FAQ

In most cases, restoration is worth it. The wood in your windows is slow-grown, dense and thoughtfully constructed, a quality that's barely produced today. Box-type windows achieve very respectable values thanks to the gap between the panes and are on a par with modern insulating-glass windows. With triple-glazed new windows it can even become problematic in heritage buildings: if they're tighter than the surrounding wall, the dew point shifts into the masonry. The result is moisture and, over time, mould on reveals and inner walls. During the on-site visit, we tell you honestly what makes sense in your case. At Kutscher & Wendtland, this kind of restoration is exactly what we specialise in.

Yes. Composite windows from this period are solidly built, with massive timber frames that will easily last many more decades. Typical issues are worn hardware, leaky connections and water damage to drip caps or sill pieces. What's already in your house is usually of higher quality than what gets installed during a quick replacement.

Yes, that's something we deal with often. In most cases it's caused by warped wood, worn hinges or misaligned locking hardware. We come by, realign the mechanism, oil the hardware or replace individual parts.

Almost never. We remove only the rotten section, fit a precise patch and restore the structural wood protection. The door itself stays in place. Only if the damage goes deep into the frame and affects the structure do we consider something bigger. But we'll tell you that honestly before you commission us.

It depends on the condition of the windows. Smaller interventions like replacing drip caps, renewing glazing putty or restoring smooth operation and locking are manageable in scope and often make a noticeable difference. Larger work like routing in new seals or repairing rotten sections is more involved and priced accordingly. During the visit we see what's actually needed and you receive a fixed quote. The visit itself is free.

Because it requires more expertise and experience. Each existing window is assessed individually: the condition examined, the right measure chosen. That takes time and a trained eye, especially because the seemingly simple problems often have deeper causes. A radical replacement to DIN standard is technically far less demanding by comparison and is often carried out by staff who don't need that depth of knowledge. The follow-up damage from such work is exactly what we deal with on a daily basis: poorly executed construction joints, the wrong installation plane, moisture in the wall.

To spare you that, an expert opinion before any decision pays off. We look at your situation and tell you honestly what makes sense. For details on how we work, see our process. If the existing substance can be preserved, we do it ourselves and you know it's done properly. If a replacement really is required, we'll tell you what to watch out for in your specific case, and you can then also commission a cheaper installation company without falling into the typical traps. Either way, you're on the safe side.

That depends on what your brief looks like. If you, as architect or planner, take responsibility for measurements and construction, we order and install according to your plans through our manufacturing partner. If the brief is more open, we take care of measuring and detailed design ourselves. From experience, we like to look at the situation together with you on site, which avoids surprises during execution and ensures a smooth process.

Yes. On listed buildings, restoration and preservation are always the preferred approach from a heritage authority's point of view. We have experience with listed buildings in Berlin, from the Garden City of Staaken to Charlottenburg, and coordinate directly with the relevant authorities when needed. Sourcing matching historic profiles, hardware and decorative pieces is also handled via our specialist partners.

For an on-site visit we're usually with you within one to two weeks. The actual work is scheduled based on workload and scope. Emergencies like a broken pane or a damaged door take priority.

In most cases yes. For owner-occupiers, the German tradesman service tax allowance applies under § 35a EStG, with 20% of the labour cost deductible. Landlords can deduct the costs as maintenance expenses. We list material and labour costs separately on our invoices so that your tax advisor can apply the allowance cleanly. We're not allowed to provide concrete tax advice, please speak to your tax advisor for that.