Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

As soon as political compulsion is behind it, it will/must be correspondingly promoted...

That will not work like that and most likely will not happen. Normally, the state can only spend money that it has previously collected through taxes. Broad promotion of building renovation or electric cars is then simply left hand - right hand money. The last decade was abnormal and debt was cheap. So recently, everything and everyone was subsidized. Since the central bank can create money out of nothing but not goods and services, this merely drove up prices in the subsidized sectors. Inflation and the interest rate turnaround are currently putting an end to the topic; furthermore, the state will need all resources for the foreseeable future to compensate for the imbalance in social security systems—especially pensions—that arise from demographics. The baby boomers are almost all still in the workforce, and the federal budget is already a pass-through heater for social security. I cannot understand how anyone could think that the state will then compensate for every restriction arising from what was promised before the election. No diesel drivers were compensated for no longer being allowed to drive into certain cities. The same applied a few years earlier with environmental zones; that was the owner's problem. And many property owners will also face a rude awakening. Rent-free is simply not cost-free. And if necessary, the state just plays through intermediaries and pushes EU regulations forward, which it itself helped to decide. Quite simple.

Imbalance in social security - especially pensions

Include civil servants - align pensions with pension levels. A big step towards improvement.

And if necessary, the state just plays it through the boards and pushes EU guidelines that it has co-decided. Quite simple

A lot still has to happen.

What were previously inquiries for new kitchens are now mostly kitchen inquiries for existing properties, replacement kitchens.

What is really striking, however, are the few inquiries and especially few at this time of year. In the last 10 years, there were up to 300 inquiries around the holidays/New Year/January (2013) within about 6 weeks, it was always the time with the most inquiries in the year. That is over, very few are planning a new kitchen, there are too few new buildings and kitchens have become expensive.

Include civil servants - align pensions to the level of retirement benefits. A big step towards improvement.

A lot more water will still flow down the stream

That doesn’t improve anything, it’s very simplistic and pure election campaign rhetoric (e.g. from Mr. Heil). Precisely the inclusion of civil servants has already been examined by numerous economists, and the models regularly showed that it would become more expensive for everyone:
“With the demanded inclusion of civil servants in the statutory pension insurance, time would be bought. The price would be medium-term higher personnel expenses for public employers, long-term a pension contribution higher compared to the status quo as well as even higher tax subsidies.” and further “The price for more equality would be a redistribution to the detriment of the members of the current insured collective.”
The conclusion: “Since Hubertus Heil is a recognized social expert, he of course knows this problem. In this respect, one should primarily understand his words as election campaign rhetoric. This proposal is certainly not a well-founded contribution to put the finances of the statutory pension insurance on a more solid basis.” (Rürup in Handelsblatt 07/30/2021 with good and widely shared reasoning).

Furthermore, the state would probably not find any civil servants at all… outdated technology, poor promotion opportunities, 41-hour workweek (work-life balance???) and so on. Applicants have already silently stood up and left when being informed about the 41-hour workweek and lack of home office options.

As said… there are reasons why things are the way they are.

41-hour week for civil servants :D I know quite a few since my better half works in the public sector. No one gets over 20... those who were previously active in the private sector for many years also affectionately call it ABR - job creation pension

In our construction area, someone got an offer to pave a driveway 12x5m including curbs: 12,000€
We had 8, same size, and it's perfectly level, we have a "ramp"

41 hour week for civil servants :D I know quite a few since my better half works in the public sector. No one works over 20... those who were previously active in the private sector for many years also affectionately call it ABR - job creation pension

Oh... a friend of clichés and platitudes :rolleyes: Well... how are you supposed to argue against the private experiences of a single person? *Irony off* If it were generally true, the number of applicants would be skyrocketing. You would have to advise your children to become civil servants because you earn so well by sleeping and have a fat pension. And if you go to the tax office, you don’t even pay taxes... :p I’m curling up with laughter :mad: