Guides in English
Practical guides from our engineering office in Berlin – for international buyers, owners, tenants and lawyers dealing with buildings in Germany. Each guide is the English version of one of our German technical articles and cites the same sources. German terms you will meet in contracts, letters and court are given in brackets. More than 50 further articles are available in German under Fachwissen.
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Mould in a flat in Germany: building defect or ventilation?
Mould in a flat in Germany: how to tell a building defect from ventilation habits, what the courts have decided and what to record before anyone cleans.
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Construction warranty periods in Germany: BGB and VOB/B
Defect claims on German building work expire five years after acceptance under the BGB, usually four under the VOB/B. When the clock starts and what stops it.
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Buying a house in Germany: viewing checklist and documents
Buying a used house in Germany: which documents to request, what to check outside and inside, building services, asbestos – with a checklist for the viewing.
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Buying a flat in Germany: owners' association documents
Buying a flat in Germany: which owners' association documents to request and how to check the common property and the flat – with a checklist for the viewing.
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What does a building surveyor cost in Germany?
What a building surveyor costs in Germany, what the fee depends on, what is included and when a report pays off – fee types, court rates, who pays.