# Reservations Lifted but Work Poorly Done in Antibes: What to Do? > Réserves levées mais travaux mal faits à Antibes : quels recours et comment faire constater les désordres. - URL : https://cassini-expertise.fr/en/reservations-lifted-poor-work-antibes-what-to-do/ - Langue : en-US - Mis à jour : 2026-11-06 - Site : Cassini Expertise (https://cassini-expertise.fr/) EXPERTISE – RESERVATIONS You just received the developer’s letter. It announces that your reservations have been cleared. Relieved, you check the apartment. And then, the shock: the crack on the terrace is still there, the living room floor tiles are warped, the bathroom waterproofing is leaking moisture. In [Antibes](https://cassini-expertise.fr/antibes-secheresse-argile-fissures-donnees-officielles/), 1 in 3 owners discovers a persistent defect after the developer declares the reservations cleared. The developer claims everything is fixed. You can clearly see it’s not. What to do when reality contradicts the paperwork? ## What You See – and What It Really Hides ![reservations lifted poor work antibes what to do 2 - Cassini Expertise](https://cassini-expertise.fr/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/fissures-mur.webp) *Cassini Expertise – expertise bâtiment indépendante* You see a fine 2 mm crack on the terrace wall. The developer says it’s cosmetic, fixed. In reality, this crack may be a symptom of differential slab settlement. On a case in Antibes last year, I measured a similar crack. By marking a reference, we observed an additional 0.5 mm widening over 6 months. It wasn’t a paint defect, but a structural movement. What no one tells you: a declaration that reservations are cleared is not a technical assessment. It’s an administrative act. Only an expert, with their instruments, can attest that the defect is technically corrected within the tolerances allowed by the standard. Without that, the clearance of reservations has no value against the reality of the construction site. Crack 1 Crack 2 Crack 3 ΔL₁ = 2.1 mm ΔL₂ = 1.8 mm Schematic diagram: facade cracking (horizontal cross-section) The red line shows the actual crack path. Dimensions measure deviation from theoretical alignment (blue dashed line). ## The Deviation Calculation That Invalidates the Clearance of Reservations Let’s take the concrete example of defective tiles on a 20 m² terrace in Antibes. The developer “corrected” the defect, but the tiles still show unevenness. The standard requires flatness. We measure with an optical level or a 2-metre straightedge. The maximum tolerance for a floor is 5 mm under a 2 m straightedge (reference NF DTU 52.2, French technical document for glued floor tiling). Imagine three measured points: height H₁ = 0 mm (reference), H₂ = +4 mm, H₃ = +7 mm. The maximum deviation is ΔH_max = |H₃ – H₁| = 7 mm. The local slope between points 2 and 3 is calculated: slope = (H₃ – H₂) / L × 100, with L = distance between points = 1 m. So slope = (7-4)/1000 × 100 = 0.3%. But the crucial verdict is on the deviation under the straightedge. 7 mm > 5 mm. The result is clear: **non-compliant**. What this means concretely: the clearance of reservations is technically unfounded. The flatness defect constitutes a construction defect under **[Art. 1792-6](https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000006443552) of the French Civil Code, paragraph 1**, which triggers the completion warranty (garantie de parfait achèvement). Your visual observation turns into quantified evidence. ## What Happens If You Do Nothing In 6 months, the 2 mm crack on the terrace in Antibes will likely have doubled. Rainwater, sometimes carrying salty sea spray near the coast, will infiltrate. It will reach the steel reinforcement in the slab. Corrosion begins. In 2 years, concrete spalling will appear (accelerated carbonation). The warped tiles, left unrepaired, will have their joints completely unsealed. Infiltration on the underside may occur, threatening the ceiling below. Secondary pathology: mould growth. In 5 years, the repair cost is no longer a few thousand euros for regrouting and localised repair, but €15,000 to €30,000 for complete tile removal, reinforcement treatment, substrate reprofiling, and new installation with reinforced waterproofing. Not to mention the construction nuisance. The [ten-year warranty](https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2034) (garantie décennale) can still be invoked, but the loss of use and property value will be real. ## Recourse and Guarantees: What You Can Demand Frankly, don’t stay idle. The applicable guarantee here is the **guarantee of perfect completion** (Art. 1792-6 of the French Civil Code), lasting one year from the acceptance of the works. The **French Construction and Housing Code (CCH) L261-11, paragraph 2**, specifies that this guarantee covers the repair of all defects reported as reservations. Your developer says the reservations are cleared? No matter, if the defect persists, the guarantee still runs. The procedure is timed: send a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt to the developer, notifying them of the persistent defect and demanding repair within 30 days. Attach photos and, if possible, a simple initial metric survey. If they don’t respond, hire an independent expert (a surveyor or building expert). Their report, with measurements using a total station (precision ±1 cm) or laser distance meter, will be authoritative. If the developer refuses, legal action at the [Grasse](https://cassini-expertise.fr/grasse-secheresse-argile-fissures-donnees-officielles/) judicial court (tribunal judiciaire) is the next step. The judge will often appoint a court expert. In practice, in Antibes, a well-documented case by an expert leads to a settlement or court order for the developer to do the work in 8 out of 10 cases. You have the right to a compliant home. Demand it. ## Frequently asked questions ### What should I do if building work has been poorly done in Antibes? If work has been poorly done, you must first send the contractor a formal notice by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, detailing the defects. If he refuses or does not reply, you can bring the matter before the tribunal judiciaire or call in an expert to assess the damage and obtain compensation. ### What remedies are available after reservations have been cleared for defective work? Clearing the reservations does not deprive you of your remedies for latent defects or faults that were not apparent at acceptance. You have 10 years to claim under the ten-year warranty (garantie décennale) for damage that compromises the structural soundness of the building or makes it unfit for its purpose. ### How do I obtain redress for poorly executed work in Antibes? To obtain redress, you must prove that the work does not conform to the contract or to good building practice. Gather evidence (photographs, quotes, expert reports), then send the contractor a formal notice. If necessary, bring legal proceedings within the statutory time limits (completion warranty: 1 year, biennial warranty: 2 years, ten-year warranty: 10 years). Find out more: [Article 1641 of the Civil Code and the latent defects warranty, explained](https://cassini-expertise.fr/article-1641-code-civil-garantie-vices-caches/). **See also:** [Lifting of Reservations in Nice: Defect Persists, What to Do?](https://cassini-expertise.fr/en/lifting-reservations-nice-defect-persists/) · [Reserves Ignored by Developer in Nice: What to Do in 2025?](https://cassini-expertise.fr/en/reserves-ignored-by-developer-nice-2025/) · [Defects After Reservation Lift in Nice: What to Do When the Issue Persists?](https://cassini-expertise.fr/en/defects-after-reservation-lift-nice/) --- Source : https://cassini-expertise.fr/en/reservations-lifted-poor-work-antibes-what-to-do/