House and Gîtes

Property Description

Summary
St Michel

 

 

A unique opportunity to buy a ‘tooffa’!! This is a real ‘two for the price of one’ deal. As you turn off the country road into the drive of the property, the first thing you see is a fully restored gîte with its half-timbered frontage and white shutters. This building has three bedrooms and an area downstairs containing a newly fitted kitchen and a spacious lounge/dining room. Other features include an efficient air-conditioning/heating system and the possibility to fit a wood-burning stove, if required. The whole inside is fully furnished and has been repainted in a neutral colour, so that it is ready for immediate occupation.

Next to the gîte is an open barn with exposed oak beams. This is ideal for providing covered parking for two cars or creating an area for shaded al fresco dining.

Then comes the highlight of the deal in the form of an elegant late eighteenth century ‘maison de maître’ (master’s house) with five spacious bedrooms, two well-proportioned reception rooms and a sizable kitchen. This house is in a good general condition but needs complete refurbishment to restore it to its original splendour. Both the gîte and the ‘maison de maître’ have views onto the attractive garden at the front of the property.

This is the perfect project for the buyer wanting to take on a bit of a project, because you can move into the gîte on day one and use this as a comfortable base from which to undertake work on the ‘maison de maître’ at a leisurely or fast pace.

 

A summary of positive aspects

The house is located in the countryside a short walk from the picturesque village of St Michel and just five minutes from Mirande, which has all amenities: supermarkets, hospital, schools, restaurants, campsite etc. It is just 15 minutes from the regional capital, Auch, and just an hour away from Toulouse airport. The road in front of the house has very little traffic, which is nearly all local.
There is an acre of land surrounding the properties and an additional six acres of woodland and meadow opposite on the other side of the road, which borders the BaÏse river. The latter would make an excellent campsite or glamping business, if desired. There also the opportunity to purchase further land to the rear of the properties.
The nearby farm and the other neighbouring property are hidden by trees and bushes.
The grounds have been considerably improved, by planting flowers and shrubs, removing undergrowth and brambles, pruning trees and bushes and general weeding.
Planning permission has been granted for a swimming pool and is valid for the next 3 years.
The septic tank has just been modified and meets statutory regulations.
The house retains many historic features: terracotta floor tiles, parquet floors, and a magnificent wooden staircase.
The roof is in very good condition and there is no water ingress.
The structure of the house is solid and most of the rooms face the south or west.
The walls are over half a metre thick, providing good insulation.
The main fireplace downstairs is working.
All the old wallpaper has been removed revealing that the plaster is in a good state of repair.
The house is not classified, so no special permissions are required for renovation work.
In addition to the two main buildings there are several other outbuildings, including one with a covered barbecue area.
A recent official survey of the property reveals that there are no termites or other insects.
 

A summary of work required to fully renovate the maison de maître.

Upgrade the electricity to meet legal norms.
Renovate the kitchen, install a bathroom and additional toilets.
Make changes to the plumbing to reflect the installation of the bathroom and toilets.
Install double glazing throughout.
Insulate the roof area.

 

Optional renovations:

Convert the former stable and room above it into a gîte.
Convert the room at the back of the kitchen and the bedroom above it into a gîte.
Convert the attic to provide additional living space.

 

The cost of a renovation obviously varies, depending on the quality of materials and whether professional builders/decorators are used or if it is DIY. The following three categories attempt to give a rough idea of the cost of fully renovating the ‘maison de maître’ with the use of professional services.

1 Light renovation-from 250 to 500 euros a square metre

Two reception rooms; bedrooms 1,2,and 3, hallway, landing and staircase.

2 Standard renovation-from 500 to 800 euros a square metre

Bedrooms 4 and 5

3 Major renovation -from 1000 to 2500 euros a square metre

Kitchen, bathroom toilet, two gite conversions, double glazing