It is just over five months since our house viewers arrived. We eventually finalised the sale on December 28th. We sold ‘La Jolie Maison du Laurier’ with the lovely garden and left Le Quiou.
La Jolie Maison du Laurier
The beautiful rose Arbour
Bottle Brush in bloom
Wild Flowers Flourishing
So, we have started the new year living by the sea, where all along, we wished to be. We have finally found what will be our ‘residence’ after we have fixed it up. Only 5 minutes from the beach, and in a most beautiful area called Plevenon. Surrounded by numerous stunning beaches with lovely scenic coastal views.
A windy day at Pléherel Plage
Cap Frehel in the distance
Horse riding family out for some exercise on the beach
The only negative is that it will probably be the summer before we are situated, until then we will experience a couple of rental houses, which, so far, has been very enjoyable. We have to go through the legal red tape and hoops and hollows, certificates and permissions first before we even get on to doing the renovation. I am attaching some photos but don’t fall over when you see what we have bought!!!
The ‘Hangar’
Large plot to the front that will have planning for a small bungalow
We visualize the finished house to look similar to a ‘Boston Barn’ home. So much to be done!!! First and foremost, is to have the asbestos roof removed, this has to be done by registered specialists, then of course a new roof put on, nice cladding on the exterior walls, a big round window at the front under the gable, extensive interior insulation, lots of windows going in, wiring plumbing etc.
Looking towards the front – end wall will be the kitchen coming out as far as the bottom of the stairs (which will be gone of course). Dining area/sitting room
Looking towards the back dining/sitting rooms and that room at the far end will be a media room come guest bedroom. Originally we intended having an office/workroom/art/hobby room upstairs above this room, however, fitting in stairs without spoiling the ground floor, proved to be difficult. There will be a window up there and plumbing will be connected to the first floor, with future buyers in mind. Our living area will be on the ground floor with the kitchen/dining/sitting room ceiling same height as the brown room at the end.
Looking to the front – master bedroom, dressing room, ensuite. Approximately where the lawnmower is will be a door from the carport into the laundry.
Looking to the back, beyond the laundry will be the guest bedroom and ensuite at the very back. Between the guest room and the media room, will be a small corridor to a visitors cloakroom/toilet.
This looks like a big project but forward planning will see it all come together, one day at a time. I have to confess when I think of it ‘all in one moment’, I get the heeby-jeebies – important to only think of it by installments. Robert has been marvelous sorting out so many ‘snags’ that have come up over the past two months since we first saw 23 Kerivet and started musing over what we could do with it. We had explored hundreds of possibilities, both houses, and land, no matter how remote they seemed to be, but in the end, each one was rejected, mainly for two reasons, either none or very slow internet download speed, or the purchase cost was too high considering the added cost to renovate the property to our satisfaction. Most houses only have one small inadequate bathroom, windows and kitchens that need replacing and a whole plethora of other improvements required. At least with the ‘Hangar’ we only have the interior to install and guess what……………… it has VSL (not DSL) with internet download speed of 20 to 50!!!!
As soon as the Internet was connected we did a speed test
and couldn’t believe this information!!!
Ground floor Second floorOriginal plans that have changed slightly over the past few months – but still similar
Top left – view of right side of building with ‘main’ entrance, this is where the conservatory will be.
Top right – view of front – carport – two windows of master bedroom and long window of kitchen
Lower left view, en-suite window, guest room window, carport/laundry window, master en-suite window and master bedroom window.
Lower right view, media room window, toilet window.
This is only a sample of the cladding that we hope to put on the exterior of the building.
One of the problems that came to light just before we were to sign the first contract to purchase (on 4th January), was that the ‘Permit to Construct’ on the front plot, would expire on 5th January. The vendor and selling agents should have been aware of this, but luckily Robert, with due diligence discovered the fact before we signed the ‘compromise’ contract, that basically ties everyone into formally buying/selling the property. Over the last week of December, we had to scurry about, find an architect to draw up plans, organise fosse septic professionals and the like, to put together a submission to the authorities before the permit actually expired. Numerous meetings with the people concerned and then those who we had to deliver the documents to. Anyway, the thing is, we need to move the process as quick as we can to avoid further expense on renting and also to get to the point of renovation. Eventually, on the 17th January, we finally signed the first contract (Compromise). We now have to be patient and await the process of the paperwork. The first hurdle is to receive the OK permit for a ‘change of use’ on the ‘Hangar,’ from commercial to habitation. This could take a month, if approved, then the permits have to be posted on the site and in newspapers and at the office of the Mairie of Plevenon. We wait two months to see if anyone disapproves. Hopefully, no one will. The Hangar is in a nice residential area, so we hope that people will only see it as an improvement. That will bring us up to the end of May.
We were lucky to find a lovely house to rent at a reasonable rent, but only until the end of March, so we will have to pack up again and move to another ‘residence’ until the end of May and possibly into June and July, because renovating won’t start until May or June! I would recommend this house to anyone looking for a holiday or longer term rental. https://www.villa-frehel-plage.com/
We have a number of houses to go and look at next week, it is a pity we can’t stay here as it feels so nice and everything works so well, but we look upon it as a sort of holiday adventure. It seemed like a never ending ‘moving’ process that we went through between October and the end of December, selling our furniture, packing, looking at property and land, more packing, more furniture selling, more property and land viewing, then the actual moving ‘stuff’ in a van to a secure lock up, and moving personal and precious boxes to the garage here, where we are renting (this was two car trips x 4 hours driving, each day, the week of closing). I can see how it is supposed to be one of the most stressful times that one can go through. Thankfully we didn’t get ‘stressed’, very tired and frustrated at times, but when I felt the panic come on as I looked about at how much there was to sort out in our ‘Le Quiou’ house and garden, I just closed it off and concentrated on the plan for ‘today’ and didn’t think about tomorrow at all.
If you go to Google maps ( http://bit.ly/2k7an4D) you will see our road ‘Kerivet’ we are about 80 yards from the T junction with Le Tertre – most of the houses and our ‘Hangar’ are not even on Google Maps but I think the mapping is about 6 or 7 years behind…. but it will show you where we will be. Fréhel is only five minutes away, Matignon = 10 minutes, Erquy = 10 minutes, Dinan = 45 minutes, Dinard Airport = 35/40 minutes.