Chapter III: Leasing of work and industry.

Any clause in a contract whose purpose is either to exclude or limit the liability provided for in articles 1792, 1792-1 and 1792-2, or to exclude the guarantees provided for in articles 1792-3 and 1792-6 or to limit its scope, or to exclude or limit the joint and several liability provided for in article 1792-4, is deemed unwritten.

Acceptance is the act by which the client declares acceptance of the work, with or without reservations. It takes place at the request of the most diligent party, either amicably or, failing that, judicially. It is, in any event, pronounced by both parties. The guarantee of perfect completion, to which the contractor is bound for a period of one year, from acceptance, extends to the repair of all defects indicated…

The following are not considered to be items of equipment of a structure within the meaning of articles 1792, 1792-2, 1792-3 and 1792-4 items of equipment, including their accessories, whose sole function is to enable a professional activity to be carried out in the structure.

Where an architect or contractor has undertaken the fixed-price construction of a building, according to a plan drawn up and agreed with the owner of the land, he may not demand any increase in price, either under the pretext of an increase in labour or materials, or under that of changes or increases made to that plan, if such changes or increases have not been authorised in writing, and the…

The master may terminate, by his sole will, the fixed-price contract, even though the work has already begun, by compensating the contractor for all his expenses, all his work, and all that he could have gained in this undertaking.

The contract for the hire of work is dissolved by the death of the workman, architect or contractor.

But the owner is bound to pay in proportion to the price carried by the agreement, to their estate, the value of the works made and that of the materials prepared, only when such works or materials can be useful to him.

The entrepreneur is liable for the fact of the people he employs.

Bricklayers, carpenters and other workmen who have been employed in the construction of a building or other works made for the company, have no action against the person for whom the works were made, except to the extent of what he is indebted to the contractor for, at the time when their action is brought.

Bricklayers, carpenters, locksmiths and other workmen who make contracts directly at prices made, are subject to the rules prescribed in this section: they are contractors in the part they deal with.