By Simon Frost Fenetres • Renovation • Windows and Doors 0 Comments

Quality energy saving windows and doors in France

Replacing your windows and doors for your home in France can have many benefits. Modern technology means that new windows and doors are more energy efficient and cost less to maintain. They look fab too!

For example, it’s estimated that the average French home loses up to 30% of its energy through windows, doors and roofs. That’s bad for the planet – and for your pocket.

However, sometimes it can be difficult to find doors and windows of the right quality and be confident that they will be fitted by a reliable, experienced professional.

That’s why we’ve teamed up with AL-TECH, a manufacturer of quality windows, doors and sliding doors with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry. All of their products are constructed using state-of-the art machinery and a team of highly experienced technicians.  Kiwi Construction are the official distributors in South West France of the full range of the AL-TECH collection: windows, doors, sliding doors, pergolas, gazebos, garage doors, aluminium framework and automated roller shutters.

So if you are searching for windows and doors for your home in France – for a renovation or a new build, look no further!  In a nutshell:-

  • We are a local/regional supplier and installer
  • We only supply and fit quality products at the best price to you
  • All our work comes with a 10-year decennial guarantee
  • Our team are English speaking, experienced trades

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/         

By Simon Frost Construction • Renovation 0 Comments

Found your dream French home needs renovating? We can help

Imagine. You have found the French property of your dreams. It is in the perfect location – however, the property needs significant renovation.

Finding the ideal home in France is what many of us long for, but when we do it can feel overwhelming thinking about the organisation of the build or renovation project and the decisions that need to be made and the paperwork to complete.

We understand that.

Since 2005 Kiwi Construction has been working in France undertaking all types of renovations – interior and exterior – with specialist expertise in heritage properties.

That is why whatever the project, our focus has and always will be taking away the pressure from our clients so that they can enjoy their lives.

Living in France, like all countries, can sometimes provide a particular set of challenges, particularly if you are not fluent in the language. We are fully bi-lingual and experienced in managing projects, including dealing with planning applications for example.

If the property requires partial or complete demolition, we will organise this and dispose of the rubbish to ensure a clean and tidy site on completion.

Co-ordination of many projects – large and small – often involves working with a number of different artisanal trades; that’s our job, allowing our clients to deal with just one: us!

We can similarly help with the interior decoration to achieve that stylish finish to a property.

Grant Norris, co-owner of Kiwi Construction, oversees all elements of a renovation/build project as well as helping clients to choose the right tiles and select the colour of paint they are looking for to ensure that the end product is a home that our client will love.

At all times, our role is to plan for the long term. We will make sure a property is designed exactly to our client’s requirements, with all work guaranteed for 10 years.

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

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

By Simon Frost Construction • Renovation • Windows and Doors 4 Comments

Beautiful bifold doors for your home in France

Bifold doors are the perfect solution in many parts of the home.

Sometimes referred to as folding sliding doors, bifold doors are incredibly flexible. They are useful for connecting an interior to a terrace, a swimming pool or maybe to a covered exterior gallery and a conservatory.

Bifold doors slide open easily; the panels are designed to fold up against the wall like a concertina. Unlike older designed doors, bifolds slide smoothly into place providing a contemporary look for your home.

Bifold doors are strong, secure, easy to use and stylish, too.

What are the other benefits of bifolds?

  1. Cool in the summer, warm in the winter. On a hot sunny day, open your bifolds to cool a room. When it’s cold, bifolds are thermally efficient to keep your home snug and cosy.
  2. Bifolds are space efficient. Unlike patio doors, bifolds fold-up neatly allowing you to use the wall space.
  3. Bifolds bring the natural light into your home. This is especially useful if you are seeking to brighten a dark area with sunlight.
  4. Bifolds are low maintenance. Because they have fewer panes or frames you will spend less time cleaning. Properly fitted bifolds – by a professional – will not require regular maintenance or repair. (All of our work is guaranteed for 10 years).
  5. They look fab!

We think therefore that bifold doors are ideal for your home in France.

We only fit the very best quality bifold doors.

That’s why we have teamed up with Polish company AL-Tech who are market leaders in aluminium windows, bifold doors and more. AL-Tech has a range of Swiss, German and Czech engineering business partners and all fixtures and fittings comply strictly with French requirements – RT 2012 – for building and installation.

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

 

By Simon Frost Construction • Renovation • Windows and Doors 0 Comments

Discover the delightful sweet and dry wines of the Jurançon region

The Jurançon wine region is discreetly situated in the beautiful part of South West France where we live. The stunning Atlantic coastline is to our west, we have the lush green forests of the Landes, the city of Bordeaux to the north and further south it is not too long before reaching the foothills of the Pyrénées and the gateway to Spain. And we love it.

What is there not to appreciate about Jurançon wines? They are wonderful!

They are either delectably sweet or perfectly dry – and a glass of Jurançon is fabulous with foie gras.

It’s fair to say that Jurançon wine is less well known than other appellations, however, we can claim that it is one of the oldest. The appellation dates back as far as the late 14th century when the best vineyard areas were recognised and valued by the princes of Béarn and the parliament of Navarre for taxation purposes.

Why are Jurançon wines so good? The weather certainly helps – the combination of the cool sea breeze from the ocean, the dry warm Föhn winds from the Pyrénées and the pleasantly hot summer temperatures providing a longer period of time for the delicious grapes to ripen.

Virtually all of the grapes grown in the region are white, mostly from the Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng, with a third variety being the Camaralet de Lasseube. These grape varieties have adapted well to the climatic conditions, with the fruit growing high above the ground. This benefits the grape by avoiding the worst of the spring frosts, making the grapes very resistant and hardy.

If you have never visited this fantastic region before, why not come and try Jurançon wines for yourself?

Santé!

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 Simon Frost Construction • Renovation 0 Comments

Realise your French dream – and avoid costly mistakes 

Renovating a property in France is the dream for many of us.  We love the characterful properties, the laid back lifestyle and of course the spectacular coastline and countryside.

The Landes in South West France is a popular destination for many homebuyers who appreciate the unspoilt natural landscape, the respect for the environment, its close proximity to Spain as well as the excellent transport links to cities such as Bordeaux and Paris.

Once you find the house that you have been looking for, it can be tempting to press ahead without necessarily giving sufficient time or consideration to the finer details in planning your construction project. However, in the long run this haste could prove very costly indeed.

Recently there has been a good case in point. On the French Riviera, the owner of a €50 million château has been instructed by the court to demolish his property because he had not obtained proper planning permission.

This maybe an extreme example; it is important to note though that the construction of any building over 10 m2 requires planning permission. It always pays to ensure you have the right permits.

Also, if you carry out any renovations yourself and decide to sell on your property, you will be liable for the cost of maintaining these improvements for a period up to 10 years. That is why all professional artisans hold what is called decennial insurance.

Fortunately there is a solution: at Kiwi Construction we can do all phases of renovations for both interior and exterior projects specifically specialising in heritage properties. We have been working in the region since 2005 and therefore have more than 15 years’ local knowledge. We understand the sensitivities of local planning and have our own in-house draughtsman who has 30 years’ experience.

If you are considering any kind of renovation project please contact us and we will be happy to talk through your ideas whatever the challenges. We make the impossible, possible!

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

By KiwiAdmin2016 News • Renovation 0 Comments

Transforming your French house into your dream holiday home

France is an attractive place to buy property and with idyllic countryside, pretty villages and towns plus a superb coastline so it’s not difficult to understand why people love the French
way of life.

With a good supply of houses available to purchase, there is no shortage of properties to invest in whether as a second home or for a permanent move. Your money will buy you more than is the case in the UK and in many other European countries, but once you’ve acquired your new French home choosing the right contractor is crucial. You will need people who understand your requirements with the right expertise and experience.

At Kiwi Construction our passion is creating beautiful houses and we love working with clients to make their vision a reality. Joint business owners Grant Norris who is a quantity surveyor by profession and his wife Joeline, an accountant, are skilled at project managing complex and large build projects. Together they have assembled an experienced in-house team of artisans that can take on any type of development: carpentry, masonry, tiling, electrics, plumbing, plastering and painting, kitchens and bathrooms… and more.

However w
e know that there are many other aspects to consider, especially for property owners who live abroad and want to work with a firm they can trust, confident in the knowledge that they will get on with the job. That’s why we can assist with build permits and all aspects of a project, making certain that when you arrive at your home in France you’ll find a quality finish, great attention to detail and superb workmanship: allowing you to relax and enjoy French life.

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