Building a New Home: Key Points to Check Before Signing

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Illustration of a new home under construction
new home construction illustration

Building a new home is a commitment that lasts for decades: choosing the land, the contract, warranties, construction timelines… Every step has its pitfalls, and a mistake made before signing often costs far more than an hour spent comparing offers. To get a first sense of the styles, square footage, and budgets involved, browsing a catalog of new construction homes offered by a national builder provides a useful benchmark before meeting with professionals in your area.

Choosing the Right Contract: the CCMI Protects the Buyer

For building a single-family home, the most protective contract remains the CCMI (contrat de construction de maison individuelle, the French single-family home construction contract), governed by the law of December 19, 1990. It requires a fixed lump-sum price and five mandatory guarantees: delivery at the agreed price and deadline, reimbursement of sums paid before construction begins, a perfect completion warranty, a two-year warranty on fixtures and equipment, and a ten-year structural warranty on the soundness of the building. A contract that does not include these guarantees should raise a red flag: it is often a project management contract or a general contractor agreement, which offers less protection to the individual buyer.

Warranties to Check Before Handover

Handover of the work marks the starting point for several warranty periods. The perfect completion warranty covers, for one year, any defects reported at handover or in the weeks that follow. The two-year warranty protects fixtures and equipment (shutters, water heater, plumbing fixtures) for two years. Finally, the ten-year structural warranty, combined with the dommages-ouvrage insurance (structural damage insurance) taken out by the project owner, covers for ten years any damage that compromises the soundness of the building or makes it unfit for use. Checking that the builder actually holds this insurance before making any payment avoids many disputes.

Choosing the Right Plot of Land

The plot of land determines a large share of the final budget: soil type, utility connections, local zoning rules (plan local d'urbanisme), orientation… A G1 soil survey makes it possible to anticipate potential surprises (clay soil, presence of rock) before signing. Some areas in France still offer buildable land at reasonable prices, provided you compare several plots and systematically check the certificate of urban planning (certificat d'urbanisme) before making any reservation.

Materials, Construction, and Professional Support

The choice of materials affects the budget, the timeline, and the home's future energy performance all at once. Comparing suppliers of construction materials helps you better estimate spending items before approving a quote. For more complex projects (major renovations, extensions, difficult terrain), hiring a construction expert helps secure site supervision and avoid defects that an inexperienced project owner might otherwise miss.

RE2020 and Energy Performance

Since 2022, any new construction that has obtained a building permit must comply with RE2020 (France's 2020 environmental building regulation), which sets stricter requirements for insulation, ventilation, and greenhouse gas emission limits than the former RT2012 standard. An energy performance certificate (DPE) is mandatory even for a home that has not yet been built, and it remains valid for ten years. A home well designed to these standards keeps heating costs down and adds value to the property in the event of a future resale — a point worth keeping in mind if you plan to later work with a real estate agency for the sale.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Signing a contract before obtaining final loan approval.
  • Paying large sums before construction has actually begun.
  • Skipping the soil survey on land without utility connections.
  • Forgetting to check the ten-year and dommages-ouvrage insurance certificates.
  • Choosing a builder based solely on the listed price, without comparing what's actually included.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the CCMI Required to Build a New Home?

No, but it remains the most protective contract for an individual buyer, thanks in particular to its five mandatory guarantees. Other contracts exist (project management, general contractor agreements), generally offering a lower level of protection.

What Is the Difference Between the Ten-Year Warranty and Dommages-Ouvrage Insurance?

The ten-year warranty is owed by the builder and covers damage for ten years. Dommages-ouvrage insurance, taken out by the homeowner, allows for quick compensation without waiting for a court to determine liability, before the insurer itself seeks reimbursement from the professionals involved.

Is the DPE Required for a Home That Is Still Under Construction?

Yes. The energy performance certificate must be prepared even if the home has not yet been built, based on the features planned for the project and the RE2020 regulation currently in force.

Sources

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy