Pre-purchase house survey in the Dordogne
Stone farmhouse, barn conversion or village house: before you commit, I inspect the building, explain what the French diagnostics leave out and cost the works ahead. Service in English.
Buy with your eyes open
The Dordogne attracts buyers from all over the world for its stone houses, its countryside and its villages. Many of these properties are one or two centuries old, renovated in stages, sometimes by several owners. Their charm is real, and so are their weak points.
In France, the seller only has to provide a set of mandatory diagnostics: asbestos, lead, termites, electrics, energy rating, septic system and so on. They are useful, but they say little about the structure, the roof, damp or the cost of the works you are about to take on. That is what my pre-purchase survey is for.
The properties I inspect most often
Stone farmhouses
Thick limestone walls, oak roof structures, outbuildings: generous spaces whose condition varies greatly from one part of the house to another.
Barns and conversions
Converted or still to convert: the structure, the roof, damp and the quality of past works all deserve a close look.
Village and town houses
Shared walls, cellars, timber floors and successive extensions in the bastides and market towns.
Houses with gîtes and pools
Several buildings and several installations: more to check, and more to budget.
What I often find in the Dordogne
Damp in stone walls
Rising damp, often made worse by cement renders or pointing that trap moisture in old limestone walls.
Tired roof structures
Old oak timbers, sometimes weakened by wood-boring insects such as the house longhorn beetle, and roofs patched over the years.
Cracking on clay soils
The Dordogne is among the French departments most affected by clay shrinkage during droughts: cracks should be read before you buy, not after.
Septic systems
Most rural houses are not on mains drainage. The septic inspection must be less than 3 years old at the sale, and a non-compliant system must be brought up to standard within a year of the purchase.
Past renovations
Works carried out in stages, sometimes without professionals: I check how they were done and what they may hide.
Electrics and plumbing
Older installations, often extended over time: the mandatory report flags anomalies, I put them in context and budget the upgrade.
Where the survey fits
- 01
Before you sign
Ideally, I inspect the property before you sign the compromis de vente, while everything is still open.
- 02
The 10-day cooling-off
Once the compromis is signed, a private buyer has 10 days to withdraw without penalty: a survey fits comfortably in that window.
- 03
Survey and report
I usually visit within 48 to 72 hours and send a written, illustrated report within 48 hours.
- 04
Decide with the facts
Go ahead, renegotiate the price with costed evidence, or withdraw within your cooling-off period.
Where I work in the Dordogne
- Bergerac
- Eymet
- Issigeac
- Lalinde
- Périgueux
- Sainte-Foy-la-Grande area
…and the surrounding villages. Pre-purchase survey in the Bergerac area
Buying in the Dordogne: your questions
Do I really need a survey if the seller provides all the diagnostics?
The diagnostics are mandatory regulatory checks on specific points: asbestos, lead, termites, electrics, gas, energy rating, septic system and natural risks. They do not assess the structure, the roof, damp or the cost of works. The survey fills that gap, for you.
When should the survey take place?
Ideally before you sign the compromis de vente. Otherwise, during the 10-day cooling-off period that follows: I can usually visit within 48 to 72 hours and send the report within 48 hours.
Can you inspect a barn or a property to renovate?
Yes. For a renovation project, the survey focuses on the structure, the roof and damp, and gives a first idea of the works ahead. If you go ahead with the purchase, I can also support your renovation project.
What about the septic tank?
The seller must provide a septic system inspection less than 3 years old. If it shows the system is non-compliant, you will have one year after the purchase to bring it up to standard. I take this into account in the works budget.
Do you work in English?
Yes. I regularly work with English-speaking buyers, and we can go through the property, the findings and the next steps together in English.
Planning works after the purchase? See my renovation project support and full project management.
Buying in the Dordogne? Let's check the property before you sign
Contact me for a free, no-obligation first conversation. I act quickly to fit the deadlines of your purchase agreement.
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