VEFA is a purchase before construction is complete. The buyer’s central question is: what will I receive, when, and on what terms? Assess the development alongside its contract and a realistic time allowance. If you have chosen a programme, send the link and explain when you want to use the home; a conversation can identify the first information to obtain.
What should I check before reserving?
Obtain evidence for the development and your particular unit. A building permit alone does not establish funding, completion or the absence of disputes.
| What to request | What it helps establish |
|---|---|
| Draft contract, seller details, permit and amendments | What is being sold; land rights, permissions and challenge issues for the notary to check |
| Guarantee document and guarantor details | Whether GFA completion cover or GFR repayment cover applies, and how it can be invoked |
| Unit plan, notice descriptive and appendices | The specification, included items and contractual characteristics |
| Handover deadline and payment schedule | Whether the commitments fit your move and financing |
Ask the notary to verify the guarantee type and its application to this transaction. It does not promise a home without delays or defects. Next, examine the reservation terms.
How do reservation and the deposit work?
The deposit limit depends on the time until the final sale deed, not the keys. It is at most 5% if signing is less than a year away, 2% for one to two years, and none beyond two. Reservation is optional; a ten-calendar-day withdrawal period follows proper notification, subject to start and end-date rules. Service Public explains the conditions.
Before transferring funds, confirm the recipient, special account and refund procedure with the notary. The deposit counts towards the price rather than adding to it. Then check what that price buys.
What should I rely on beyond the renderings?
Compare the plan, specification and contractual appendices. Identify orientation, room areas and uses, outdoor space, parking, storage, heating, cooling, ventilation and finishes. Check the status of images and marketing promises; a feature essential to your decision needs clear documentation.
For a moved partition, different equipment or work you will arrange yourself, obtain written agreement covering the revised plan, price, timing and responsibility. Compare developments on the same specification. An unknown kitchen or upgrade cost should remain an explicit gap in the budget.
When will the money be needed?
VEFA payments follow evidenced construction stages. These ceilings are cumulative proportions of the total price, not separate instalments to add together.
| Stage | Maximum total paid |
|---|---|
| Foundations completed | 35% |
| Building made watertight — hors d’eau | 70% |
| Building completed | 95% |
The remaining 5% is linked to handover; conformity reservations can allow consignation, depositing the balance with a third party. Payment rules — Service Public.
Match each appel de fonds, or payment demand, to the contract and evidence of progress. The full budget should also include acquisition costs, finance, your finishing work, temporary accommodation and a reserve. A small initial deposit does not determine the next payment.
What if the design or completion date changes?
Request the change in writing and compare it with the signed documents. Keep the old plan, new version, explanation and effect on price, use and timing. Discuss a material difference with the notary or a lawyer before agreeing.
Compare the contractual deadline with extension clauses. Compensation and delay penalties are not automatically identical for every VEFA: terms, reasons and evidence matter. If a family move depends on the date, plan alternative accommodation; retain invoices and correspondence if delayed. Official guidance on delays.
How can I take delivery without travelling?
Agree on the representative, their authority and a building professional in advance. Handover representation and a power of attorney for the notarial sale serve different purposes; confirm the appropriate document for each. The remote purchase guide covers signing arrangements.
Livraison, handover to you, is distinct from réception, the developer’s acceptance of the contractors’ work. Bring the contractual plan and specification to the inspection; check accessible rooms, equipment, finishes and ancillary spaces. A building professional assesses technical issues; a video call does not replace an inspection.
List reservations precisely in the procès-verbal, the handover record, attach photographs and record the promised follow-up. If the balance needs consignation, arrange the proper procedure; keeping money in your own account is not equivalent. Within one month after handover, you can notify the seller of apparent defects and non-conformities omitted from the record, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. This period concerns adding those reservations, not every guarantee or court deadline. ANIL guidance. Check other defects and claim deadlines with a lawyer. Apparent defects: article L261-5.
Who follows up until defects are resolved?
Name the person coordinating contractor access, written replies and reinspection. Keep each reservation’s status and evidence of the remedy. At handover, also arrange insurance, utility contracts, keys and checks between visits, continuing the plan for ownership from abroad.
To apply this to your development, send us the link or call us. Explain your intended use, preferred arrival date and negotiation stage. Existing plans or a draft contract will make the conversation more specific; a complete document pack is not a condition for first contact.
Sources and verification date
Checked on 22 September 2026. The Service Public reservation, VEFA and handover pages were updated on 18 September 2026. Sources accompany the relevant rules; the transaction’s participants confirm their application to the contract. This is a practical development checklist, not a new-build market forecast.