A semi-detached house completely transformed (with extension)

Can you introduce yourself?

I’m Elsa Mut, an architect who has been self-employed for five years. I mainly work on house renovations, with or without extensions, preferably full renovations to bring buildings up to standard in terms of thermal and climate performance. I also do some interior architecture, and I work on small shops: bookshops, restaurants…

Where do you work?

Mainly in Rennes and the surrounding area, and occasionally on the north coast of Brittany, around Saint-Malo and Saint-Lunaire.

Can you tell us more about this renovation in Rennes?

It was a fairly complex project. The existing house dated from the 1930s and had character, but it was only four metres deep. You couldn’t even park a car in the garage. And it was semi-detached. The main challenge was to create more volume and capture the light, on an east-west plot overlooked by neighbours.

To address this, I designed a pergola that draws the eye towards the garden, a large picture window to create continuity between the living space and the outside, and a high-level window that brings in light even in winter.

How long have you been using Archireport?

For about five years. When I set up on my own, I started by writing my site reports in Excel. I discovered Archireport fairly quickly and adopted it straight away.

What convinced you?

Before, I had to export the file as a PDF and type the list of recipients by hand, and I always forgot someone, because a site easily has around ten contractors. With one or two sites, you can just about manage. But as soon as you’re running three or four in parallel, without a tool like Archireport, either you don’t write site reports or you’re flying blind. Today, even the contractors are happy to receive their update without having to chase the architect.

Which devices do you use it on?

On a tablet when I need to take photos on site or write my site report on the spot between two appointments. On my computer the next morning, to reread and check each observation against my photos. And on my smartphone when I’m out and about and need a piece of information: I can access the latest site report in seconds.

What do you like most about Archireport?

How quickly I can send reports. Being able to send the site report to all recipients in one click, without recreating a mailing list for every project. In Archireport, I tick the contractors concerned, everything is already saved, and the site report is ready to go.

Do you use the photo tool a lot?

Yes, I take more photos than before. I don’t add loads so as not to weigh down the site report, but being able to photograph a problem and link it directly to an observation is very handy. Even in draft form, it acts as a reminder: when I get back to the office, I sort through them and prioritise what needs to go in the final version.

Any final words?

I get the feeling that architects can hardly do without it any more. There will always be those who work without site reports, but on the whole, those who have tried Archireport don’t go back. What I often say is that it started as a small company from Rennes and is now used all over the world, which says a lot about how effective the tool is. Using Archireport makes life simpler.