Construction in Berlin – extensions, garages and loft conversions, clearly planned

In a Berlin Altbau you can rarely tell by looking whether a wall carries load: timber-beam floors often rest on interior walls, and in GDR-era Plattenbau blocks it’s usually the very walls you’d like to open. So every opening starts with a structural engineer, who works out the beam and the temporary support needed. Whether the building authority must also be involved depends on the building.

In an owner-occupied flat, a load-bearing wall is common property of the owners’ association (WEG), which has to approve the work. Tenants need written consent from the landlord. We only start once the calculations and approvals are in place, even if that means waiting.

A garage is usually the smallest building project on a plot, yet it still needs a foundation, proper workmanship and a check on whether a permit is required. Some small garages and carports need no permit under Berlin’s building code (Bauordnung für Berlin); it depends on size and location, such as the distance to the boundary and the local development plan. No permit doesn’t mean no rules – distances and requirements still apply. We clarify this with you and the building authority before work starts.

A solid garage protects better against break-ins and weather and gives you storage; a carport is quicker to build and costs less. If your driveway needs a dropped kerb, you apply for it at the district office; we tell you which documents you need.

Many Berlin buildings have an attic used only for storage. Turning it into living space is a change of use, which as a rule needs a permit, and structure, fire safety, insulation and a second escape route all have to work. The architect and engineer check this before anything is built.

We take on the interior: insulation, drywall, electrics, plumbing and finishes. Roofing, dormers, roof windows and changes to the roof structure belong with roofers and carpenters; we coordinate the sequence so inside and outside fit together.

After a site visit, and with the engineer’s or architect’s documents, you get a written fixed price for our share of the work. The quote also lists which parts a specialist firm takes on and sets out the schedule. Travel within Berlin is included; materials are itemised at purchase price plus a customary margin.

If opening a wall or ceiling reveals something different from the plan, we stop and agree the extra work with you first. Anything done without your approval is not billed. Whether the labour share counts as a tax-deductible household trade service depends on the project – new builds don’t qualify. We show it separately on the invoice.

We usually reply to enquiries within one working day, and a site visit is often possible as soon as the next working day. When building starts then depends on the engineer and, where needed, the building authority – you get the schedule with the quote. Our office at Landhausstraße 31 in Wilmersdorf is staffed Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.

We work in all twelve Berlin districts. Building control sits with the district office (Bezirksamt) responsible for the plot. Quotes, plans and site meetings can all run in English.