Handover is the act by which the client declares acceptance of the works, with or without snags, and article 1792-6 of the French Civil Code states that it is pronounced in the presence of both parties. It is that date, not the last day on site nor the final invoice, that starts the three statutory warranties: one year of perfect completion under the same article, two years of proper functioning on removable equipment under article 1792-3, ten years of decennial liability under article 1792. A quality control sheet therefore has only one useful purpose, producing on the day a dated, signed and enforceable handover report, with snags worded precisely enough to be cleared without argument.
Preparing the handover: documents, scope and points to watch
Defining the handover scope and the areas to check on site
Before the handover, clarify what is checked and what isn't. List the work packages involved and split the site into zones: heated rooms, loft, basement, plant room. Also identify the interfaces: insulation around joinery, network routing, wall penetrations. That's often where defects hide. Keep an annotated plan or sketch, and settle who will be present on the day. No ambiguity.
Gathering the essential documents: quotes, plans, manuals, technical sheets, test reports
Bring together the signed quotes and amendments, the plans and diagrams (electrical, hydraulic, ventilation), and the manufacturer manuals. For equipment such as a heat pump or mechanical ventilation, prepare the technical sheets, the commissioning record, and the test or settings reports: pressure, flow rates, airtightness, balancing. A clear file avoids arguments when it's time to clear snags. A written trail.
Preparing the quality control equipment: levels, camera, hygrometer, paper or digital checklists
The right equipment saves time. Bring a spirit or laser level, a torch, a camera or smartphone for time-stamped photos, and a hygrometer to check humidity before closing up linings or installing finishes. Add a simple checklist, paper or digital, with a space to note snags, the room, and the date. Clean control.
Quality control by work package: checking execution and compliance on site
Insulation and airtightness: continuity, thermal bridges, vapour barrier and finishes
Before the handover, check the continuity of the insulation. No gaps at the edges, no compression. Track down thermal bridges at floor-wall junctions, load-bearing walls, and window reveals. On the inside, check the vapour barrier. Overlaps, tape, duct and box penetrations must all stay airtight. Finishes must protect the insulation, not puncture it.
Heating, ventilation, controls: commissioning, settings, safety and noise
Commissioning needs to be checked. Control parameters, water curve, emitter balancing, and safety tests. On the ventilation side, validate flow rates and check for no leaks or crushed ducts. If there are complaints, measure noise and correct it. A signed settings log prevents callbacks.
Joinery and finishes: sealing, opening mechanisms, alignment, rework and cleaning
On joinery, sealing makes the difference. Check strips, seals, sills, and water drainage. Opening elements must close without effort, without friction, and stay aligned. Note any rework as a snag, then finish with a thorough clean. This is often what the client remembers most.
Testing, measuring, proving: the checks to carry out on handover day
Functional tests and simple measurements: mechanical ventilation flow rates, temperatures, pressures, humidity differential
On handover day, bring out the instruments. Measure mechanical ventilation flow rates at the vents (values consistent with the sizing), check supply and return temperatures, and check hydraulic network pressures if there's a heat pump or boiler. A reading of the humidity differential before and after start-up also helps objectively assess comfort. Note the date, the instrument used, the measurement point, and the result.
Enhanced visual inspection: dated photos, snag tracking and traceability
Do a full walkthrough, room by room. Take dated photos of sensitive areas (penetrations, ducts, vents, insulation, boxed-in areas). Note snags directly, without going around them, and record them in a signed document. Add traceability of the references installed (labels, serial numbers, manuals) to avoid arguments later.
Checking consistency of expected performance: insulation installed vs. planned, settings vs. client usage
Compare what was installed against what was planned. Insulation thickness and continuity, vapour barrier, treatment of thermal bridges, control settings and setpoints. Confirm actual usage with the client (schedules, heated rooms, ventilation). Two minutes of explanation turns measurements into useful evidence.
Writing the handover report: snags, deadlines and responsibilities
Formulating clear snags: location, defect, photo, rework requirement, deadline
On handover day, aim for precise snags. A vague snag gets argued over, a detailed snag gets fixed. Each snag is better kept in the site file than in a notebook, with Argile tracking it, photos attached, until it is cleared.
- Exact location (room, wall, reference point).
- Defect observed, without interpretation.
- Dated photo, attached to the report.
- Expected rework requirement (what, how, finish).
- Realistic, written deadline for clearance.
Managing snag-clearance deadlines and organising the rework on site
Set a written schedule for the rework. Specify who provides access, protection, any shutdowns, and the intervention time slots. After correction, get it validated on site and record the snag clearance in writing.
Securing signatures, the handover date and the transfer of custody of the works
The report must carry a certain date and the signatures of the parties. Note the handover of keys, the appendices, and the snags. Handover triggers the starting point of the legal warranties, even if snags remain to be cleared.
| Warranty | Duration from handover | What it covers | Text |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect completion | 1 year | every defect reported, as a snag in the report or by later written notice | article 1792-6 of the French Civil Code |
| Proper functioning | 2 years minimum | removable equipment elements that can be taken out without damaging the works | article 1792-3 of the French Civil Code |
| Decennial | 10 years | defects compromising structural soundness or making the works unfit for purpose | article 1792 of the French Civil Code |
Two practical consequences. A handover pronounced without a dated report leaves the start of all three periods open to argument, which works against you. And on perfect completion, article 1792-6 provides that the time allowed for the remedial works is agreed between client and contractor: no fixed deadline is imposed by the text, so it is for you to write it into the report rather than inherit one.
What a usable quality control sheet actually carries
A generic sheet gets ticked without proving anything. What holds up in a dispute is one line per checkpoint, with the instrument, the reading and the location.
| Trade | What you check | What goes on the sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Insulation | continuity, no compression, treatment of reveals and junctions | thickness and reference of the product installed, time-stamped photos of the detailing |
| Airtightness | laps, tapes, grommets on penetrations, hatches | zones treated, photos before closing up linings, test result where one is run |
| Ventilation | flow rates at terminals, no crushed ducts, free air inlets | flow measured at each terminal, instrument used, design value targeted |
| Heating and controls | heating curve, balancing, circuit pressure, safety tests | control settings, pressure, positions of the balancing devices |
| Windows and doors | sealing, sills, water drainage, operation of opening lights | defects found, remedial work expected, deadline for clearance |
| Substrate moisture | level before closing linings and applying finishes | value measured, zone, date, threshold from the relevant standard or technical approval |
After handover: snag follow-up and useful evidence for checks in 2026
Keeping evidence: report, photos, product sheets, RGE certificates, maintenance manuals
After the handover, file everything in one place. Keep the signed report, dated before-and-after photos, technical sheets and performance data, product references, the company's up-to-date RGE certificate, and the maintenance manuals handed to the client. Add, if possible, the commissioning records (heat pump, mechanical ventilation) and evidence of how critical points were treated.
Ensuring quality follow-up: scheduling snag clearance and the clearance report
Snags are a small draught in the file. Note them, set an intervention date, and confirm clearance with a dated, signed clearance report. Take new photos and keep the client correspondence. This is often what secures an inspection.
Anticipating 2026 grant-related requests: CEE, MaPrimeRénov' and supporting documents on the tradesperson's side
For grants, you'll mainly be asked for tidy documents. A detailed invoice (work, quantities, surfaces, performance, address), a signed CEE sworn statement, RGE proof for the right trade area, and, for MaPrimeRénov', the end-of-work documents sent to the client. Prepare a single PDF file, ready to send. To limit rejections, also see our advice on avoiding MaPrimeRénov' application refusals.
