Housing: The French prefer raising buildings over new construction

Roof elevation, which involves adding an additional floor to replace a home's existing roof, is an effective solution for limiting urban sprawl. But what do the French think about it?

A specialist in this technology for nearly 40 years, Viveo has unveiled an exclusive study conducted by the OpinionWay Institute to understand the expectations of the French. The results reflect a desire to promote the deployment of this solution.

Some key figures

• 80% of French people believe that the future of housing lies in the transformation of existing buildings rather than the construction of new housing.
• Nearly 2 out of 3 French people prefer to expand their current home rather than move
• 60% of respondents believe that it is more economical to raise their roof rather than move to a larger home
• More than 1 in 2 people would like to benefit from financial assistance from the State (75% among young people)
• 74% support building extensions in co-ownership to gain purchasing power by reselling the building rights to a developer

Adapting housing to new life realities

Faced with soaring real estate prices, rising interest rates, and a housing shortage in high-demand areas, many households are deciding against moving. However, lifestyles are changing (teleworking, blended families, the birth of a child, caring for elderly parents, etc.), and with them, the need for more space in homes. In this context, 71% of French people consider raising their floors a relevant solution for adapting their homes. Nearly two out of three (2%) even prefer to expand their current home rather than move.

Beyond its practicality, raising the roof is also seen as a more affordable alternative: 60% of those surveyed consider it more economical than moving. Rightly so, given that raising the roof costs an average of €2.500/m².

High expectations: financial aid and easing of constraints

As is often the case with housing, the question of financing remains central. The French would like to be supported in this area: more than half of them (54%) indicate that they would be more inclined to carry out roof extension work if dedicated financial assistance were offered by the State. This figure rises to 70% for apartment owners.

Another point highlighted by respondents: the cumbersome administrative procedures that hinder certain projects. 76% of French people point to the need to relax regulations to allow for the development of roof extensions on existing buildings rather than new construction. Nearly 1 in 2 (48%) even believe that municipal authorization should not be mandatory for individuals. This need for simplification reflects a desire to encourage the deployment of this technical solution by freeing itself from regulatory constraints.

On the condominium side, 8 out of 10 apartment owners believe that building extensions are an attractive way to increase purchasing power by selling the building rights to a developer. Condominiums can thus pay around €3.000 per square meter of construction and sell them twice as much to future neighbors. In a city like Paris, for example, where, according to Apur, 40.000 housing units could be created by building extensions, the potential is colossal.

Despite its many advantages, raising the ground remains relatively unknown to the general public: 39% of French people are unaware of this solution. This figure is a cause for concern at a time when it is becoming urgent to limit land artificialization.

For Lionel Taquet, founder of Viveo: "Elevating floors has proven its worth in both single-family homes and multi-family residences, for both economic and environmental reasons. In light of the Zero Net Artificialization objective, it represents an effective solution for expanding the housing supply without artificializing the land. However, continued educational work is needed to raise awareness and explain how this solution works to as many people as possible. The results of the study clearly reflect this: French people familiar with this solution are in favor of it and advocate for greater flexibility in regulations, a wish widely shared by professionals. Beyond its practicality, raising floors is also perceived as a more affordable alternative: 60% of those surveyed consider it more economical than moving. Rightly so, given that raising floors costs an average of €2.500/m². Faced with a housing crisis and an unprecedented ecological challenge, public and private stakeholders must actively work to democratize the use of above-ground land for the housing of tomorrow."

A vision for the future of housing and the planet

In a context of housing crisis, with a shortage of offers in tense areas, a slowdown in new construction, a scarcity of land and growing environmental issues, the French see in raising the roof a solution of general interest.

80% of them believe that the future lies in the transformation of existing buildings rather than the construction of new housing. Among 25-34 year-olds, this conviction is even more pronounced (87%), a sign of a call for more sober and agile urban planning.

For 8 out of 10 respondents, raising the height of the building is also a useful lever for creating new housing in the most congested areas, without artificializing the land or resorting to new infrastructure. A doubly virtuous response to the ecological and social emergency.

Methodology

Barometer conducted by the OpinionWay Institute for Viveo, with a sample of over 1.066 people, representative of the French population aged 18 and over. Study and analysis of the results carried out in April-May 2025.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.