Vivian Lawrence's top tips

Find a French lawyer who speaks fluent English; ours was recommended by our estate agent and cost €1,500 (£1,200). They translate all the legal documents, advise you on the inheritance rules and help you deal with the notaire. One French firm offering independent legal advice is Headdon Consulting (00 33 562 680 081).

Make sure that you have a contingency fund because there is never an end to the costs.

If you cannot be on site all the time you must trust your builders to carry out the work without consulting you at every point. If you arrive to find something is wrong but it's too late to change it, just be philosophical about it.

If you can't speak fluent French you will need friends to translate when dealing with companies such as France Telecom.

A relocation expert is a must if you want to let your home. They can also be a great source of advice and expertise. Bernadette Lynch, of Altagroup International (00 33 467 414 289), is good.

If you cannot stay in your house during the work, stay in a nearby B&B or hotel. You will get excellent local information there and will be close to the work.

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