Devis: French written quotes | Riviera Home Experts

What is a devis?

Devis is the French word for a written quote. For repairs, maintenance and emergency call-outs (dépannage) in the building trades, the contractor must give you one before starting, whatever the amount. There's no job too small to skip it. Once you sign the devis, it's a binding contract: the contractor must do the work described at the price stated. You can't be charged more unless you agree to extra work in writing.

What must a French devis include by law?

French rules set out what the document must contain:

The contractor's name, address, and SIRET (company registration number)
Any professional certifications, including RGE numbers if applicable
The contractor's insurance details: their insurer's name and address, the policy number, and the geographical area the garantie décennale covers
A description of the work to be done
The materials to be used, including brands and specifications where relevant
Quantities and unit prices
The total price excluding TVA (HT)
The TVA rate being applied (varies by type of work)
The total price including TVA (TTC)
The validity period of the quote
Whether the quote itself is free or charged, and how much
Payment terms

If any of these are missing, the devis isn't compliant. Ask for a revised version before you sign.

Devis versus facture: what changes once the work starts

A devis and a facture (invoice) can look almost identical: the same job, the same materials, the same TVA rate. The difference is timing. A devis is an offer, written before anyone picks up a tool. A facture is a demand for payment, issued once the work is done or at an agreed stage.

Don't let a facture stand in for a signed devis. And don't treat the devis as enough proof once the job is finished. Either gap costs you the paper trail you'd need in a dispute.

	Devis	Facture
When issued	Before work starts, as a written offer	After the work is done, or at an agreed acompte (deposit) stage
Legally binding	Only once signed "bon pour accord", with a signature and date	Yes: it's a formal demand for payment
Mandatory mentions	Business name, address and SIRET; client identity; description of the work and materials; quantities and unit prices; total HT and TTC; TVA rate; validity period; payment terms; garantie décennale insurer, policy number and geographical coverage	The same details as the devis, plus an issue date and a unique invoice number
TVA shown	Rate applied per line (5.5%, 10% or 20%, depending on the work), plus the building-age and use certification required since February 2025	Same rate as the signed devis, with any acompte already paid deducted from the balance due
What you sign	"Bon pour accord", your signature and the date	Nothing: you don't countersign a facture

Most contractors ask for an acompte on signing, billed on a separate facture d'acompte. Since February 2025, you certify the building's age and intended use directly on the devis or facture. That mention replaced the separate Cerfa (official form) attestation that used to unlock the reduced TVA rates of 5.5% and 10%. Ask for it to appear on the devis, or at the latest on the facture. Without it, the reduced rate can't legally apply and the line has to be billed at the standard 20%.

Keep both documents. The devis records what was agreed and at what price. The facture proves what you paid, and it's the one you'll need for a subsidy application, an insurance claim or a dispute.

What happens legally when you sign a devis?

Once you sign the devis and return it, both sides are bound: the contractor to do the work at the stated price, you to pay it. Any change of scope after that should be agreed in writing, as an amendment (avenant) to the original devis. If a contractor bills more than the signed devis without an avenant, you have recourse. Keep a copy of everything you sign.

What is the cooling-off period after signing a devis in France?

If you sign at home, for example after a contractor surveys the property, you have 14 days to cancel. You don't need a reason and you pay no penalty. The same 14 days normally apply to a contract agreed at a distance, by email or online. The contractor should state this right on the document itself, so note it if they don't.

A contract signed at the contractor's premises has no cooling-off period. Neither does an urgent repair you asked them to do at your home. If you want the work to start inside the 14 days, the contractor needs that request from you in writing.

Are written estimates (devis) free in France?

In most trades, quotes are free (devis gratuit). Some contractors charge for a detailed technical survey before quoting, particularly for complex installations. The devis has to say whether it's charged and how much, so agree this before the survey happens. A bill for the survey is separate from the devis for the work itself.

What is the difference between a devis and a verbal estimate?

French contractors often give a ballpark figure over the phone or on site. It has no legal standing. Only the signed written devis is binding. A contractor who says "it'll be around five thousand euros" and then invoices seven thousand isn't necessarily acting improperly: the verbal figure was never a devis.

How devis culture works on the Côte d'Azur

Quotes here usually arrive in French, with technical abbreviations, brand names you won't recognise, and TVA rates that change from line to line. The rate depends on the work and on the property. Ask the contractor to explain each line before you sign. A legitimate contractor will do this without hesitation, and reluctance to explain a document they want you to sign is a warning sign.

Never let work start without a signed devis in your hands. Verbal agreements are common here, but they give you no legal protection if a dispute arises later.

Written quote (devis): what it should contain in France