Detached House near Montpellier, Herault

This new house, delivered August 2006, is a two floor construction in a traditional 'bastide' style. It offers an interior surface area of 112m² in grounds spanning 400m². The ground floor of the house comprises an open-plan living-dining room and kitchen (40m²), an office (9m²), a laundry/utility room, a lavatory and a garage (16m²). Upstairs are a bathroom, lavatory and three bedrooms (13, 12 and 12m²), of which one has an ensuite shower room and walk-in wardrobe. The kitchen has fitted units and floors are tiled throughout. Bathrooms are elegantly tiled and fully fitted - the ensuite shower room in the master bedroom is complete with teak sink unit. Each bedroom has a fitted wardrobe. With numerous windows, the interior is very bright and welcoming. The staircase, complete with an iron railing is a decorative piece. In an equal mesure are the three wide double doors that give access to the rear terrace, partially sheltered (28m²). These, along with the traditionally styled shutters, the genoise (a double layer of roof tiles where the walls meet the roof) and the traditional rendering give a real elegance to the house. The garage has a high sloped ceiling making a mezzanine area possible for storage. Also very appreciable, are the solar panelling for hot water and heat exchange system which provides heating and air conditioning. These give the house an excellent rating from the standpoint of renewable energy; the heat exchanger has an efficiency rating of 1:4, meaning that for one kilowatt of electricity input, four kilowatts of heat are rendered. The system has a central control system for the overall temperature, and individual thermostats at various points within the house to control the temperature within a 6° band. To meet stringent French standards, the house is fully fitted with thermal insulation and argon filled double glazing. The interior has been cabled such that an broadband connection is available in the office, living room (for TV viewing) and bedrooms. Reduced notary fees are applicable (2.5 - 3%). The garden requires landscaping - a swimming pool can be envisaged - and the interior requires paintwork and minor finishing work.