Permettez-moi de construire

Permettez-moi de construire, which now operates under the name Algar, offers a digitized service to streamline the administrative process for individuals and professionals seeking building permits and work authorizations in France. The company was founded in 2016 by Aurélien De Nunzio, who was later joined by Maxime Coucke. The initial concept for the company began in 2014 while De Nunzio was studying Construction Economics.

The company's primary market consists of individuals in France undertaking construction projects, a segment that files approximately 400,000 permit applications annually. Since 2021, the service has expanded to include B2B offerings for construction professionals such as artisans, builders, and property developers. This B2B model allows professionals to either include the service cost in their client quotes or rebill it directly. The business generates revenue by charging a fee for its services, which ranges from €250 to €2,000, depending on the project's complexity.

The service simplifies the complex process of obtaining urban planning authorizations, which often requires expertise in urbanism, land law, and 3D plan drawing. Clients describe their project on the company's website, initially interacting with a chatbot, followed by a telephone consultation with an expert to refine the project details. Algar then manages the entire application process, including compiling the file, creating 2D/3D plans, filling out the necessary CERFA forms, and submitting it to the local town hall. Clients can track their application's progress through a dedicated online dashboard. A key feature of their value proposition is a money-back guarantee if the permit is not approved.

The company has achieved several significant milestones, including two funding rounds totaling €1.4 million. The first was a seed round of €400,000 in 2017 from Finovam Gestion, and the second was a €1 million round in 2019 with participation from historical investors and business angels like Éric Larchevêque. In 2021, the company rebranded to Algar and secured further investment from EDF to support its expansion. By 2020, the company had processed 3,000 permits and partnered with 2,000 artisans.

Keywords: building permit service, urban planning authorization, construction administration, property development services, real estate technology, proptech, permit application assistance, construction law, B2B construction services, digital administrative services, French construction market, work declaration, land law compliance, 3D construction plans, project feasibility analysis, online permit tracking, money-back guarantee, artisan construction support, individual home construction, real estate project management, EDF, Finovam Gestion