Full Baugutachten in English | Berlin, From €850

Real findings

Rated red

Damp traced to a leaking pipe

The finish had blown away from the soffit and the surface read wet on the meter. The leak, not the staining, is the thing to fix. Rated red: deal with the source before anything is made good.

Typical repair €4,000-35,000Indicative German market range for this type of finding. Your report gives the figure for your property.

Book an inspection date

Moisture meter held against a damaged ceiling soffit, confirming a leak — Damp traced to a leaking pipe. The finish had blown away from the soffit and the surface read wet on the meter. Rated red. Typical repair €4,000-35,000.

Thermal image showing a cold plume spreading from a pipe run — The same leak seen through the wall. The cold plume spreading from the pipe run shows how far the water has travelled.

Thermal image of a window showing heat loss around the frame — Cold air around the window frames. Rated amber. Typical repair €7,000-40,000 across a whole flat.

Mould growth in a wall corner beside a tub of white paint — Mould in a corner, next to the paint bought to cover it. Rated red. Cost depends on the cause, quantified in the report.

Blown plaster and a crack where the wall meets the floor — Blown plaster at floor level with a crack running through it. Rated amber. Rising damp and movement have to be separated.

Black bitumen adhesive exposed under a lifted floor tile — Black adhesive under a lifted floor tile, flagged as suspected asbestos-containing material, to be confirmed by laboratory test.

Infrared thermometer taking a reading in a boiler room — Checking the heating with an infrared reading rather than reading the label. Rated amber. Typical repair €12,000-45,000.

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The full Baugutachten

What it includes, and what it costs

One fixed price, agreed before booking. No surprises, no hourly meters. VAT exempt per §19 UStG.

01

Full Baugutachten

Vollständiges Gutachten · The 12-point on-site inspection with thermal imaging and moisture readings. Comprehensive English PDF report in 24 hours: traffic-light defect ratings, photo documentation, repair cost estimates per defect, document review (Exposé, Teilungserklärung, WEG protocols), and a phone debrief. Everything included, no add-ons.

from €850

Book

02

Red Flag Check

Kurzgutachten · On a tight deadline? The 1-2 hour pre-purchase check with a same-day go/no-go recommendation, when there is no time for the full survey.

from €650

Details

Book an inspection date Free 15-minute call

What the report covers

01

Foundation & Structure

Load-bearing walls, settlement cracks, structural integrity.

02

Roof & Attic

Tiles, flashing, insulation, timber condition.

03

Moisture & Damp

Rising damp, condensation, water ingress, measured, not guessed.

04

Electrical Systems

Wiring age, safety standards, capacity.

05

Plumbing

Pipe condition, drainage, water pressure.

06

Windows & Doors

Seals, frames, thermal performance.

07

Insulation & Energy

Thermal bridges, U-values, Energieausweis plausibility.

08

Walls & Cracks

Structural versus cosmetic, and which is which.

09

Heating & Ventilation

Boiler age, radiators, air exchange.

10

Wohnfläche & Layout

Independent floor-area measurement and verification.

11

Exterior & Façade

Render, balconies, drainage, boundary structures.

12

Mould & Air Quality

Visible mould, humidity levels, ventilation adequacy.

Every finding photographed, rated traffic-light style, and costed, plus a review of the sale documents and minutes. Enquire for more info.

Meet Alice

Alice Carpenter at the helm of a sailing yacht

Alice Carpenter, Bausachverständige, DESAG B/250907

Alice Carpenter, Baugutachterin, portrait

Representing private and corporate clients

I don’t do nice reports. I do honest ones.

I’m Alice Carpenter, Baugutachterin and Building Surveyor with an RICS-accredited BSc. I arrive with a thermal camera and moisture meters, I go into the cellar, I get onto the roof, and I read the minutes of the Eigentümerversammlung, because the most expensive thing in a German purchase is rarely the crack you can see. Then I tell you, in plain English, exactly what you are buying: the good, the bad, and the expensive.

British training, continental practice. Before ABC Experts I worked for boutique technical due-diligence firms across the DACH region, which is why every finding in my reports carries a number rather than an adjective. I work exclusively for buyers and owners, never for the seller, never for the contractor whose work I am assessing.

DESAG-geprüfte Baugutachterin, Schäden an Gebäuden & Wertermittlung

RICS-accredited BSc (Hons) Building Surveying, London, UK

Inspecting and representing clients in private and commercial matters since 2015

Fluent in German and English (British born)

Alice Carpenter

DESAG-certified Bausachverständige, B/250907

BSG e.V. certified, DE-B-18092507

BSc (Hons) Building Surveying

Berlin since 2015, works only for buyers

More about Alice →

Berlin specifics

What matters in a Berlin building

Berlin is an Altbau city. That shapes what an inspection has to concentrate on, and it is where most of the expensive surprises sit.

01

Timber beam ceilings

Standard in pre-war buildings. Not a problem in themselves, but damp at the bearings, earlier bathroom conversions done without regard for the structure, and later openings cut through them are. None of it is visible at a viewing.

02

Souterrain and cellar damp

Many Berlin Altbau buildings have no continuous damp-proof course. Rising damp at the base of walls is common, and it is routinely painted over. The meter shows what the paint hides.

03

The owners' association papers

In an apartment, the most expensive finding is often not in the flat. It is a levy already voted through, an underfunded reserve with a roof due, or a resolution that quietly made the windows your responsibility.

04

Loft conversions

Very common in Berlin. Structure, thermal and acoustic performance against the flat below, and whether the conversion was ever approved at all.

05

Floor area

Listing figures regularly differ from a proper calculation. At Berlin prices per square metre, three or four square metres is a five-figure difference.

06

Heating and the GEG

Boiler age decides one of the largest costs after purchase, and the GEG rules decide what may legally replace it. The data plate says more than the Energieausweis.

Every finding is photographed, rated red, amber or green, and costed for repair. The document review is included in the full Baugutachten, not an extra.

What it costs if nobody looks

The findings we see most often

These come up again and again in Berlin Altbau and post-war stock. The figures are indicative German market ranges for orientation, not a quote from a contractor. Your report gives the numbers for your property, per defect, with photographs.

Defect	How often we find it	Typical repair
Moisture in walls or floor build-upFailed seals, old leaks, condensation traps, often behind new finishes	Very common	€4,000-35,000
Roof or flat-roof waterproofing at end of lifeLooks fine from the ground; the bill arrives with the next storm	Common	€20,000-90,000
Windows past service lifeSeals, frames, condensation and heat loss across a whole flat	Common	€7,000-40,000
Heating or hot-water plant near replacementAge alone decides this, and the GEG rules decide what may replace it	Common	€12,000-45,000
Electrical installation below current standardOld wiring, insufficient capacity, missing RCD protection	Occasional	€5,000-25,000
Underfunded maintenance reserveThe building's works are coming; your share arrives as a Sonderumlage	Very common	€8,000-80,000+
Structural movement or settlementRare, but the one finding that can end a purchase	Rare	€25,000-150,000+

A Viewing Check costs from €450. One avoided item on this list usually pays for it several times over.

The process in twenty seconds

What you get

Documents first, then the building, then the numbers.

Twenty seconds, no sound needed: how an inspection runs, and what lands in your report at the end of it.

01Document check, before anyone opens a door
02On-site check, damp and defects, measured
03Each defect costed, so you can negotiate

How it works

From enquiry to English report in 4 steps

Use the booking wizard above, or just email us the details. Either way, we'll handle the rest.

Step one

Send us the details

Email us the property address, type, size, and your preferred date. We'll reply with a fixed-price quote within 2 hours.

Step two

We inspect the property

Alice inspects the property using thermal cameras, moisture meters, and a 12-point checklist. Takes 2-4 hours depending on size.

Step three

English report delivered

You get a detailed report in English within 24 hours, defects documented with photos, repair costs, and severity ratings.

Step four

We help you negotiate

We support you through the buying process. Use our findings to negotiate the Kaufpreis, request repairs, or walk away with confidence.

Which level you need

Viewing Check, Red Flag Check or full Baugutachten?

It depends how far into the purchase you are. You can start small and move up, and the fee you have already paid is credited.

Viewing CheckWe come to the viewing with you. Verbal verdict on the spot, structured email summary the same day. No written report.from €450 Red Flag CheckOne to two hours on site, one-page traffic-light report, clear go or no-go. For the question: is there a deal-breaker?from €650 Best for negotiationFull BaugutachtenTwo to four hours on site, every defect photographed, rated and costed, document review included, English report in 24 hours.from €850Most popular

The rule of thumb: you decide with the traffic-light report and you negotiate with the full Baugutachten. A documented defect with a photograph and a repair figure is something a seller has to answer. An impression is not.

Scope limits

What we do not do

Being clear about this upfront saves everyone time.

01

No tax-office valuations

A valuation the Finanzamt must formally accept under §198 BewG has to come from the Gutachterausschuss, a publicly appointed and sworn expert, or a person certified to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17024. That is not us.

02

No lending valuations

Banks normally instruct their own valuer for mortgage purposes.

03

No destructive testing

The survey is visual and instrument-based. Nothing is opened up and no plaster is removed. What sits behind closed construction can be measured and assessed, but not proven.

04

No legal advice

We describe the building. Claims, deadlines and contract questions belong with your lawyer.

Fair questions

The Baugutachten

What is a Baugutachten and do I need one before buying in Berlin?

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A Baugutachten is a professional building inspection report that documents the condition of a property: structural integrity, moisture, insulation, electrics, plumbing and more. In Germany, sellers are not required to disclose defects unless asked directly. A Baugutachten protects you by uncovering hidden problems before you sign the Kaufvertrag (purchase contract).

How much does a Baugutachten cost in Berlin?

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A full Baugutachten with a comprehensive written English report starts from €850 in Berlin, depending on property size and complexity. All prices are final, VAT exempt per §19 UStG (Kleinunternehmerregelung). This is a fraction of what most clients save through negotiation; typical savings range from €10,000 to €30,000.

Can I get a Baugutachten in English?

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Yes. ABC Experts provides all reports in English as standard. Our inspector is a native English speaker with German building qualifications, so every finding is explained in plain language, with German technical terms included for your lawyer or Notar.

What does the 12-point building inspection cover?

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Roof and attic, facade and external walls, windows and doors, basement and foundations, plumbing and drainage, electrical systems, heating and energy, moisture and damp, insulation and thermal performance, interior finishes, communal areas (for flats), and structural integrity. Each point receives a red, amber or green severity rating.

Buying in Germany

Can I use the report to renegotiate the price?

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That is what it is built for. A documented defect with a photograph, a severity rating and an estimated repair cost is a negotiating position. An impression is not. Whether the seller moves depends on the market, not on the report, but you will at least be arguing from figures rather than from a feeling about the flat.

Do you check the owners' association documents?

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Yes, and it is included in the full Baugutachten rather than charged as an extra. Minutes of the owners' meetings for the last three years, the service charge accounts, the Teilungserklärung and the maintenance reserve statement. In a Berlin apartment the most expensive finding is often in the paperwork rather than on the wall.

What happens after I sign at the notary?

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Resale property in Germany is normally sold with liability for defects excluded, which in practice means you take the building as it stands. Once the contract is signed, existing defects are yours. That is why the survey is worth doing before the notary appointment, not after it.

Can I join the inspection?

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Yes, and we recommend it. Walking the property together is worth half the report: you see each finding in place and can ask on the spot. If you cannot attend, we call you afterwards and go through the findings one by one.

Practicalities

What documents should I send beforehand?

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Ideally the listing, floor plans, minutes of the owners' meetings from the last three years, the maintenance reserve statement, the Energieausweis, and any previous damage or repair reports. Do not worry if you only have part of it. We will tell you what is missing and why it matters.

How quickly can you inspect, and when is the report ready?

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We reply within 2 hours with available Berlin dates and a fixed price. Appointments are usually within two to five working days, sooner if a deadline is tight. The written report arrives within 24 hours of the inspection, with photographs, traffic-light ratings and repair costs per defect.

Which areas do you cover?

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All of Berlin, from Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain through Kreuzberg, Neukölln and Schöneberg to Charlottenburg, Wilmersdorf, Steglitz, Zehlendorf, Pankow, Spandau, Treptow and Köpenick. Travel within Berlin is included in the fixed price. Elsewhere in Germany on request.

What it is

A Baugutachten, in plain English

A Baugutachten is a building condition survey carried out by a certified Bausachverständige. It assesses the fabric: structure, defects, deferred maintenance, and what the next few years will cost. It is not a valuation. What the property is worth is a different question and a different service.

German term	What it means for you
Baugutachten	The full building survey. Condition, defects, costs, in writing.
Bausachverständige	The certified building expert who carries it out.
Kurzgutachten	The short version. One to two hours, traffic-light summary, go or no-go.
Verkehrswertgutachten	A market value report. A separate service, not part of a Baugutachten.
Teilungserklärung	The deed dividing the building into units. Decides what is yours and what is communal.
Instandhaltungsrücklage	The building's maintenance reserve. If it is thin and work is due, you pay the difference.
Sonderumlage	A one-off levy on owners when the reserve will not cover the work.

Request an inspection date

Viewing this weekend? Berlin purchases move quickly. Tell us your offer deadline when you enquire, where a date can be added, we add it, and we tell you honestly when it cannot.

Tell us about the property.

Reply within 2 hours · no obligation · or WhatsApp Alice directly

No payment until the date is confirmed · no obligation · we answer most enquiries within 2 hours.