Obtain topographic survey of the land plot
Agency: Berlin District Office
A topographic survey of the land plot must be obtained prior to developing the architectural plans of the warehouse.
Time and cost: 30 days, EUR 2,175
Obtain building permit
Agency: Building Department
The Building Procedures Regulation was amended on March 22, 2013 and corrected on May 2, 2013. According to the amendment the building permission procedure documents must be submitted electronically since April 1, 2013.
The building permit grants the right to build on a plot and authorizes construction as well. There are several building departments (Bauaufsichtsämter) located in the districts of Berlin. The location of the building site in Berlin determines which building department is responsible for issuing the building permit.
To obtain a construction permit, BuildCo must provide the building authority with, among other documents, project design drawings, a building specification including a detailed description of the future use of the building, proof of stability, and other necessary proofs (e.g. heat insulation, sound insulation). The architect needs to sign the application for the building permit and must attach the design drawings, usually scaled at 1:100. Static calculations must be added. The building authority will produce static expert double-check calculations (carried out by a “Pruefstatiker”). The building authority will then forward the application to other relevant departments (e.g., the fire department, planning department).
The Building Procedures Regulation (Bauverfahrensverordnung, abbreviated as BauVerfVO) was amended on 22nd March 2013. According to the amendment, the applicant is now obliged to submit the building permission procedure documents electronically in Portable Document (PDF/A).
Under a revised Berlin State Law, the Building Code Berlin (Bauordnung Berlin, abbreviated as BauO Bln), effective September 29, 2005, amended by Regulation from June 29, 2011, certain constructions require only a simple building permit (Section 64 BauO Bln) or a waiver (Section 63 BauO Bln, maximum value EUR 3,000.00). In the case of a simplified building permit under Section 64 BauO Bln, the application will be deemed to be complete and sufficient unless the building department notifies the applicant to the contrary within three weeks of receiving the application. If the building department remains silent for four weeks, the application will be deemed granted and construction may commence (Section 70, Paragraphs 3 and 4 BauO Bln, and Section 71, Paragraph 7, Item 1 BauO Bln). It is the duty of the architect or the engineer to supervise compliance of the construction project with the applicable state law.
In addition, upon receiving the application for a normal building permit, the building department has to notify the applicant within 14 days if the application is complete or if additional documents or plans are required (Section 70, Paragraph 1 and 2 BauO Bln). If the applicant fails to amend the application within a period determined by the building authority, the application will be deemed abandoned. If the application is complete, the building department will contact other departments involved (i.e., the fire safety and public street supervision departments). If the other departments fail to make a decision within a month, they will be deemed to have consented to the issuance of the permit. If the application is not complete for the purpose of these other departments, then this period of a month is interrupted until the application is completed by the applicant. Upon receiving consent from the other departments, the building department again has a month to decide on the application for a building permit.
Time and cost: 25 days, EUR 7,339
Apply for approval of static calculation
Agency: Independent Engineer
The building authority appoints an independent engineer (either from a private company or from within the authority) who is responsible for verifying the static calculations (the “Pruefingenieur”).
A legal certificate of static stability, issued by a “Pruefingenieur”, must be available at the time of start of construction.
The cost of an independent engineer to double-check the static stability is calculated by a Regulation concerning the work of the “Pruefingenieure” and the payment (Bautechnische Prüfungsverordnung, abbreviated as BauPrüfV, effective February 12, 2010, amended by Regulation from 17 March, 2017). In the case of the warehouse considered here, the cost for an independent engineer is about EUR 4,288.00. The calculation is based on a volume of 3900 cubic meters and a chargeable building value per cubic meters (Appendix 1 to Section 27 Paragraph 1 BauPrüfVO, Item 15). A structural framework of average difficulty considered (“Bauwerksklasse” 2-3, Appendix 2 to Section 27 Paragraph 4 BauPrüfVO) gives a basic fee of about EUR 4,288.00 for a legal certificate of static stability, issued by a “Pruefingenieur”.
Time and cost: 21 days, EUR 4,288
Receive fire safety inspection from District Chimney Sweeper
Agency: District Chimney Sweeper
Before completion of the building shell, BuildCo must provide the building authority with a certificate confirming the suitability of the chimneys. Such a certificate by the District Chimney Sweeper is mentioned in Section 81, Paragraph 4 BauO Bln. The cost is EUR 31.20 per hour ” Applicable law: Verordnung über die Kehrung und Überprüfung von Anlagen (KÜO), effective June 16, 2009, amended by Regulation from April 8, 2013.
Changes relate to the harmonization of different ordinances in the federal states. Cost for inspection are based on Paragraph 6 KÜO). The inspection may take more than one hour, but it will not take more than a day. An appointment can be made on short notice, probably 1 — 2 weeks before the day of inspection.
This procedure is for fire safety and for the cases where the heating is done by gas boilers. However, some buildings in Berlin will use a so called “long distance heating” system to heat the building, which is essentially heating by hot water from a centralized boiler. In this case, this procedure would not be required.
Time and cost: 1 day, EUR 31
Receive inspection of the building shell
Agency: Building Department
The notification must be made 2 weeks before the completion of the building shell. The building authority may then decide on its own whether it will inspect the site (the likelihood is 10%); 2 weeks after the notification, BuildCo may start with interior fittings.
Time and cost: 1 day, EUR 2,600
Receive inspection after completion of the building (“Foermliche Bauabnahme”)
Agency: Building Department
The notification must be made 2 weeks before the completion of the building shell. The building authority may then decide on its own whether it will inspect the site (the likelihood is 10%); 2 weeks after the notification, BuildCo may start to use the building.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Apply for water connection
Agency: Berliner Wasserbetriebe
BuildCo makes an application to be connected to water and the following documents must be submitted:
- Proof of ownership
- A copy of the official site plan indicating the desired pipework routing and water meter location on a scale of 1:200
- A copy of your building installation plan or ducting scheme
- A copy of the sectional view of your building
Time and cost: 1 day, EUR 7,500
Receive inspection by water company
Agency: Berliner Wasserbetriebe
An offer will be made and a plumbing confirmation form will also be sent. This form must be completed and signed by the plumber and the original sent back to the agency.
An appointment date will be provided when construction work for water and sewage will be completed.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Obtain water connection
Agency: Berliner Wasserbetriebe
The work and water connection will be done together. All building connection work is carried out by the Berliner Wasserwerke or by licensed sub-contractor from the agency.
Time and cost: 45 days, no charge
