Single-family house with flat roof from 1968 / renovated in 2013

Short and not painless, but healing: 1. if you are a layperson, all objects on which you can still detect significant structural damage must be thrown away immediately and without ifs or buts. Only objects where a professional first says: Caution, this could be damage! are worth further consideration. 2. You are not a supplicant, but a prospective buyer. Undocumented renovations are not worth a penny. 3. Between 1968 and today, no building authority archives have been bombed out anymore. But it is a long time and there were many opportunities to tamper with the substance unprofessionally. Make (not with this one, but with objects worth considering) an inventory if necessary (measurements and sampling). 4. Free after the Bremen Town Musicians: you can find something better than scabies anywhere. is right, but himself has an almost half a century older, but not junky house.

Take a look at the house together with an expert. Remote diagnoses are hardly possible.

That’s how it is. But don’t waste inspections with experts, use them only for objects worth considering (which this described one is not – in this exceptional case, the remote diagnosis suffices for me).

Why shouldn't one buy a property with a (limited) obvious damage? I would really be interested to know what you mean by that.

By the way, it is a divorce house and is being sold without an agent, so the energy certificate is not yet available, but it has been applied for.

I would be interested to know to what extent the renovation was carried out, for example, by craftsmen or rather by amateurs (who perhaps did not do everything 1000 percent professionally, e.g., when laying the floor, etc.). And whether the people really treated their property carelessly or if the material is just the cheapest of the cheap...

No, it doesn't have to. It could also be that there are no documents left.

But an expert can…

… he will also tell you the costs and make a list of what needs to be done

Why? That doesn't really say anything anymore.

Yes, some people take better care of their property, others less so.

So for something like that, you don't need a site manager.
But if you need to insulate, then in harmony with new windows and the roof. I would commission that, yes.
But I would hire a professional to inspect, who might also carry out the work later.

What comes across: do the current owners have no documents left? Nothing from the renovation?
Not having a plan is more common than you think. Then you either make one yourself or have one made.
Why do they want to sell? Normally, the energy certificate is then lying on the kitchen table as well as consumption bills, etc. For me, that kind of thing is a basis for negotiation to lower the price.

A used property is always like a box of chocolates: you never know what's inside.

Where would one possibly have such a plan made?

I would really be interested in what you mean by that.

Because he always exaggerates ;)

I would be interested to know to what extent the renovation was carried out, for example, by craftsmen or by laypeople (who maybe didn't do everything 100 percent properly, for example when laying the floor, etc.). And whether people really handled their property carelessly or if the material is just the cheapest of the cheap...

The commissioned expert can tell you that. Although he won't be able to tell you whether the pipes are laid correctly, one can probably assume that hemp pipes were not used instead of water pipes. That was in your own interest. I’m also just going out on a limb a bit and say that some owner-builders do better than an assistant who doesn't feel like doing their job.

You are not a petitioner but a prospective buyer.

Here, I agree with @11ant.

Where can you have such a plan made if necessary?

Well, you can make it yourself with a measuring tape or laser measuring device. If you don't trust yourself to do it, you hire someone. For someone experienced in construction, that's not rocket science.

Why shouldn’t you buy a property with an (limited) obvious damage? I would really be interested in how you mean that.

I already said that: because it is damage that you can see even despite your self-assessment as a layperson. Where there is the tip of an iceberg, there is also an iceberg.

By the way, it is a divorce house and is being sold without an agent,

The divorce might contribute to the agent not touching it. This purchase situation is your chance, your forensic search term for insight is "partition auction" (sorry, I can’t accompany you all the way to your seat here in the open pro bono consultation, some self-effort is still required).

I would be interested to what extent the renovation was carried out, for example, by craftsmen or by laypersons (who perhaps didn’t do everything 1000 percent professionally correct, for example when laying the floor, etc.) [...] or whether the material is simply the cheapest of all ...

A 2024 divorce house renovated in 2013 was probably prepared at that time to be attractive as a purchase object to the current sellers. I suspect they are laypersons like you and can assess drafty windows, worn floors, and outdated bathroom units (which is why that was done), but were only secondarily interested in a usable basement (which is why nothing was done there). If the work was done after the purchase (financially more favorable for them) they will have received the invoices; otherwise, the seller at that time. I am not expecting inferior quality either in materials or execution, but possibly flat-rate rather than specialist work in self-assignment. Silicones, cover strips ...?

And whether the people really treated their property rather sloppily

From the moment they internally resigned from their marriage, they will no longer have loved their shared nest.

In summary: Your questions say "You still have much to learn".

I already said that: because it is a damage that you can see even despite your self-assessment as a layperson. Where there is the tip of an iceberg, there is also an iceberg.

The divorce could contribute to the broker not touching it. This purchase situation is your chance, your forensic search term for insight is "partition auction" (sorry, I can't accompany you all the way to your seat here in the open pro bono consultation, a little own effort is needed).

A 2024 divorce house renovated in 2013 was probably prepared back then to be an attractive purchase object for the current sellers. I suspect they are laypeople like you and can judge drafty windows, worn floors, and outdated sanitary units (that's why that was done), but were only secondarily interested in a usable basement (that's why nothing was done there). If the work was done after the purchase (financially cheaper for them) they will have received the invoices; otherwise the then seller. I do not expect lower quality either in materials or workmanship, but possibly in self-assignment flat operation instead of specialist operation. Silicones, cover strips ...?

From the moment they went into the inner resignation of their marriage, they probably no longer loved the shared nest either.

In summary: Your questions say "You still have much to learn."

You really must be desperate to show off your self-confidence here with a (forgive me – quite unpleasantly arrogant) condescension and wannabe wordplay. I said right at the beginning that I have zero knowledge of homeownership and construction. That’s why I’m asking here and that’s what a forum is for. But you answer questions I didn’t even ask...

Although I may be a construction layperson, as a lawyer I am well aware of the legal problems, by the way.

Since I reckon there still won’t be any spark between us, I thank you for your previous contributions with the request to please give others priority in my posts in the future, who have already answered me very helpfully.