FAQ – Property Purchase Support, Due Diligence, Costs

The Start-Check is offered at a fixed fee — a uniform rate applies for a detached single-family house or a condominium apartment. Included is a two-hour on-site inspection, a traffic-light report covering the main building components, and a phone call to discuss results. For multi-family buildings, special properties or longer travel, the fee is agreed based on effort. You receive the specific fixed fee in the free initial consultation.

Full purchase support typically takes two to three weeks — initial call, document review, on-site inspection, substance report with capex estimate and notary preparation. Express support is available within one week if a notary appointment is imminent.

A classic property appraisal determines a monetary value for an authority, court or bank. Purchase support is decision-oriented advice: it shows which risks lie in the substance, what a renovation realistically costs and whether the asking price is reasonable in that light. It is a decision tool, not a valuation document.

The Start-Check is a compact substance assessment for private buyers, focused on main building components and capex. The TDD in line with the RICS standard, drawing on AHO Booklet 21, is the structured risk and investment analysis for institutional buyers in transactions. The TDD additionally covers legal aspects (CapEx plan, reserves, compliance) and is significantly more comprehensive in depth and format.

Yes, a plausibility check on an existing appraisal or energy certificate can be booked on an hourly basis. One to three hours is typical. If the second opinion suggests a separate inspection makes sense, the hours already spent will be credited.

The iSFP is a multi-stage renovation plan standardised by the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA). It makes sense for owners who want to optimise their building energetically over the next ten to fifteen years. Two benefits arise: planning clarity and a 5 percentage-point bonus on BAFA and KfW grants for each implemented measure.

BAFA covers up to 50 percent of the consulting cost for the iSFP, capped at 650 euro for one and two-family houses and 850 euro for multi-family buildings. Owners additionally receive a 5 percentage-point iSFP bonus on every eligible renovation measure carried out within 15 years.

Focus area is North Rhine-Westphalia with Düsseldorf, Cologne, the Ruhr region and Rhein-Sieg. Nationwide support is possible for larger mandates and portfolio assignments for corporate clients — travel is invoiced transparently.

First, the available documents are reviewed — floor plans, energy certificate, modernisation history. The on-site inspection takes two to four hours depending on building size. Tools used include a thermal imaging camera, an endoscope and, where appropriate, a drone for roof areas. The result is a photo report with traffic-light assessment of the main components and a first capex estimate.

Lead time is typically seven to ten working days. Express support before a specific notary appointment is possible at shorter notice, with a 20 percent rush surcharge. A phone consultation is usually possible within 48 hours.

Yes, every paid service is documented in a written report. The Start-Check delivers a four to six page traffic-light report. Purchase support and Building Analysis Plus deliver a full substance report with photo documentation, defect list and capex calculation. The TDD delivers a report set in line with the RICS standard, drawing on AHO Booklet 21.

An initial 30-minute call is free and non-binding — by phone or video. It clarifies whether and which service fits your situation. Deeper consulting without an on-site inspection can be booked on an hourly basis; we quote the hourly rate in the initial consultation.

Standard tools include a thermal imaging camera (thermography), an endoscope for inaccessible components, moisture measurement, laser distance measurement and drone flights for roofs and façades. The proprietary BuildScan PWA is used for as-built documentation and quantity surveying. Drone flights are conducted with a valid EU remote pilot certificate A1/A3.

The reports are technically sound and are regularly used in negotiations, with lawyers and with banks. A court-admissible market value appraisal under §194 BauGB is a different service requiring a sworn expert. On request, a sworn colleague from the network can be involved.

MP Building Intelligence works exclusively on behalf of the owner or buyer. There are no commissions, no affiliate agreements, no sales recommendations for specific heating systems or contractors. Recommendations from the network of craftsmen and planners are made without financial entanglement.

Client data is processed in line with GDPR. Addresses and owner data are pseudonymised in internal workflows via project codes so that external AI tools never receive a direct personal reference. Photo and geometry data is stripped of EXIF metadata before any external processing. The full privacy policy describes the details.

Fixed-fee services like the Start-Check are due after the inspection, payment within 14 days. Larger services are invoiced in two to three instalments — at order, after the inspection and on report handover. Payment by bank transfer. A 30 percent prepayment is customary for first-time clients.

Professional indemnity insurance (financial losses) and general liability insurance (property damage) are being concluded. Coverage as required by the Architects' Chamber of North Rhine-Westphalia. Insurance details will appear in the legal notice once the policy is active.