In Germany, wood is generally not used as a building material, but rather homes are built using Kalksandsteinmauerwerk (sand/limestone brick masonry) — a type of concrete mixture. Metal rebar frames are created and the Kalksandsteinmauerwerk blocks fill in the sections to form the foundation, walls, and ceilings.
Are German houses concrete?
While Germany does have vast areas of woodland, there's not enough of it for timber to be a viable construction material for modern homes. Instead, German house builders use a mixture of concrete and rebar, with sand and limestone block-work for the walls, and plenty of insulation too.
How thick are German house walls?
2.6 INTERIOR WALLS Apartment and stairway walls are designed according to the sonic requirements according to DIN (Institute for German Engineering Standards), wall thickness 17.5 cm – 24 cm. Non-bearing interior walls in the residential floors are built as a brickwork with a wall thickness of 12.5 cm.
How are German homes different from American homes?
0:368:09German Houses vs American Houses, Part One - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo the first major difference is actually not in the house at all german houses are typically closeMoreSo the first major difference is actually not in the house at all german houses are typically close together in a community since i've been here i've never seen a house that was just off by itself
How do Germans insulate their homes?
In Berlin, expanded polystyrene (EPS) is the insulation of choice for exterior insulation retrofit projects. The most common type of rigid foam used in Germany is EPS. Dark-colored types of EPS include graphite, which increases the material's R-value per inch. Tongue-and-groove edges reduce air leakage.
What are German house walls made of?
Modern homes in Germany are frequently built from a brick masonry formed of sand and limestone, along with asphalt roof tiles. Energy efficiency is important in the building of new homes today, which tend to be well-insulated. A surprising 60% of new homes in German are self-built (prefabricated).
Do German homes have fireplaces?
There are 11.2 million fireplaces in 19.2 million houses in Germany. Let's assume some rich people have multiple ones, so maybe around 50% of all houses have a fireplace. However, only 6% of the houses use a wood or wood pellet heating system.
Why do German houses have two front doors?
But builders became more frugal in the 19th century. They eliminated the center hallway, which was absorbed into the two front rooms. These two rooms became the living room and the parlor, the latter used for company, funerals, weddings and other special events. Each room had a separate entrance.
Do European homes use drywall?
In my experience, European houses are literally bricks-and-mortar, while in America the structure is often made out of wood, and drywall is used extensively.
What is the average size house in Germany?
Square Feet and Comparisons BelowDenmark1,1851,489Finland837880France9571,228Germany9461,18569 more rows
How are homes heated in Germany?
In recent years, roughly half of Germany's homes were heated with natural gas and another 25% used heating oil, while less than 6% used firewood.
How do heaters work in Germany?
Most homes in Germany are equipped with central heating, which means that water is heated centrally, normally in the basement, and distributed to radiators in each apartment and room through a network of pipes. You can control the heating in your apartment by adjusting the thermostat on each radiator.
Are houses in Germany insulated?
All houses in Germany that are over 22 metres in height must be built with non-flammable insulation. But houses under that height are often insulated with external wall insulation systems in order to improve their energy efficiency.
Do European homes use drywall?
In my experience, European houses are literally bricks-and-mortar, while in America the structure is often made out of wood, and drywall is used extensively.
What are walls made of in Europe?
Indeed, most European homes are built entirely of masonry (concrete, bricks, blocks, mortar, and plaster) while American homes are generally built of wood (clad with drywall on the inside and vinyl, plaster, or bricks on the outside.)
Do Europeans use drywall?
For example, it is common in the EU to intermix the terms drywall and plasterboard. Common to both continents, drywall can be applied over masonry substrates. Europe refers to this as “dry lining.” While North America tends to use furring, Europe prefers the dot-and-daub system to affix gypsum panels.
What is the average size house in Germany?
Square Feet and Comparisons BelowDenmark1,1851,489Finland837880France9571,228Germany9461,18569 more rows
What percentage of houses are owner occupied in Germany?
Home ownership rates also vary considerably; almost half of dwellings are owner-occupied in western Germany, compared with less than one-third in eastern Germany. In principle, under the communist government of East Germany, every citizen and family had the right to adequate accommodations.
When did Germany improve its villages?
The physical appearance of villages and towns throughout western Germany was improved on a grand scale beginning in the 1970s through extensive renovation programs undertaken by the states; grants, subsidies, and matching funds were made available to restore the exteriors of historic monuments and older buildings to pristine condition. The process also occurred in eastern Germany after unification.
What happened to Germany after the unification?
After unification the government devoted significant resources to modernizing eastern Germany’s stock and alleviating the housing shortages caused by the extensive immigration of the 1990s. Significant tax incentives were offered to spark investment in the real estate sector of the former East Germany, and a speculative boom followed, eventually resulting in a housing supply that far outstripped demand. When the tax incentives expired in 1998, the real estate bubble burst, and housing prices across Germany slumped. This had the unintended consequence of insulating Germany from the exuberance that fueled 21st-century housing bubbles across the industrialized world. As a result, German banks and investors were far less exposed to the shocks of the economic crisis than their American, British, Spanish, and Irish counterparts.
What was the effect of the rebuilding of cities in the 1950s and 60s?
The rebuilding of the cities in the 1950s and ’60s, coupled with increased automobile ownership, invariably led to the desertion of older city centres by many residents. Easier access and parking near town centres, improved public transportation, large-scale refurbishing of historic buildings, and the creation of pedestrian zones offering special entertainments, festivals, and attractions were among the attempts to reverse this trend and lure the public back downtown in the evening. Nonetheless, suburbanization has continued, particularly in eastern Germany since unification.
How did the need for new housing after the war work?
The need for new housing after the war was solved by erecting massive apartment blocks of cheap material, places that are now generally out of favour with people who have the means to choose their style of housing.
Is German housing good?
German housing stock is generally of good quality, though there is a considerable discrepancy between eastern and western Germany. In the territory of the former West Germany, the stock is modern, some three-fourths of its dwellings having been built since the end of World War II.
How many Germans live in rented housing?
Facts about housing in Germany. 54% of Germans live in rented accommodation – more than in any other country in Europe. Only roughly 46% own a house or apartment. Depending on region, rental costs amount to between one quarter and one third of monthly income.
What is the most popular piece of furniture in Germany?
According to a survey, the sofa is people’s favourite piece of furniture. The average German spends three hours a day on this island of cosiness. A flat-screen television also belongs to the typical inventory and forms a line with a coffee table and the sofa . Massive wall units, on the other hand, are now disappearing from German living rooms. They are becoming superfluous, because books, videos and CD collections can now be stored digitally.
What to expect when visiting Germans?
There the question arises as to whether to take your shoes off or keep them on. Visitors are then asked to enter the living room and sit on the sofa, where they immediately sink into German cosiness. An individual touch is provided by photos, pictures, houseplants and decorations that often reveal a lot about the inhabitants. White woodchip wallpaper is no longer the norm; bold colours are the order of the day.
How many people are in a household?
Statistically, each household consists of two people.
Do Germans have cellars?
Cooking with friends is celebrated as an event. Housing blocks in Germany have cellars. That’s practical because you can store things that no longer fit in your apartment downstairs. Even rented apartments usually have a lockable storage area in the basement. Many Germans regard their apartments as havens of privacy.
Do Germans own their own house?
Most Germans live in rented accommodation in multi-family buildings, but many would like most of all to own their own small house with a garden. Because property prices have been increasing steeply in big cities for several years now, owning your own home is only affordable for large numbers of people in rural areas.
Can unusual housing dreams come true?
Nevertheless, unusual housing dreams can come true with a little courage and improvisational talent – for example, living on water. Several colonies of houseboats have been set up in waters around Berlin, Leipzig and Hamburg. If you visit Germans at home, you will normally be received in the hall.
How do Germans heat their homes?
But German residences are almost always heated by hot-water or electric radiant heat, not forced air. During the winter, when the apartment or house is closed up most of the time, the interior humidity level rises and the moisture can cause mold ( Schimmel) to grow on walls, behind shelves, and in other areas. That’s why Germans have learned to open up the windows and outside doors on a regular basis, even in the coldest winter months, to air out ( lüften) their residence. Some households air out the home daily or even twice a day – in the morning after rising and at night before going to bed. The minimum is twice a week. Allow at least 10 to 15 minutes or longer, depending on the weather outside. Unless it’s windy, it’s usually not enough to just tilt open the windows. Open them up all the way!
What percentage of Germans own their own home?
Only 42 percent of Germans own their own home, compared to 65 percent in the US and 69 percent in the UK. But then Germany was able to avoid the major mortgage crisis that first hit the US, the UK, Spain and many other countries in 2008. Apartment complexes.
What is German bedding?
Instead of sheets and blankets, Germans sleep under a Federbett, or down comforter that lies atop a mattress covered with a fabric that is often more like terry cloth than a linen sheet.
What is Schöner Wohnen?
Schöner Wohnen (“living more beautifully”) is a popular German house and garden magazine. (Web: schoener-wohnen.de) Like Americans, most Germans dream of living in their own house with a beautiful lawn and garden. “Schaffe, schaffe, Häusle baue,” (“Work, work, build your little house.”) goes the old Swabian saying.
What is a Schrank in German?
A Schrank in German is any kind of cabinet, whether used as a wardrobe, a pantry, or a cupboard. These standard German items of furniture come in many styles, from ultramodern to antique.
What is a German double bed?
A German double bed is really two twin mattresses side-by-side. Notice the house slippers at the foot of the bed. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo. Although some newer homes have built-in closets, it is more common to see a Kleiderschrank (KLY-der-schrahnk), a free-standing wood cabinet with doors that serves as a closet.
What is a German dishwasher?
A German dishwasher, oven or range is of high quality and often outperforms its US equivalent. A typical German refrigerator ( Kühlschrank) used to be about half the size of an American one, but in recent times a full-size refrigerator is very common.
Ancient Roman architecture
The Roman Empire once extended over much of today's Federal Republic of Germany, and there are still remains from around 100–150AD at the limes, the border defence system of Ancient Rome marking the boundaries of the Roman Empire.
Pre-Romanesque
The Pre-Romanesque period in Western European architecture is usually dated from either the emergence of the Merovingian kingdom in about 500 or from the Carolingian Renaissance in the late 8th century, to the beginning of the 11th century Romanesque period. German buildings from this period include Lorsch Abbey.
Romanesque
The Romanesque period, from the 10th to the early 13th century, is characterised by semi-circular arches, robust appearance, small paired windows, and groin vaults. Many churches in Germany date from this time, including the twelve Romanesque churches of Cologne. The most significant building of this period in Germany is the Speyer Cathedral.
Gothic
Gothic architecture flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture. The first Gothic buildings in Germany were built from about 1230, for example the Liebfrauenkirche (German for Church of Our dear Lady) ca.
Renaissance
Renaissance architecture belongs to the period between the early 14th and early 16th centuries in different parts of Europe, when there was a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and culture. The earliest example of Renaissance architecture in Germany is the Fugger chapel in St.
Baroque
Baroque architecture began in the early 17th century in Italy, reinventing the humanist vocabulary of Renaissance architecture in a new rhetorical, theatrical, sculptural fashion, expressing the triumph of absolutist church and state.
Classicism
Classicism arrived in Germany in the second half of the 18th century. It drew inspiration from the classical architecture of antiquity and was a reaction against the Baroque style, in both architecture and landscape design .
Despite the housing crisis, homes in Germany are getting bigger and bigger
Despite the dramatic shortage of housing in many cities in Germany, people are actually living in larger and larger homes. This emerges from new data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
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What is a single house in Germany?
Because this type of farm combines living quarters, stalls and hay storage under one roof it is also described as an Einhaus ("single house" or "all-in-one house") and the attached farmyard as an Eindachhof ("single-roofed farmyard"). A special feature of the Low German house is its longitudinal division, also referred to as dreischiffige or "triple-aisled". This is considerably different from all-in-one farmhouses elsewhere in Germany and Europe which are built with traditional transverse divisions, as in the Ernhaus, not to mention other common farm layouts where the farm comprises several buildings with different functions, usually around a farmyard.
How long is a low German house?
The Low German house had a wide distribution across an area almost 1,000 km long which roughly corresponds to the Low German language area. In the west it stretched into parts of the Netherlands where the height of gable and loft are usually lower, mirroring its development over time from self-sufficiency to market-oriented farming.
What is the name of the house with a carved horse's head?
The Rischmannshof Heath Museum, a thatched Low German house with a hipped gable roof and carved horse's heads atop the gable. The Low German house or Fachhallenhaus is a type of timber-framed farmhouse found in Northern Germany and the easternmost Netherlands, which combines living quarters, byre and barn under one roof.
How big is a bay house?
The academic name for this type of house comes from the German words "Fach" (bay), describing the space (up to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft)) between trusses made of two rafters fixed to a tie beam and connected to two posts with braces and "Halle", meaning something like hall as in a hall house. The walls were usually timber-framed, made of posts and rails; the panels ( Gefache) in between are filled with wattle and daub or bricks. One bay may be two or rarely three Gefache wide.
How big was the Low German house in the 18th century?
In the 18th century the Low German house was built ever larger, with a length of up to 50 m and width of 15 m. The farmhouse combined all the functions of life on the farm. In this way it was easy for the farmers to manage the whole of his livestock, family and farmhands.
How are Low German houses similar to the neolithic longhouse?
The Low German house is similar in construction to the neolithic longhouse, although there is no evidence of a direct connexion. The longhouse first appeared during the period of the Linear Pottery culture about 7,000 years ago and has been discovered during the course of archaeological excavations in widely differing regions across Europe, including the Ville ridge west of Cologne. The longhouse differed from later types of house in that it had a central row of posts under the roof ridge. It was therefore not three- but four-aisled. To start with, cattle were kept outside overnight in Hürden or pens. With the transition of agriculture to permanent fields the cattle were brought into the house, which then became a so-called Wohnstallhaus or byre-dwelling .
How far apart are the walls of a Fach house?
In the academic definition of this type of house the word Fach does not refer to the Fachwerk or "timber-framing" of the walls, but to the large Gefach or "bay" between two pairs of the wooden posts ( Ständer) supporting the ceiling of the hall and the roof which are spaced about 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) apart.
Overview
Baroque
Baroque architecture began in the early 17th century in Italy, reinventing the humanist vocabulary of Renaissance architecture in a new rhetorical, theatrical, sculptural fashion, expressing the triumph of absolutist church and state. Whereas the Renaissance drew on the wealth and power of the Italian courts, and was a blend of secular and religious forces, the Baroque directly linked to …
Ancient Roman architecture
The Roman Empire once extended over much of today's Federal Republic of Germany, and there are still remains from around 100–150AD at the limes, the border defence system of Ancient Rome marking the boundaries of the Roman Empire. In addition to border fortifications such as forts and military camps, the Romans also built thermae, bridges, and amphitheatres.
Pre-Romanesque
The Pre-Romanesque period in Western European architecture is usually dated from either the emergence of the Merovingian kingdom in about 500 or from the Carolingian Renaissance in the late 8th century, to the beginning of the 11th century Romanesque period. German buildings from this period include Lorsch Abbey. This combines elements of the Roman triumphal arch (arch-shaped pa…
Romanesque
The Romanesque period, from the 10th to the early 13th century, is characterised by semi-circular arches, robust appearance, small paired windows, and groin vaults. Many churches in Germany date from this time, including the twelve Romanesque churches of Cologne. The most significant building of this period in Germany is the Speyer Cathedral. It was built in stages from about 1030, an…
Gothic
Gothic architecture flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture. The first Gothic buildings in Germany were built from about 1230, for example the Liebfrauenkirche (German for Church of Our dear Lady) ca. 1233–1283 in Trier, which is one of the most important early Gothic cathedrals in Germany and falls into the architectural tradition of the Fr…
Renaissance
Renaissance architecture belongs to the period between the early 14th and early 16th centuries in different parts of Europe, when there was a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and culture. The earliest example of Renaissance architecture in Germany is the Fugger chapel in St. Anne's Church, Augsburg. At that time, Germany was frag…
Classicism
Classicism arrived in Germany in the second half of the 18th century. It drew inspiration from the classical architecture of antiquity and was a reaction against the Baroque style, in both architecture and landscape design.
The Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm is one of the first and largest English parks in Germany. It was created in the late 18th century under the regency of Duke Leo…