General

Once they have moved into their dream home, builders do not initially think about defects and construction errors. After all, everything is new and the joy of owning their own home is great. But especially in the first few years after moving in, it is important to observe and check the house for weak points. This is because, according to the German Civil Code (BGB), the warranty period ends five years after...

If you're fixing up your balcony in time for spring, it should not only look cozy and visually appealing, but also be up to date in terms of energy efficiency. While sometimes it is enough to replace an old balcony door, in other cases the balcony should be renovated or even demolished. What to pay attention to, that a balcony in the summer turns into a...

The tenant of a ballet school sues her landlord and demands a rent reduction of 10 percent (AZ XII ZR 40/19). In the lease agreement concluded in June 2015, a total gross rent of 4,900 euros was agreed for the commercial premises. The total leased area of the premises is approximately 300 square meters. The contract was taken over from the previous tenant. In a letter dated 19....

When the days get warmer, many are drawn to the terrace. Especially wooden terraces enjoy great popularity. The wooden planks look very natural and fit perfectly into the environment. The building material wood also radiates warmth and coziness, yet does not heat up much in direct sunlight. Likewise, a wooden floor is load-bearing, robust and has good...

Even though it can be assumed that the home office boom that emerged as a result of the Corona crisis will continue to be integrated into everyday working life or even expand in the future, recent evaluations by the Institute of the German Economy (IW) show the opposite. According to the survey results of more than 1,200 participating companies, only 6.4 percent of companies plan to use part or even all of their office space for...

The Institut für Bauforschung (IfB) and the Bauherren-Schutzbund (BSB) have collaborated to publish the short study "The 10 most common defects in condominiums in apartment buildings". With this study, the publishers summarize the most frequently occurring construction defects. In addition, the study contains helpful tips for apartment sellers on how to identify the defects at an early...

The housing industry research project "Influence of operational management on the efficiency of old heating systems in existing buildings (BaltBest)" will run until May 2021. The project's investigations are intended to make a significant contribution to the development of strategies in the area of climate protection and digitization in the housing industry. The background to the investigations is that, in addition to a...

In 2015, a married couple purchased a condominium in a new development area in Düsseldorf. A total of 1,800 apartments were to be built on the site. The couple paid 550,000 euros for the 140-square-meter apartment. At a later date, the city of Düsseldorf built a waste glass and waste paper container facility on the opposite side of the new apartment. Since the facility was at...

When moving into an apartment or a house, as well as during an upcoming renovation, the ceiling often receives little attention. However, due to its height and design, it affects the entire atmosphere of the room. Sometimes small measures are enough to beautify the ceiling. For example, if the ceiling is flat and has no flaws, it is often enough to paint it...

The study "Living in Germany 2020 - Differences between urban and rural areas" examines and compares real estate and rental prices in German core cities and metropolitan areas with price developments in the Speckgürtel and rural areas. An important aspect of the research relates to the effects of the Corona pandemic and the resulting increase in commuting...