American Real Estate Guide

# Renovation Reality Check: What That Charming Ruin Actually Costs

**The fantasy:** €150,000 farmhouse, quick refresh, Instagram-ready by summer.

**The reality:** That price gets you walls and a roof. Maybe.

In Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, expect €1,200-1,800/m² for comprehensive renovation—electrical rewiring (mandatory for pre-1990 properties), plumbing, insulation meeting RT2020 standards. A 120m² mas? Budget €150,000-220,000 *on top* of purchase price.

**Timeline traps:** French artisans book 6-18 months ahead. August? Nothing moves. Permis de construire for structural changes? Four to eight months minimum, longer in protected zones like the Luberon.

**Hidden costs crushing dreams:** Asbestos surveys (€400-800), septic system compliance (€8,000-15,000 for fosse installation), three-phase electrical upgrades for modern appliances.

**Honest advice:** Properties priced 40% below market usually require 60% more investment. Get diagnostic reports *before* signing the compromis. And that 30% surge in expat arrivals? It's compressed the artisan availability you're counting on.

Budget for reality, not Pinterest.

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