, I have seen two horrendous house that have been built they were worse than hen houses and rabbit hutches. Nomoss I had two cheap Brico petrol ones for long run times 5/7 hrs they only lasted about six weeks but at just over 100€ if I remember correctly, they did what I need for low power tools etc, I have had three 9kwt diesel gennys over the years, 1000€+ they were all outside and under cover, the last one caught fire, it was two weeks old around it was a few weeks supply of fuel, about 8 gall of petrol and 25gall of red diesel the flames jumped across to the under side of the roof the rest is history.

[rsm]

You are wrong,When hlms are built they are controlled by an outside firm , as I said Norisko or similar.Because you haven't come across them doesn't mean they don't exist.

[exile]

But isn't there a difference between building publicly owned houses and building privately owned ones? I think we may be comparing apples with oranges.

[rsm]

To say that building control doesn't exist is giving an impression that it doesn't exist for any building work whatsoever.There is nothing to stop you paying for your own building to be controlled some do some don't.

[exile]

I think you have muddled Building Control - a legal requirement in the UK - with control of building - which as you say is something you might chose to do - or in the case of public building may/will be required by auditors to ensure that monies spent have been well controlled.

[rsm]

No I haven't ,I have had the guy on my sites checking your work.

[Spectrum]

Well rsm I have built a house in the Uk and every stage had to be checked and signed off by the council building control officer, always remember his name because he wasn't, A Mr T Fussy . In France I have been involved in two new builds, did not have a single person come out to check that I was competent to build a safe and legal structure, commercial buildings could be different never built one so cant comment. I can only speak for my area different departments may have other ideas, if so Iam sorry for tarring them all with the same brush. As said perhaps you are confusing a Project Manager who you employ to make sure that the building complies with the Devis, again not a legal requirement and in my last case a total waste of money.