From the initial survey to handover: how a well-organised full renovation unfolds, and what you should expect from your contractor.
Renovating an apartment in Nice, whether in a Belle Epoque building in the city centre or a 1970s condominium, always follows the same logic. What sets a smooth project apart from a stressful one is the order of operations and clear allocation of responsibilities. Here are the seven stages we follow on each of our projects.
Everything starts on site. We measure, photograph and check the condition of existing services (electrics, plumbing), the nature of the partition walls and any condominium constraints. In Nice, older buildings often hold surprises: timber floors, shared service ducts and load-bearing walls that are not immediately obvious. A thorough survey avoids the "unforeseen extras" that inflate the bill mid-project.
Based on the survey, the company's architect draws up the design: plans, technical choices and materials. The resulting quote is itemised trade by trade -- electrics, plumbing, finishes, joinery -- so you know exactly what you are paying for. Always insist on this level of detail: a three-line quote is a warning sign. For an initial ballpark figure, our online estimator gives you an order of magnitude based on the floor area and level of finish.
Depending on the scope of the works: notification to the managing agent for anything affecting communal areas or services, a prior declaration at the town hall if the facade or openings change. An experienced contractor will tell you at the quoting stage which formalities apply to your project.
The build itself starts with the strip-out: removing old finishes, demolishing redundant partitions and taking out sanitary fittings. This is the noisiest and dustiest phase; it must be coordinated with the condominium (permitted hours, rubble removal, protection of communal areas).
Before anything is covered up, we renew what will soon be hidden: consumer units and wiring to current standards, water supply and drainage. This is the heart of an all-trades project: these packages determine everything that follows, and each one is covered by the ten-year decennial guarantee.
Next come floors and walls: screeds, tiling, parquet, wall tiling, decorative renders and paint. Then the bespoke joinery -- kitchen, wardrobes, storage -- that gives the apartment its character. This is where the design drawn up in stage 2 takes shape.
Handover is a formal act: you inspect the completed works with the contractor, note any snagging items, and a schedule for resolving them is agreed. It is also the starting point of the statutory guarantees: perfect completion (1 year), good working order (2 years) and decennial (10 years).
For a 40 to 60 m2 apartment undergoing a full renovation in Nice, allow roughly 2 to 4 months of works depending on the scope and the level of finish. Coordination between the trades is the main factor affecting the timeline -- and that is precisely what changes when you have a single point of contact.
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