By KiwiAdmin2016 Construction • Renovation 0 Comments

Top tips for adding a conservatory or extension to your French home 🏡🛠️

Adding a conservatory or extension to your French home can be a delightful project, enhancing both living space and property value. Here are some top tips to make the process smooth and enjoyable!

  1. Research Local Regulations 📜 Start by understanding local planning regulations. French authorities often have specific guidelines for extensions to ensure architectural harmony. Check with your local municipality to avoid legal complications.
  2. Architectural Harmony 🏛️ Blend your extension with the existing architecture. French homes often boast charming aesthetics; replicate the style to maintain a cohesive look that complements the original structure.
  3. Choose Quality Materials 🛠️ Opt for materials that withstand the French climate. High-quality windows, durable roofing, and weather-resistant materials will ensure your conservatory stands the test of time.
  4. Prioritize Natural Light ☀️ Embrace the essence of a conservatory by maximizing natural light. Consider large windows or even a glass roof to create a bright, airy space that seamlessly integrates with the surrounding landscape.
  5. Energy Efficiency 🌿 France values eco-friendly practices. Invest in energy-efficient windows and insulation to keep the space comfortable year-round. It not only aligns with sustainability but also reduces long-term energy costs.
  6. Landscaping Synergy 🌳 Plan your extension with the surrounding landscape in mind. Ensure the transition from indoor to outdoor is smooth, possibly incorporating a garden or terrace that complements the new space.
  7. Functional Design 🪞 Consider the purpose of the extension. Whether it’s a cozy reading nook or a spacious dining area, design with functionality in mind. French homes often emphasize the connection between indoor and outdoor living.
  8. Professional Guidance 🏢 Engage with local architects and builders who understand the nuances of French construction. Their expertise can be invaluable, ensuring your extension adheres to local building codes and aesthetic norms.
  9. Budget Wisely 💰 Set a realistic budget. While adding a conservatory is an investment, it’s essential to balance your dreams with financial constraints. Prioritize elements that add the most value to your lifestyle and property.
  10. Enjoy the Process 🎉 Lastly, enjoy the journey! Building an extension can be a rewarding experience. Take the time to appreciate the progress and the transformation of your French home into a more spacious and beautiful haven.

Kiwi Construction delivers professional expertise, exceptional customer service and quality construction to all its’ clients covering the Biarritz, the Pays Basque and Landes departments.

Contact :

Grant & Joeline Norris

+33 (0) 6 03 18 53 31

grant.norris@wanadoo.fr

https://www.kiwiconstruction.fr/         

#renovation #France #artisans #buyingpropertyinfrance #landes #paysbasque #holidayhomes #bearn #landes #multidisciplined #inhouse

By KiwiAdmin2016 Renovation 0 Comments

Top tips for renovating your bathroom

Renovating your bathroom can be a thrilling adventure, but it’s essential to tackle it with the right strategy. 🚿💫 Here are some key tips to make your bathroom renovation a success:

  1. Budget Wisely: Determine your renovation budget upfront. 📊 This will help you make choices that align with your financial limits and prioritize where to invest.
  2. Plan Ahead: Devise a detailed plan encompassing layout changes, fixtures, colors, and materials. 📝 Consider plumbing, electrical work, and permits to ensure a smooth process.
  3. DIY or Pro?: Assess your skills honestly. 🛠️ While tasks like painting are DIY-friendly, plumbing and electrical work are better left to experts.
  4. Quality Matters: Invest in durable, top-notch materials for fixtures and tiles. 💎 Though pricier, they pay off long-term by reducing repairs.
  5. Optimize Space: If space is tight, opt for space-saving designs like wall-mounted sinks and shelves. Use light colors to create an illusion of space. 🌈
  6. Light it Up: Nail the lighting game. 💡 Combine ambient, task, and accent lighting for functionality and ambiance. Energy-efficient LEDs are a plus.
  7. Stay Fresh: Ensure good ventilation with an exhaust fan to curb mold growth and maintain air quality. 🌬️
  8. Declutter with Storage: Keep clutter in check with ample storage. 🗄️ Think vanity cabinets, shelves, and hooks.
  9. Go Green: Choose water-efficient fixtures like low-flow toilets and faucets. 🚽💧 It’s environmentally friendly and cost-effective.
  10. Wow Factor: Add a standout element like a stylish vanity, decorative mirror, or unique tile pattern as a focal point. 🌟

Remember, a bathroom renovation demands planning, detail orientation, and patience. By following these tips and sprinkling some enthusiasm, you can transform your bathroom into a functional, delightful space that adds value to your home. 🏡🛁

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Kiwi Construction delivers professional expertise, exceptional customer service and quality construction to all its’ clients covering the Biarritz, the Pays Basque and Landes departments.

Contact :

Grant & Joeline Norris

+33 (0) 6 03 18 53 31

 

grant.norris@wanadoo.fr

https://www.kiwiconstruction.fr/   

By KiwiAdmin2016 Construction • Renovation 0 Comments

How to renovate an older property in France to include remote working solutions

When we think about renovating an older property in France, the first things which usually come to mind will be the kitchens, bathrooms as well as the general living areas. That’s natural, it’s where we spend much of our time, for sure.

However, as work/life patterns change, many more of us are now able to work from home – and therefore it’s well worth thinking about how to include remote working solutions in your renovation project, such as an office or workspace. Older properties are also likely to present unique challenges, so careful planning and attention to detail are essential.

Understanding the potential planning issues is a critical first step.

Adding a new extension or annexe to your older property to create the appropriate amount of office/workspace is one option. Generally speaking, it is possible for homeowners to add an annexe if their property is in agricultural zones, for example[1], although the size of the annexe should be smaller than the existing building attached to it.

Assuming that a planning consent is likely to be successful, you can then think about the design of your home office or workspace area.

Design the renovation with flexibility in mind, allowing for adaptable spaces that can serve both living and working needs. Consider open-plan layouts or movable partitions to create multi-functional areas.

With energy costs continuing to increase, ensuring that the workspace has appropriate insulation and energy efficiency measures is similarly important. If the workspace is within the existing building structure, add insulation to reduce energy costs and create a more comfortable working environment.

Home office working is generally quiet! However if you have a workshop area and regularly use power tools, how to reduce the impact of noise is necessary. Older properties may have thinner walls and floors, making noise an issue. Consider soundproofing solutions such as acoustic panels or insulation to minimize disturbances between living and working spaces.

We hope that this has given you a few ideas, whether it is addition of workspace in an existing structure or planning an annexe or extension. Please get in touch if you wish to discuss further.

Kiwi Construction delivers professional expertise, exceptional customer service and quality construction to all its’ clients covering the Biarritz, the Pays Basque and Landes departments.

Contact :

Grant & Joeline Norris

+33 (0) 6 03 18 53 31

 

grant.norris@wanadoo.fr

https://www.kiwiconstruction.fr/         

[1] https://www.french-property.com/guides/france/building/planning/permission/external-building-works

By KiwiAdmin2016 Design • Renovation 0 Comments

3 things to consider when planning a barn conversion

Converting a rustic barn in rural France is a dream for many.

Barn conversions are ideal for modern, contemporary open plan living, and for enjoying the wonderfully exposed beams, the high vaulted ceilings and the stone construction. They provide homeowners with a blank space to showcase their own creativity and style within an overall design.

 At Kiwi Construction, we enjoy working on barn conversion projects and are sharing a few things to think about before you start:

  1. Planning permission and paperwork. You’ll need to get planning approval first from your local Mairie. This means you will require a permis de construire or a déclaration préable de travaux ; this depends upon the size of the property. Understanding the change of use regulations is key as barn conversions will modify its use as an agricultural building to that of a residential property.

 

The situation of the barn is also important; if it is standalone, planning permission may be difficult. If though it is part of a group of other buildings where there is already a dwelling, consent is more likely. Kiwi can help and we’ve successfully submitted many application on behalf of our customers over the years.

 

  1. Plan your budget. Before buying, undertaking a survey as well as finding out whether you can obtain planning permission is crucial. Conversion costs can be significant: architects’ drawings, allowance for structural changes, utility costs (electricity, water, communications) together with other building costs and materials. Kiwi can advise you on projected build costs depending upon the size of the building before you commit to the purchase.

 

  1. Design the project. This is the exciting part! Getting the design right is obviously important, to ensure that the property is fit for 21st century living whilst also reflecting some of the heritage and tradition of its surroundings. Kiwi can offer a full project management service from the design through to the works on site, from start to completion.

 

If you would like to discuss further your barn conversion project, please get in touch.

 

Kiwi Construction delivers professional expertise, exceptional customer service and quality construction to all its’ clients covering the Biarritz, the Pays Basque and Landes departments.

 

Contact :

Grant & Joeline Norris

+33 (0) 6 03 18 53 31

 

grant.norris@wanadoo.fr

https://www.kiwiconstruction.fr/         

By KiwiAdmin2016 Construction • Renovation 0 Comments

6 Things to consider when renovating a French property

Renovating a property in France can provide an exciting challenge. However, before you undertake your project there are some key things for you to consider which will ensure the work goes smoothly and to plan.

  1. Plan your budget

Decide on a realistic budget. Bear in mind that the TVA rates for renovation costs will be lower if you use a professional artisan like Kiwi Construction – compared to doing it yourself.

  1. Utilities

Ensure that the electricity supply is adequate for the property – and if not, factor in any upgrade work that is required.  Also, check that there is a water supply from the local town/commune as well as the condition of the fosse septique sewage system.

  1. Land registry

Get hold of a copy of the ‘cadastre’ which is the land registry plan. It’s used by local authorities to calculate property taxes and is a very useful reference document.

  1. Planning permission

Popular renovation projects often include the conversion of derelict barns into gites together with extensions and swimming pools.  Even before you buy a property, check first that you can obtain planning permission. Contact us to discuss further.

  1. Roofs

The condition of the roof is critically important and can be an expensive part of any project. Look at the ridge line to ensure it is straight and that the roof timbers are sound.

  1. Use local artisans who understand the heritage

Kiwi Construction has been working in the Landes and Pays Basque for more than 25 years. We understand the need to pay careful attention to the original features of the property, providing you with sound advice and guidance on how to renovate your home in a way that is in-keeping with the local area but also meets the requirements of modern day living.

 

These are only a few of the things to think about before you start your renovation project. Please get in touch to discuss further your ideas – we will be pleased to help.

 

Kiwi Construction delivers professional expertise, exceptional customer service and quality construction to all its’ clients covering the Biarritz, the Pays Basque and Landes departments.

 

Contact :

Grant & Joeline Norris

+33 (o) 6 11 80 21 86

By KiwiAdmin2016 News • Renovation 0 Comments

What makes you smile?

This may seem like a strange question. After all, with the Covid19 pandemic, the global health crisis and the huge impact this is making on people and their businesses across France, you may say that there is not too much to smile about!

However, smiling, laughing, having fun and enjoying ourselves is incredibly important, especially at the moment. So we decided to make this the subject of our blog, as 2021 is now well underway… with a brief reflection on last year.

What has been good about 2020?

Well, we have made it through the year! As a family, we – touch wood – kept our good health, continued to deliver various projects for our clients and found time to appreciate the good things in life.

2020 has also reminded us of another key aspect of our lives: the importance of the little things, however small.

For example, this year we have set out to become more self-sufficient by growing vegetables in our potager. We planted 10kg of bio potato plants, yet despite our hard efforts only harvested around 1kg.  It also took us 6 months to grow broccoli…It was not the return that we were expecting, but the whole experience was fun and brought us together as a family.

We did though have some other successes… Earlier in the spring we planted out lots of tomatoes with mixed results. Later in the summer  however, out of the compost bin we discovered what seemed like 25 different varieties of tomatoes, all which grew quickly and were delicious. So I guess it goes to prove that you cannot easily create the perfect garden… and instead have to let nature take its’ course.

Finally, may we take this opportunity to wish all of our friends, family and clients all the very best for the remainder of this year. Spring is on its way!

And – keep smiling!

Joeline & Grant

————————————-

 

Kiwi Construction delivers professional expertise, exceptional customer service and quality construction to all its’ clients covering the Biarritz, the Pays Basque and Landes departments.

 

Contact :

Grant & Joeline Norris

+33 (o) 6 11 80 21 86

 

grant.norris@wanadoo.fr

https://www.kiwiconstruction.fr/         

By KiwiAdmin2016 Construction • Renovation 0 Comments

Why barn conversions are so popular in France

It is easy to understand why barn conversions are so appealing.

Barns are incredibly spacious and are therefore perfect for creating rooms and living areas which are generous in size, often with large windows that are full of character.

We love barn conversion projects, too.

Barn conversions are ideal for modern, contemporary open plan living, and for enjoying the wonderfully exposed beams, the high vaulted ceilings and the stone construction. They provide homeowners with a blank space to showcase their own creativity and style within an overall design.

Our home is a former barn and was originally occupied primarily by the farm animals with only three rooms used as living space. Now, it is a delightful family property which we love living in.

One of our other favourite renovation projects was also a barn project, Amou in the Chalosse, part of France’s historic Béarn region. Today it is a beautiful three-bedroomed property, complete with its’ own swimming pool.

Understanding how barns were constructed and the heritage they bring to the area is equally important.  Locals will be very familiar with the use of galet stones for barns and other buildings, the smooth stones found in rivers and inland when seas covered the land thousands of years ago.  Across the region, the types of rocks used vary, thus giving buildings their own distinctive look and style.

If you are considering converting an agricultural barn into living accommodation, you will need planning permission. This applies regardless of whether it is a stand-alone property or part of a number of dwellings. At Kiwi Construction, we can help you with obtaining planning permission, the design and layout and also oversee the renovation project, from start to finish.

Please feel free to get in touch to discuss your project.

Kiwi Construction delivers professional expertise, exceptional customer service and quality construction to all its’ clients covering the Biarritz, the Pays Basque and Landes departments.

 

Contact :

Grant & Joeline Norris

+33 (o) 6 11 80 21 86

 

grant.norris@wanadoo.fr

https://www.kiwiconstruction.fr/         

 

#renovation #France #artisans #buyingpropertyinfrance #landes #paysbasque #holidayhomes #bearn #landes #multidisciplined #inhouse

By KiwiAdmin2016 News • Renovation 0 Comments

Getting ready for autumn

Autumn is approaching and we have a couple of projects of our own to share with you. 

The first is the renovation of a 30-year wooden monastery garden table, originally built by Grant. It is pretty sturdy as you can imagine – but was in need of a relook, so recently Grant and our sons Noah and Tibeau have been working hard to give it a makeover using a sander, grinder and of course, plenty of muscle.

Made of sleepers, Noah sanded the table down and once it had received some further TLC, treated it with linseed oil. It has lasted well since Grant first constructed it all that time ago – and the refurbished article should last another 30 years…

I have had some new projects to keep me fully occupied too during the very difficult covid period, apart from working on our business, Kiwi Construction.

Fish is one of our passion foods and smoked fish tastes sublime!

So, we have made our own smoker. We cured the salmon overnight, adding some sugar and salt to draw out any impurities from the first. Next, the fish was hung and smoked for four hours.

We love our smoked salmon at Christmas – we cherish the whole French tradition of eating together with family and friends, so the smoked salmon is a real treat….we can’t wait.

The Norris family really appreciates the values of working hard as well as playing hard; and it is great to have opportunities such as this, which bring us all together whatever is going on in the world.

Joeline

Kiwi Construction delivers professional expertise, exceptional customer service and quality construction to all its’ clients covering the Biarritz, the Pays Basque and Landes departments.

Contact :

Grant & Joeline Norris

+33 (o) 6 11 80 21 86

grant.norris@wanadoo.fr

https://www.kiwiconstruction.fr/          

By KiwiAdmin2016 Construction • Renovation 0 Comments

From an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan… our latest renovation project

Here at Kiwi Construction we like a challenge; we love to make the impossible, possible! So, we are as pleased as punch to have completed in April our latest project, constructing a new pool and pool house for a holiday home in Espiute. We started and finished the build within 3 months, working of course within the necessary restrictions relating to social distancing and safe working.

There were other challenges, too.

The area around the beautiful 18th century house in the delightful Béarn countryside is full of narrow lanes, so when the task involves transporting a large pool structure you can imagine that it requires careful planning – and driving!

Fortunately, our team of multi skilled, multi-disciplined trades relish these tasks and more. Kiwi is proud of the fact that for every development we use our in-house team: masons, plumbers, electricians, carpenters. This benefits the client as they only have one point of contact and enables us to manage all aspects of a scheme.

We started the project in January, putting in the foundations and laying the concrete for the pool base. The pool is located next to an old derelict barn, now converted into a pool house. In one of the photos, you can also see that we constructed the terracing and a rendered wall, adjacent to which is a pump house. Heating for the pool and the main house is supplied by the same system.

Over a period of 7 years we have been working with the same family, so it is great to see another project coming to fruition. An old barn is now a good-looking pool area for the family and their guests to enjoy. Please get in touch if our multi-service and friendly team can help you achieve your dreams, turning them into reality….

Kiwi Construction delivers professional expertise, exceptional customer service and quality construction to all its’ clients covering the Biarritz, the Pays Basque and Landes departments.

Contact :
Grant & Joeline Norris
+33 (o) 6 11 80 21 86

grant.norris@wanadoo.fr

Home

By Simon Frost Construction • Region • Renovation 0 Comments

Stylish city-living renovation adds a touch of class in Bayonne

The northern Basque city of Bayonne is a charming and picturesque town. We love to stroll along the River Nive admiring the wonderful architecture along the way, consisting of Basque houses and half-timbered buildings with their distinctive colourful shutters. The area is lined with several cafes, bars and restaurants and is delightful.

Bayonne is also the home of clients with whom we have worked for several years. The couple own a 5th storey level apartment in the centre of town, constructed in the 1960s and in need of updating and renovation. The objective: bringing the lovely property up to modern 21st century standards; a fabulous new and contemporary kitchen and bathroom, a classy living room and dining areas.

So, in October 2019 we got to work! Grant and the team used a crane (see photos) to move all of the building materials and furnishings up to the 5th floor.

By the end of December, the project was completed. The couple love to decorate with strong, bold colours and have chosen verdant greens and a stunning black and white combination in their home. This imaginative and creative scheme helps to marry together the old with the new, resulting in a beautifully refreshed apartment.

The clients are now enjoying life in their tastefully refurbished apartment, a true embodiment of classical French city living in the 2020’s.

We enjoy taking on all manner of projects, large or small, in the countryside or in the city… making projects which sound impossible – possible!

If you would like to discover more about our services, please click on the Facebook Messenger link https://m.me/KiwiConstructionFrance?ref=w6184123.

Kiwi Construction delivers professional expertise, exceptional customer service and quality construction to all its’ clients covering the Biarritz, the Pays Basque and Landes departments.

Contact:

Grant & Joeline Norris

+33 (0)6 03 18 53 31

grant.norris@wanadoo.fr

https://www.kiwiconstruction.fr/         

 

#renovation #France #artisans #buyingpropertyinfrance #landes #paysbasque  #holidayhomes #bearn #landes #windows