Renovating a House Whilst Living in It - Our French Renovation, The Good Life

There is an amazing choice of houses in rural France. You can buy habitable houses from less than 20,000 euros and I know of at least 5 abandoned Chateau's in need of restoration just a stone's throw from here. I'm not going to tell you how much we paid for our large 4 bedroom farmhouse but we could not re-new our average family hatchback for what we paid.
We have an acre of garden, a small lake, a barn and a little patch of woodland.
It had been uninhabited since the 1990's and was basically off grid. There was only well water, no sewage and the 1940's electrics had been disconnected decades ago. What it did have was massive amounts of charm and a rich history.
In rural France, many of these buildings are simply left to crumble, as the time and expense to restore them exceeds their worth. Even when finished; if done incorrectly; they can be significantly more expensive to run than their modern equivalents.
Our house would have been built from granite from the underlying land, trees from the forest and bricks from a nearby yard. As with many farmhouses there are virtually no foundations and the people that built this house were probably from the community with only limited building knowledge.
When you buy a house in France, unless you specifically pay extra, you don't get a structural surveyors report. They simply aren't common. The only fallback you really have is a few lightweight reports, for instance about lead paint. Unlike some house purchases, when buying a renovation project you will not get a electrical report because it's usually disconnected, there's often not a water report, or a efficiency rating report, a septic tank report because it's decades out of service etc. You'll only get them on a walk in home.
We looked at over 60 houses. I did more research on buying French houses than I did for my degree, if you are at all unsure, take a builder with you during your viewing, one that knows old French houses.
Old houses can present a myriad of challenges, such as outdated electrical systems, plumbing issues, or structural problems. A comprehensive plan and budget of the work needed on a house is vital when making a choice of which house to buy. Most of the materials we needed to fix this particular house were relatively cheap, what did cost us was the labour and some of the skills are fairly specialized to France and in particular to this region.
Now, you maybe asking why the move to rural France, as this all seems like a lot of hard work. The answer is simple, it's a incredibly slow, stress free pace of life and the local people are amazingly friendly. We have made so many new friends it's unbelievable. In summer, we can sit on the bench by our lake, watch the dragonflies, frogs, herons, kingfishers, fish and ducks. It's simply magical. We do miss a good campfire though....
The natural beauty surrounding our home is absolutely amazing. If you are an avid walker or you have a dog, you will be in your element. This area is known as the land of a thousand lakes. We always promised to each other that weekends were for exploring and relaxing. There are always markets and fairs and plenty of chateaux to see, the wildlife and birds around you changes on a daily basis.
Our advice to anyone starting a project like this is KIS. Keep It Simple. Old, houses were built with traditional materials, using simple skills and good old fashioned hard work. Nothing too high tech. The further you stray from this, the more your budget will wander. On the flip side, old houses are very cold and drafty, so try to stuff every nook and cranny with insulation, whilst sealing every draft you can find, as that will pay off exponentially. Investing in double glazing and insulating in our bedroom will pay off financially within the first 3 months of installation.
Our advice to anyone planning on looking at a renovation property would be don't jump at the first property you see, but it's a leap worth making. It is however very easy to go wrong, as some properties will be money pits. Do your homework or take a builder if you're at all unsure. If you are getting external contractors to do the work, get multiple quotes and make sure they have the right paperwork and insurance.
Luckily for us, although not everything has gone to plan, nothing has actually gone wrong. We have no timescales, so nothing has been lost.
Good luck to everyone planning to take on a renovation adventure.
#RenovateInFrance #RenovatingInFrance #RenovatingInRuralFrance #RenovateFrenchFarmhouse #FrenchFarmhouseRenovation #FrenchCountrysideEscape #FrenchCountryLiving #EscapeToRuralFrance #EscapeToTheCountryside #ChateauRestorationChallenge #ChateauGetaway #RuralFranceLiving #RuralFranceEscape
#RuralRetreats #RusticFrenchHomes #AbandonedCottageRenovation #OldHouseRestorationFrance #HabitatRenovation #CharmingCottages

[@coletteellerton1840]

We have watched you from the start and are amazed at how far you have both came by pure hard work and determination

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

Just had a bit of a break, but getting back into it again.

[@maxinepearce4909]

Your living the Good Life, enjoy.

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

Thank you!

[@rosannehart7325]

What a super vlog. One of the best things was your suggestion to do one room at a time. I love the fact that you mentioned so many things which I would never have thought of. Especially having a clean room to go to at night. You should both be proud of all that you have accomplished. Have a great week.

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

Thanks so much. Our pleasure.

[@luminyam6145]

I love your idea of doing one room at a time. Much easier on the nerves and the budget.💖

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

Yes! Thank you!

[@woodsew]

I am really enjoying your vlog! You are real about what you are doing!

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@auntytutu]

You two deserve The Good Life🏠🌳❤

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

Thank you. We've just had a bit of time off.

[@charmees6637]

I’m glad you have a lot of positives living where you are. I love the quality of life in rural France. The wild life, land, markets, Brocantes, fresh produce, bakeries, cafes and restaurants. Thank you for all the information about buying a house in France and renovation tips are so interesting. Loves this video

[@carolmarshall6106]

Sadly its too late for me and my husband to take the leap so watching you guys lets me feel a part of your new life.Wishing you both health and happiness for 2024.xx

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

Thank you and best wishes

[@tracybush8115]

Glad you're both so content with life and willing to share your wisdom. Happy New Year.

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

Best change of life we could have ever done.

[@SindyBoyle]

An inspirational video, telling us how it is warts an' all with a dash of wonderment and adventure thrown in. Can't wait to see the next instalment. Happy and productive New Year to both of you.

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

It might sound a bit of a drag at times, but we were having the time of our lives.

[@alanseviour7346]

You are both doing well,good luck to you. Wishing you both a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

Thanks so much

[@user-es2iz6wh8l]

We just love your vlogs!! ❤.. we are new to your channel and you guts are both such an inspiration!! We have just purchased a place in Chaillac (36) .. we have the keys now and have been wondering where on earth do we start with restoring it to its former glory!! 🙈 ???!!!! Thankyou for all your good tips and advise!! 👍.... so let the fun & adventures begin 😅 ❤

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

You'll soon find your feet. We didn't have the first clue either. Don't let any task overwhelm you as there is no job on a house that hasn't been done a thousand times before. Often the jobs can be done with the simplest of tools and not everything has to be done with the latest high tech methods. Somethings stand back and think, how would my granddad have done it, and work forward from there. High tech will be out of date in ten years. I'm not saying don't use High Tech, because in places we are, I'm just saying pick and chose.

[@user-es2iz6wh8l]

Thankyou for your reply.. taking the time from your busy day.. much appreciated 😊

[@frenchfarmhouserenovation71]

Good advice guys we are about to embark on a new project in SW France after having a holiday home in the NE many years in which we renovated. You are quite right about doing one room at a time to prevent costs spiralling out of control. Great vlog love watching. Have a great New Year♥

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

You're love France. We looked at endless properties in that area. I cycled around northern France since I was a teenager. I know it very well. Good luck with your renovations.

[@TheFalloffalot]

Merry Christmas from the fellow "Siemens guy" Hope you are both keeping warm and well?😊

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

We're both absolutely fab. Hope you have an Amazing 2024!

[@777tiswas]

Your description of living there is so right. We have a place in Normandy, planning a permanent move there next year. Good luck and keep having a good life.

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

Moving to France permanently is the best decision we have made. Good luck with your move over :)

[@777tiswas]

Thanks for the reply, good luck for your future

[@maisonjournals6007]

Great vlog, with some great advice, thanks for sharing xx

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

You are so welcome!

[@neridamoore7635]

Could you tell us a little about your story, what made you move to France, what you did before you moved here etc. would love to know if you havent already shared

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

Mandy's Dad and Mark's Mum died during Covid. Mark had some fairly serious health problems and was told to slow down. We had both been coming to France regularly since being teenagers. We cashed everything in and took a couple years out to renovate a house ready for retirement.

[@LimousinLife]

Happy new year to you both, and very nice job done. Can i ask,would you recommend that evolution sawbench btw, coming across in January and going to buy a sawbench. Anyway, please keep up the KZbin, and may your algorithms be good.

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

I've had many Evolution tools, as a brand I really recommend them. Sawbench wise, mine was a second hand bargain, If buying again I'd go for the next model up.

[@jeojeo9393]

You can see day light coming through the roof ... not good 🙁

[@milyk9448]

My husband and I could consider to move to south of France but we are worried we are too old. We are not pensioners yet. I am fluent in french and husband speaks a bit.What would be the problems for middle-aged folks? Is it easy to find simple jobs at that age?

[@ourfrenchrenovation]

We don't work and our visa's prevent us from working. There are plenty of facebook groups for advice. e.g. facebook.com/groups/jobsinfrance. French in rural areas is almost essential. Knowledge of tax rules is a problem, so you'll need help at first. There is high unemployment in rural areas and jobs do go to local French speakers first. Therefore, you'll probably need your own business.