Glossary
The construction, handover, and aftercare glossary
Reference definitions from the first site report through buyer claims, interventions, and post-reception warranties.
- OPR (pre-reception inspection) OPR (opérations préalables à la réception) is the formal pre-reception inspection that precedes the handover of a construction project in France. It is conducted by the architect or lead designer (maîtrise d'œuvre), alongside the client (maître d'ouvrage) and the trades, who walk the site trade by trade to verify that the work matches the drawings and contract. It produces a record listing the defects (réserves) to be corrected before or after formal reception.
- PV de réception (reception PV) The PV de réception (procès-verbal de réception des travaux, or reception PV) is the document that records the client's acceptance of the works, with or without reserves. It is signed at the close of the pre-reception inspections (OPR) and is the single legal act that triggers the statutory warranties. Its signature date starts the one-year parfait achèvement warranty, the two-year bon fonctionnement warranty, and the ten-year décennale (decennial) liability.
- Construction reserves (réserves) Construction reserves (réserves de construction) are defects, faults, or non-conformities identified during the reception (handover) of a building. They are recorded in the reception PV (procès-verbal de réception) and must be cleared by the contractor within a contractually fixed deadline. Until a reserve is cleared, the affected work is not considered compliant with the construction contract.
- Maîtrise d'œuvre Maîtrise d'œuvre (MOE) is the party that designs and/or supervises construction on behalf of the maître d'ouvrage (MOA), the project owner. The MOE turns the owner's brief into a built work: design, contractor tendering, direction of execution, conformity control, and assistance at handover. The maître d'œuvre is distinct from the maître d'ouvrage, who commissions and finances the work.
- Punch list A punch list is a construction document itemizing work that must be completed or corrected before a project can be considered finished. It is typically generated during a site walkthrough by the architect or quality supervisor and assigned to responsible contractors. In French construction, the punch list is the international equivalent of the réserves recorded at réception (handover).
- DOE (dossier des ouvrages exécutés) The DOE (dossier des ouvrages exécutés) is the as-built file describing a building exactly as it was constructed. It is handed over to the client at reception and serves as the reference for any later intervention on the works. The DOE contains the conformed as-built drawings, the operating and maintenance manuals, and the warranties for the equipment and materials installed.
- DIUO The DIUO (dossier d'intervention ultérieure sur l'ouvrage) is the French file that records the technical measures needed to work safely on a building after it is delivered, for its upkeep, maintenance, and future repairs. It is compiled and kept current by the coordonnateur SPS (the health and safety coordinator) throughout the project. It is handed to the client at reception and stays with the building for its entire life.
- Responsabilité décennale (decennial liability) Responsabilité décennale (decennial liability) is the strict 10-year liability of builders, including the architect and the maître d'œuvre, running from the réception of the works. It covers damage that compromises the solidity of the structure or makes the work unfit for its intended purpose. It is set by the loi Spinetta of 4 January 1978 and codified in article 1792 of the French Code civil.
- Construction site report A construction site report is the document issued after a site meeting or visit. It records attendees, progress, decisions, observations, and required actions. Every operational item should identify an owner, deadline, and status.
- Construction document management system (DMS) A construction document management system, or DMS, centralizes project drawings, manuals, technical submittals, and deliverables with their classification, revisions, statuses, access rights, and history.
- Visa of construction execution documents The French visa of execution documents is the design team’s review of whether contractor-produced studies follow the project design. The visa does not replace the contractor’s responsibility for its studies and construction methods.
- As-built drawing (plan de récolement) An as-built drawing represents the works as they were actually constructed, including changes made during execution. It differs from the design or original execution drawing and normally forms part of the construction closeout record.
- Garantie de parfait achèvement (GPA) The French garantie de parfait achèvement, or GPA, requires a contractor for one year after reception to repair defects recorded as reception reserves or notified in writing after reception. It is defined by article 1792-6 of the Code civil.
- Buyer handover (livraison acquéreur) Buyer handover is the stage when the developer delivers the dwelling and keys to the purchaser. The customer visits the property, checks it against the sale contract, and may record defects or unfinished work in a handover record.
- Buyer property claim A buyer property claim is a request submitted by a customer after handover of the dwelling. It may concern a defect, equipment, document, or question of use. The developer team qualifies it before choosing the appropriate process, responsibility, and intervention.
- Property aftercare intervention record A property aftercare intervention record documents a contractor visit to a dwelling after handover. It identifies the request, appointment, contractor, work completed, final observations, and buyer signature.