Frequently asked questions

Yes, free and with no obligation. I come out, I measure, I listen to your project and I send you a detailed quote, priced item by item. You take the time to compare: no pushy sales follow-up, that’s not my style.

Allow 1 to 2 weeks in general for the visit and the quote, then 4 to 12 weeks before work starts, depending on the type of project and my workshop schedule. I give you a precise timetable with the quote. And if anything moves, I let you know: a schedule that drifts with no explanation is exactly what I hold against this trade.

Yes, a deposit when the quote is signed: 30 to 40% in general, which mainly covers my materials order. When the supplies weigh particularly heavy in the quote, windows for example, the deposit can be higher: it always matches what I need to order to get started. The balance is due at the end of the work, after handover. For large projects, we can agree staged payments, written into the quote.

Yes, I carry décennale insurance with SMA BTP: France’s mandatory ten-year structural warranty. For 10 years it covers damage that compromises the soundness of the work or makes it unfit for use. The certificate is attached to every quote: if a tradesman is reluctant to show you his, be wary.

My main area: Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Tarbes, Lourdes, the Campan valley and as far as Pau. I also travel across the Bordeaux-Toulouse-Narbonne arc for major renovations, and further afield (Alsace, Paris) when the project lends itself to it, once we have talked it over. The details are on the contact page.

For joinery and cabinetmaking, yes: I make and I fit everything myself. For full renovations, I coordinate a small network of tradesmen I have seen at work and chosen for their values as much as their skill. Either way, you have one single point of contact: me.

Yes, as a rule I supply the timber, hardware and joinery: I know my suppliers and I guarantee the quality of what I fit. If you are set on supplying a material yourself, that is possible, but my warranty then covers the workmanship only, not the material.

Yes, if your home is over 2 years old: VAT is 10% on renovation work, the reduced French rate, and 5.5% on certain energy-efficiency improvements, such as replacing windows. For new builds and furniture on its own, it is 20%. I apply the right rate directly on the quote: since 2025 there is no certificate to sign, a statement on the quote and the invoice is enough.

Mainly MaPrimeRénov’, the French state renovation grant, and the CEE energy-saving certificates, for energy-performance work. The conditions change often and depend on your income. I tell you what may apply to your project, but I advise you to check on france-renov.gouv.fr: it is the only reliable source, and it is free.

I hand you the care instructions at the end of the project, matched to the finishes you chose. In short: an oiled piece of furniture gets re-oiled every 1 to 3 years, a timber window gets re-stained every 5 to 10 years, a deck gets a scrub with a stiff broom every spring. And if a doubt comes up in two years’ time, call me: advice over the phone is free.

The visit to prepare a quote is free, that does not change. The advice visit is something else: this advice and assessment service is a service in its own right, and it is paid for one very simple reason: it guarantees us complete objectivity. My opinion is not influenced by a quote I might hand you afterwards. My only aim is to give you a clear view of what is at stake, and to recommend the best technical options and the solutions best suited to your needs.

Yes, in my main area: a door that rubs, a drawer to repair, a shelf to fit. I group them between two bigger projects, so the wait can be a little longer than for a large job. Simplest thing: send me a photo by WhatsApp with your town or village, and I will quickly tell you whether I can take it on.

Let’s be frank: I am not RGE certified, the French label required for state energy grants, so MaPrimeRénov’ and the CEE bonuses are not possible through me: those schemes demand a certified tradesman. Reduced VAT, on the other hand, does not depend on the label: 10% on the renovation of a home over 2 years old, and 5.5% on energy-efficiency work that meets the performance criteria, such as high-performance windows. I apply it directly on the quote. And if an RGE tradesman would be the better deal for your project, I tell you: I go through all of it in my advice article on the 2026 grants.

Yes: a signed quote is a contract that binds both parties, you and me alike. Mind the difference between an acompte and arrhes, the two kinds of deposit under French law: an acompte commits you for good, arrhes let either side pull out by forfeiting them. Before you sign anything, read my advice on reading a builder’s quote.

Because wood is hygroscopic: it absorbs and releases moisture from the air, so it swells slightly in summer and shrinks over the heating season. That is normal, and a well-built piece of furniture allows for it: the joints and fixings let the wood move without splitting or distorting. I explain it all in why wood moves.

I advise against it at high pressure: the jet tears up the fibres of the wood’s surface, which turns fuzzy and then holds more water and dirt. A stiff broom, water and savon noir, the French black soap, every spring are more than enough. The details are in my advice on looking after a wooden deck.