How the Rinaldi family renovated their Berlin period flat without the stress

It was one of those flats that made friends fall politely silent. 116 square metres of late nineteenth-century style on the third floor of a Berlin building dating from 1908, with high decorative ceilings, creaking floorboards and electrics from another era. Sandra and Marco Rinaldi saw their future home.

Behind the charm, however, lay a lot of work. The bathroom walls were damp, some wiring still had fabric insulation, and the heating needed coaxing to start. Add two children, a full-time job and no previous building project in the family. “We knew we could not manage it alone,” says Marco. “But we did not even know which contractor to start with.”

Through cleverbauen24, the Rinaldis described their project once, without rushing: scope, wishes and budget. Instead of ringing dozens of companies themselves, they received vetted quotes from suitable Berlin contractors, prepared for easy comparison. A dedicated contact kept track of everything, explained the differences between quotes and helped plan a sensible sequence for the trades.

Over the following four months, the building site gradually became a home again. Electrics and pipework were replaced, the bathroom was stripped out and rebuilt, and the floorboards were sanded and oiled. The decorative plasterwork stayed in place. The different trades' schedules fitted together without the family having to mediate between them.

From the first consultation to the final handover, we felt someone was on our side. That is exactly what made the renovation so manageable.

The Rinaldi familyProperty owner · Berlin-Mitte

Today, the flat combines the character of a building more than a century old with the comfort of a modern home. Comparing quotes kept the project within budget, even leaving some room for a new kitchen. Next time, the Rinaldis say, they would start exactly the same way.