Cheaper Renovation: Get a 'devis'

One of the most common and most serious mistakes made when renovating or redecorating a property in France is the failure to get estimates (an estimate is know in France as a devis) for the work to be done. It is extremely important to get a devis (estimate) before making any commitments.

If you are intending to buy a property which needs work (renovation, redecoration or extension) you should get a devis for the planned work before you commit to buying the property. Unless you are a professional, it is difficult to estimate accurately the cost of material and labour for this type of work. Even if you are a professional, unless you are familiar with prices (especially of labour) in the area where you are buying, your expectations of the required costs can be very inaccurate. Consequently, obtaining the devis before making the final decision or commitment on a property has three advantages:

• If the work is less expensive than expected (or a lot more than expected), the decision on whether to buy the property is made easier.

• If the work is somewhat more than expected, you may be able to use the devis to negotiate a better price.

• You help avoid the situation of buying a property and having the nasty surprise of expectedly high costs later on.

If you already own a property and are planning work, you should always get a written devis before agreeing start of work. The devis has two essential components: a precise description of the work to be done and a statement of how much it will cost. Ideally, you should get a devis from at least two business or even three and then compare them to check that the price you are being quoted is competitive.

To begin with, the devis should specify exactly what is included and what is not included in the scope of work. If it is not detailed or precise, you should insist that it be redone before you agree to the start of work. If a tradesman or enterprise is reluctant to provide you with a precise devis, you should carefully consider if they are a business that you can rely on. If the extent of the work cannot be determined until it is started (for example, if initial work is required to access the extent of renovation required), then the devis should indicate the different possibilities and the associated costs.

Secondly, the devis should be clear as to the price of this work. The quoted price should specify the cost TTC (TTC is the French term for the total costs, including taxes).

There are several advantages to having a devis:

• Planning. A devis will often provide you with information that you would not otherwise have. Not only will it tell you exactly what you will have to pay (baring unforeseeable circumstances), but the associated discussion may highlight different approaches or options for the work which are worth considering.

• Protection. The most obvious advantage of having a devis is that it helps avoid any later disagreements or disputes as to the scope of the work or the cost. Without a devis, you have little protection should the business choose to do only part of the job or if it should decide to overcharge you.

• Price. In practice, work done without a devis is almost always more expensive (and sometimes much more expensive) that work done with a devis in advance. One reason for this is that by asking for a devis you demonstrate that you are looking for a competitive price and that you are not a complete novice. If you agree to work without a written devis, you are sending a message that you have more money than brains, and the final price tends to reflect this impression. Another factor is that tradesmen, like everyone else, tend to be optimistic about how many hours a given job requires. Consequently, a price agreed up-front tends to be lower than a price calculated at the end of a job based on hours worked.