You’ve finally realized that old dream: owning a cottage to get away from it all. The first moments were idyllic: the aperitif with friends, the sunsets, the children having fun outside… But, quickly, the small pleasures gave way to a few troubles.
Does the acquisition of a chalet necessarily entail its share of problems?
Co-owner of the Pista cafés and new father of twins, Maxime Richard and his wife took possession of their chalet in Lanaudière last March. It was the arrival of the little girls that made the couple want to escape, to have “something quieter, softer, where the children can run”.
“We found a super interesting chalet by chance, with a lot of renovations. Something really cheap, under $200,000, big enough,” says Maxime Richard.
Quickly, enthusiasm gave way to reality. This chalet, so beautiful in the photos, had a few flaws that he felt he could fix himself. “By dint of opening the walls, we went from changing a few electrical outlets to changing the entire electrical system, from changing a sink to changing all the plumbing! »
Responsible for site management for Pista, Maxime Richard is used to the works and believed that everything would be easy. He quickly became disillusioned. The long round trips, the difficulty of finding qualified employees in an unknown region, the complications related to transporting materials with a small car, the hardware stores closed on Sundays as well as the employees who give up on the job have undermined the project.
Despite the pitfalls, the new dad, who hopes to complete the work within two years, remains happy with the purchase. And this, even if the gypsum walls are not finished, the kitchen has no tiles and the lower floor must be rebuilt… “We are in the middle of the forest, we go out for a walk, we take advantage of the silence and having space. »
How to avoid a bad purchase?
PHOTO PROVIDED BY PHILIPPE HAMEL
Philippe Hamel, co-founder of the MonsieurChalets.com platform
How can you avoid making a bad purchase when buying a chalet? Philippe Hamel, co-founder of the MonsieurChalets.com platform, which offers training webinars for the purchase of such properties, recommends following these very simple tips to avoid the pitfalls.
1. Have the water quality tested. “Where people get caught is at artesian wells. We often forget to have the water quality tested,” says Philippe Hamel.
2. Communicate with the team that serviced the septic tank. “The slope of the terrain is not always steep enough, which can cause problems. »
3. Observe the level of light in the chalet, if the windows fog up. “Sometimes cabins are overexposed or underexposed to light, which can create mould. »
4. Speak to the housekeeping team — if there is one in place — to get an idea of potential issues with the cottage, which they are certainly aware of.
5. Test the product by renting it before buying, if it is a rental chalet. “You can see some things: what is the water pressure, if it smells of sulphur…”
6. Request access to more than one year of financial statements for rental cottages.
7. Choose a cottage located an hour or less from the outskirts of a city. “It helps to find labor for maintenance and repairs. You can find potential employees in the classified ads in convenience stores, grocery stores and by talking to the neighborhood,” suggests Philippe Hamel.