Dear Sally, I think that you mean that your builder made an application for a Declaration Prealable. This is not building regulations. Building regulations is the code of norms which must be followed by all artisans and is covered by the DTU s or (Documents Technique Unifiés). If you are extending your property using a new construction which is over 20 sq meters and takes the surface area of the property to over 170m2 then you will need a planning permission which must be presented by an architect or architect 'agrée' and who is a fully paid up member of an official body such as the Ordre des Architects and pays professional indemnity insurance. I can assure you that as an architect in France there are a fair number of hoops to jump through. You can check with your local mairie as to whether you can submit the information using a Declaration Prealable, which doesn't need an architect's stamp on it, or a full application for a Permis de Constuire. There are many variations on when a planning permission is needed or not but this entirely depends on the particular situation, surface area, whether a historic monument or in a particular planning zone. This is why it is best to ask your Mairie at the outset. I hope this helps.
Dead right! It is almost as much work as a planning permission and therefore we have to charge for the amount of work so that people are reluctant to ask an architect to do the work.
Beware.The Declaration is not like it used to be with a simple plan in the mairie.
I made the mistake of applying for putting in one velux when redoing a leaky roof.
Again and again demands were made. Dozens of photos, satellite profiles application forms returned again and again because one inapplicable section was not filled in or crossed out.
Plus the H1, of course and the consequent increase in taxes.