Don’t buy blind. Independent technical inspections for property buyers in Berlin, saving you unnecessary hidden costs of up to €100,000.
We do not sell property. We give you the technical insight to make calculated decisions, negotiate the price, and understand exactly what you are buying.

Remember, purchasing property is one of the largest investments we make in our lifetime, let’s do it right!
See our full services below ↓
Alice CarpenterIndependent certified BausachverständigeDESAG B/250907
Load-bearing walls, settlement cracks, structural integrity.
Tiles, flashing, insulation, timber condition.
Rising damp, condensation, water ingress, measured, not guessed.
Wiring age, safety standards, capacity.
Pipe condition, drainage, water pressure.
Seals, frames, thermal performance.
Thermal bridges, U-values, Energieausweis plausibility.
Structural versus cosmetic, and which is which.
Boiler age, radiators, air exchange.
Independent floor-area measurement and verification.
Render, balconies, drainage, boundary structures.
Visible mould, humidity levels, ventilation adequacy.
Every finding is backed by a reading: surface moisture, infrared temperature, humidity, build-up. If an Altbau wall is damp, you will know how damp, how far it goes, and what putting it right costs.
Capacitive moisture mapping · infrared thermometry · thermal imaging included · endoscope inspection








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 for apartments I read the minutes of the Eigentümerversammlung. In a Berlin Altbau the expensive thing is rarely the crack you can see: it is the ceiling above it and the paperwork beside it.
British training, Berlin practice. Before ABC Experts I worked for boutique technical due-diligence firms across the DACH region, mostly on existing stock, which is why every finding carries a number rather than an adjective. I work only for buyers and owners, never for the seller.
Deutsche Sachverständigen Gesellschaft. Entered in the expert registers; professional ID as a tested and recognised expert.
Verify certificate →
Personal certification seal B/250907. Valid through 09/2027.
Berufsfachverband für das Sachverständigen- und Gutachterwesen e.V., DE-B-18092507.
Berlin attracts international professionals, creatives, and investors. Property prices range from €4,000-€7,000/m² in prime districts like Charlottenburg and Mitte. With rapid market growth and many historical buildings, an independent Baugutachten is your essential protection against hidden defects.
Berlin's property market spans historic Gründerzeit apartments in Prenzlauer Berg and Charlottenburg to converted industrial lofts in Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. Altbau buildings hide Feuchtigkeit (moisture damage) and outdated electrics behind renovated facades. New developments can have Baumängel (construction defects) masked by polished finishes.
If you don't speak German fluently, you're at a disadvantage in Berlin's competitive market. A Makler won't flag structural issues or heating system failures. We will, fluent in both German and English, we deal with sellers, developers, and Hausverwaltungen in German, then give you the full picture in plain English so you can negotiate from a position of strength.
We don't just write a Gutachten and disappear. We support you through the entire Immobilienkauf (property purchase), helping you navigate the Notar appointment, understand your rights under German Baurecht (building law), and identify Sanierungskosten the seller should cover.
Clients have used our findings as costed, documented evidence when renegotiating. In Berlin, the figure that moves a price is often the special levy already voted through in the owners' minutes.
A very large share of Berlin's housing dates from the Gründerzeit before 1918, alongside post-war blocks and, in the east, Plattenbau. Each era has its own weak point, and it is rarely where a layperson looks.
Gründerzeit buildings have timber joist floors. That is not a defect in itself, but the bearings in the external walls, bathrooms fitted later and subsequent openings are where it gets expensive.
Many Altbau buildings have no continuous damp-proof course. Rising damp at the base and in the Souterrain is common, and it is regularly painted over shortly before a viewing.
Loft conversions are very common here. Structure, thermal performance, sound insulation to the flat below, and whether the conversion was ever approved.
In Milieuschutz areas not every modernisation is permitted. What you plan after buying should be clear before you sign. The Bauordnung für Berlin applies.
In most cases yes. Berlin Altbau buildings have timber joist floors, often no continuous damp proof course, and bathrooms frequently fitted later. Those are exactly the points that stay invisible at a viewing and become expensive after purchase.
In Milieuschutz areas certain modernisations need approval or are not permitted. If you plan to alter the flat after buying, that should be clear beforehand. We flag in the report where your plans run into this question.
Yes. The questions differ from Altbau: the condition of panel joints, balcony connections, pipework and the refurbishment position of the owners' association. The association paperwork matters particularly here.
| 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 and 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 not to current standardOld wiring, insufficient capacity, missing RCD protection | Occasional | €5,000-25,000 |
| Underfunded InstandhaltungsrücklageThe 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 starts from €450, a Red Flag Check with traffic-light dashboard report from €650, and a full Baugutachten from €850. All prices are final, VAT exempt per §19 UStG (Kleinunternehmerregelung). If you're buying as an investment to rent out, inspection costs are typically tax-deductible as Werbungskosten.
A Baugutachten is a comprehensive building inspection report. Berlin's property market attracts international buyers, with prices ranging from €4,000-€7,000/m² depending on district. A Baugutachten helps you understand exactly what you're buying, identify hidden defects, and gives you hard evidence to negotiate the Kaufpreis down. Clients have used our findings to renegotiate five-figure sums.
Absolutely. In Berlin, where prices are high and competition is fierce, our report documents every defect with photos, estimated repair costs, and technical assessments. We also support you through the negotiation, helping you push back on the seller, know your rights, and identify cost reductions.
A Bauabnahme is the formal handover inspection of a new-build property. It's the moment you accept the building from the developer, and the moment defects become your problem. Once you sign the Abnahmeprotokoll, your 5-year Gewährleistung (warranty) clock starts. We attend the handover with you, document every defect in English, and make sure nothing gets signed off until it's properly fixed.
We reply within 2 hours with the next available Berlin dates. After the inspection, your written report arrives within 24 hours, photos, ratings and repair costs included. If your offer deadline is tight, say so; we can often accommodate it.
Yes, and we encourage it. Walking the property together is worth half the report: you see every finding in place and can ask anything on the spot. If you cannot attend, we call you afterwards and walk you through the findings one by one.
Ideally: the listing, floor plans, minutes of the Eigentümerversammlung from the last three years, the Instandhaltungsrücklage statement, the Energieausweis, and any past damage or repair reports. Do not worry if you have only part of this, we will tell you exactly what is missing and why it matters.
Send the listing or address through the form below or by WhatsApp. Within 2 hours you receive the next available Berlin dates and a fixed price. No obligation, and no payment until the date is confirmed.
Yes. ABC Experts is a DESAG-certified Bausachverständige offering building inspections across all of Berlin. All reports and consultations are delivered in English. We cover Mitte, Charlottenburg, Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, Neukölln, Tempelhof, and all surrounding areas.
We cover all of Berlin including Mitte, Charlottenburg, Wilmersdorf, Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg, Neukölln, Tempelhof, Spandau, Lichtenberg, and all surrounding districts. If you're looking at property anywhere in Berlin, we can inspect it.
Yes. Many of our Berlin clients are banking and corporate professionals on relocation packages. We help you navigate the German property purchase process under time pressure, reviewing documents in German, inspecting properties thoroughly, and delivering everything in English so you can make informed decisions quickly.
Yes. We offer estate management for international owners, annual property inspections, maintenance oversight, contractor coordination, and CapEx planning, all reported in English. Think of us as your trusted, independent eyes on the ground in Berlin.
Yes. We inspect modern apartments and historic Altbau units covering HVAC systems, facade integrity, communal infrastructure, lift access, and building management quality. We also review WEG documents and Teilungserklärung to ensure you understand ongoing costs and planned renovations.
Twelve areas: moisture and damp, walls and cracks, roof and attic, plumbing, electrical systems, Wohnfläche and layout, foundation and structure, windows and doors, heating and ventilation, insulation and energy, façade and exterior, and mould and air quality. Every finding is photographed, rated traffic-light style and given a repair cost estimate, plus a review of the sale documents and the Eigentümerversammlung minutes.