Definition and Abbreviations relating to apartments (‘Logements’)

James Latter,  Saturday, 25 March 2017

Paris 
street signs 

Pièce (room) : Not less than 9 m² (minimum habitable surface area), Ceiling not less than 2m20

(i.e. volume of 20 m³) and accessible with entrance (or stairs) of at least 60 cms width.

The number of rooms (pièces) is stated excluding bathrooms (salle de bains), WC, and kitchen. ‘Salle de bains’ comprises a bath and washbasin and a salle d’eau comprises a shower and a washbasin. Either can include a WC or it is separate. The kitchen can be included in or open to a living room (sejour) in which case it is described as a ‘cuisine américaine’.

A STUDIO comprises one single room, which serves as a bedroom, kitchen and living room with a separate bathroom either including a WC or with a separate WC. A studette is sometimes used to describe the above with minimal habitable surface (T1), e.g. student’s accommodation.

APPARTEMENTS The adopted code for describing apartments uses a letter F (function) or T (type) followed by a number which indicates the number of pièces, again excluding kitchen and bathrooms. The letters F and T effectively have the same definition, the first being in older use and the second having some modern subtlety. You might sometimes see T1bis, T2bis or F 3/4. These denominations indicate a sufficient space to create an extra room or which had another room but has had a partition removed to create a more open-plan arrangement.

A GARAGE needs to be enclosed and lockable. “Place de parking” is normally a shared space (basement) and “place de parking – privative” is a designated parking place.

Plein pied - One floor only – e.g. bungalow

Mitoyenneté - Attached to another building/property. The separating wall can belong to either building or both.

Cave - Cellar

Insolite - Unusual

Anglo-normande (style) - Belle époque’style with high pitched gables, balconies, some half-timbering, frequently coastal (e.g. Deauville)

Maison individuelle - Detached house

Sous-sol - Basement

Maison à colombage - Half-timbered house (Normandy/Gers/Pays Basque/Alsace)

Construction artisanale - Craftsman built, non-industrial

Bourgeoise - Residential, conformist

De caractère - Distinctive

Entièrement clos - Completely fenced

Renovée restaurée - Renovated / restored

En silex - Flint construction

Contemporaine, d’architecte - Contemporary, architect’s

Orée du bois - surrounded by woodland

Construction en bois - Timber construction

Ossature bois (MOB) - Timber framed

Passive - very low energy construction

Véranda - Conservatory

Office - Butler’s pantry

This article was originally published on www.surveyor-expert.com. However, this website is no longer active.  


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