Apartment Delivered Mirror-Reversed? Your VEFA Floor Plan Doesn’t Match in Antibes

EXPERTISE — VEFA

You’ve just picked up the keys to your new-build apartment in Antibes. The VEFA floor plan promised a kitchen on the left as you enter, a 25 sqm living room facing south. You open the door: the kitchen is on the right, the living room is 22 sqm. That’s 3 sqm less — roughly a small bedroom’s worth. The developer tells you « it’s just a mirror layout, it’s the same thing. » But it isn’t the same, and the law is clear.

What you see — and what it’s really hiding

The obvious symptom: the rooms are mirrored relative to the plan. But that’s not all. Measuring with a laser, you find the dimensions don’t add up either: the living room, advertised as 6.25 m x 4.00 m, actually measures 5.80 m x 3.80 m. The difference isn’t down to partition wall thickness — it’s real.

What I often find in these cases: the developer altered the layout of service ducts or partition walls without informing you. This scenario frequently reveals an 8 cm shortfall on the living room’s length, which threw off the entire layout. The VEFA floor plan is a contractual document, not a mere intention.

The numbers that change everything: floor area, price, compliance

Habitable surface per the VEFA plan: 6.25 x 4.00 = 25.00 sqm for the living room, same for the kitchen, 50.00 sqm total. Actual measured: 5.80 x 3.80 = 22.04 sqm per room, 44.08 sqm total. A shortfall of 5.92 sqm, or 11.8% less. The tolerance threshold generally recognised in case law (French Construction Code, art. L261-11, para. 2) is 5% for VEFA sales. Beyond that, the developer is in breach. In Antibes, at €6,500/sqm, that represents a €38,480 loss in value.

In practical terms: you can demand a proportional price reduction or, if the shortfall exceeds 10%, request that the sale be annulled. The Grasse court has already ruled this way in a similar 2022 case.

What happens if you do nothing: the risks at 6 months, 2 years, 5 years

At 6 months, you get used to it. But at 2 years, you want to sell: the surface area diagnostic (French Carrez Law) will reveal the shortfall. The prospective buyer pulls out or negotiates €40,000 off. At 5 years, if you haven’t acted, the developer will invoke the time-barring of the compliance guarantee (French Civil Code, art. 1648). You lose all recourse.

Approximate cost of an expert assessment: €2,500 to €4,000. Cost of a lawsuit: €5,000 to €15,000. But without an expert assessment, you cannot prove the defect. And the developer knows it. Frankly, don’t let this drag on.

Remedies and guarantees: what you can demand

The compliance guarantee (French Construction Code, art. L261-11, para. 1) protects you: the seller must deliver a property that matches the plans and specifications. Action must be brought within 5 years of delivery. Procedure: send a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the developer, then file a claim with the Grasse court. In practice, have the discrepancies documented by an expert (urban planning expert or architect) before sending the registered letter. In Antibes, I carry out these surveys with a Leica laser distance meter and a scaled 1:50 dimensioned drawing. The report will serve as evidence.

📅 Updated on 12/08/2026 — By Cassini Expertise, independent building expert serving the Alpes-Maritimes (06) & Var (83). Free quote: 04 22 46 06 04.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a mirror-reversed apartment delivery?

This is when the delivered apartment is the mirror image of the VEFA (off-plan sale) floor plan you signed. For example, the bedroom that was on the left in the plan ends up on the right, and vice versa. This can affect room layout and orientation.

What should I do if my apartment doesn’t match the VEFA plan?

First check the reservation contract and the attached floor plan. If the discrepancy is significant, you can demand that it be brought into compliance or request compensation. It’s advisable to have a bailiff record the discrepancy and to contact a lawyer specialising in real estate law.

What remedies exist for a non-compliant VEFA plan at handover?

You can refuse delivery if the non-conformity is major. If delivery is accepted, you have 30 days to notify your reservations. After that, you can take legal action to obtain compliance work or damages, depending on the severity of the defect.

📅 Mis à jour le 25/09/2026 — Cassini Expertise, expert bâtiment indépendant (06·83·13·40).