Understand the act you are completing
Réception is the owner’s acceptance of the ouvrage, with or without reservations, under Civil Code article 1792-6. It has legal consequences, including the starting point for relevant construction guarantees. It is more than an informal statement that the home looks finished.
Arrange an express, documented inspection with the relevant contractor or contractors. Do not assume that taking possession or making the last payment has no legal effect without a signed form; tacit acceptance can be an issue. If completion or safety is disputed, obtain assistance from a competent professional or adviser before signing a general acceptance statement.
Prepare the inspection from the contract
- Bring the accepted quotation, drawings, specifications and agreed changes.
- List deliverables and checks for each room or trade.
- Request relevant commissioning records, manuals and insurance details.
- Provide access, lighting and time for a joint inspection.
- Identify equipment that cannot yet be tested and why.
- Prepare a procès-verbal with space for individual, located reservations.
A competent professional can assist on a substantial or technical project. A homeowner’s visual checklist cannot establish concealed electrical compliance, structural adequacy or every element of waterproofing. Ask the responsible trades for the tests and records specified for their work.
Check the agreed result, room by room
| Area | Checks with the responsible professional |
|---|---|
| Finishes and joinery | Agreed materials, visible damage, stable fixing, doors and drawers |
| Water and bathroom | Connections, visible leakage during tests, discharge and agreed equipment |
| Kitchen | Accessible service points, worktop details, appliances and remaining connections |
| Windows | Opening, closing, agreed finishes and junction documents |
| Ventilation and heating | Demonstration, controls, commissioning records and maintenance access |
| General completion | Waste and protections removed, cleaning and outstanding items |
Separate defects from preferences added after ordering. A missing agreed finish belongs on the list; a new request for a different colour needs its own discussion. Record access or testing limitations so they do not disappear in the phrase “all checked”.
Write reservations that can be closed
“Bathroom not satisfactory” does not identify an observable defect. A useful reservation gives the location, observation, relevant agreed requirement, photograph reference and expected correction. Agree a realistic correction date and a responsible person for each item.
| Reference | Observation | Closure evidence |
|---|---|---|
| R01 — shower screen | Water passes the lower junction during the agreed operating test | Corrected junction and repeat joint test |
| R02 — kitchen drawer | Drawer contacts the adjacent front when opening | Adjustment and unobstructed operation |
| R03 — bedroom door | Visible damage on the agreed new door | Agreed repair or replacement inspected |
Keep the signed record and dated attachments with both parties. After corrections, check the result together and document which reservations are lifted. A promise to return is not evidence that a correction has been completed.
Reconcile the final account separately
Match additions to accepted changes and credits to omitted or corrected supplies. Verify VAT and earlier payments. Where an item is disputed, identify the amount and reason in writing and obtain advice on payment consequences rather than imposing an arbitrary deduction.
Contractual retention in a covered private works contract is governed by the law of 16 July 1971, including a 5% maximum and consignation or applicable guarantee arrangements. ANIL explains why holding money in your own account is not lawful consignation. Do not import a VEFA or CCMI payment rule into an ordinary renovation contract.
Know which guarantee might apply
The official post-acceptance guide distinguishes the mechanisms below. Applicability depends on the work and defect; dates alone do not guarantee cover for every item.
| Period from reception | General purpose when applicable |
|---|---|
| 1 year | Parfait achèvement: defects reserved at acceptance or notified in writing when revealed later, excluding normal wear or use |
| 2 years | Bon fonctionnement: relevant dissociable equipment within its legal scope |
| 10 years | Décennale: qualifying serious damage affecting solidity or making the ouvrage unfit for its purpose |
Visible defects should be recorded at acceptance rather than deliberately left for a later claim. A hidden defect needs a different factual assessment. The decennial-insurance guidance explains the contractor’s cover; do not assume every appliance installed in an existing home creates a ten-year insured guarantee.
Leave with a correction process and an organised record
Keep contracts, variations, invoices, proof of payment, the réception record, reservations, product information and relevant test results. The ANIL contract guidance supports documented reception and precise reservations. Record the start date of applicable guarantees alongside the actual work and contractor.
If a later defect appears, document it and notify the responsible company promptly in writing. Follow applicable formalities and seek advice if the remedy or deadline is disputed. Keep evidence before alteration while taking necessary protective action through the relevant professional. A useful finish is a checked result, a reconciled account and a clear record of what remains to be corrected.
Sources and method
- Légifrance — Code civil, article 1792-6
- Service Public — Garanties après la réception des travaux
- Service Public — Garantie décennale des constructeurs
- Légifrance — Loi du 16 juillet 1971 : retenue de garantie
- ANIL — Marché privé : consignation d’une retenue de garantie
- ANIL — Contrat d’entreprise : précautions et avenants
Sources consulted on 18 October 2026. Worked cost tables are editorial examples, not average market prices or contractors’ offers. Tax explanations concern metropolitan France.