• Privacy Policy
  • Imprint
  • Contact Form
  • COMMAIK
    • Contact Form
    • Imprint
    • Privacy Policy
  • The Villa
    • The top floor
    • The upper floor
    • The first floor
    • The cellar
    • The garden
  • Stories from the construction
    • irrigation
    • Photovoltaics
    • Pool and terrace
    • SmartHome
    • The planning
    • The demolition
    • The installation
    • Machinery
    • Restoration and working techniques
    • This and that
  • Videos
    • Build & Renovate
    • Irrigation
    • Carport
    • Gabions
    • Garden
    • Garden kitchen
    • Pool
    • Smart Home
    • Drying
    • Tutorials
  • TESTED & RATED
    • Heating solutions & energy
    • Outdoor & Garten
    • Pool & garden kitchen
    • Security & Smart Home
    • Tools & DIY
  • Commaik Music
  • COMMAIK
    • Contact Form
    • Imprint
    • Privacy Policy
  • The Villa
    • The top floor
    • The upper floor
    • The first floor
    • The cellar
    • The garden
  • Stories from the construction
    • irrigation
    • Photovoltaics
    • Pool and terrace
    • SmartHome
    • The planning
    • The demolition
    • The installation
    • Machinery
    • Restoration and working techniques
    • This and that
  • Videos
    • Build & Renovate
    • Irrigation
    • Carport
    • Gabions
    • Garden
    • Garden kitchen
    • Pool
    • Smart Home
    • Drying
    • Tutorials
  • TESTED & RATED
    • Heating solutions & energy
    • Outdoor & Garten
    • Pool & garden kitchen
    • Security & Smart Home
    • Tools & DIY
  • Commaik Music
  • Privacy Policy
  • Imprint
  • Contact Form
  • MSpa whirlpool for the sauna in the test

    An inflatable, square whirlpool filled with bubbling water stands in the interior next to a window and a wooden wall with the MSpa brand on the front. www.commaik.de

    The MSpa hot tub had proved to be an excellent addition to my small spa area in the basement, especially after long and tiring days at work. I had created this area to relax and unwind after such days. Especially in winter, the combination of sauna and whirlpool was an excellent way to both relax and strengthen my immune system. Until now, I had had to do without a refreshing dip as our garden pool was unusable in winter.

    Weiterlesen

    Ähnliche Beiträge

    Close-up of a partially constructed wooden deck, ideal for a garden terrace renovation, with a drill, screws, hammer, and metal brackets on top of the decking boards; metal framing and groundwork visible underneath. www.commaik.de

    Renovating the garden terrace: switching from wood to WPC and aluminum profiles

    17. March 2024
    Partially completed garden kitchen with unfinished wooden cabinets, a dark worktop, an open window, and power tools on the counter. Trees and buildings can be seen outside. www.commaik.de

    Build your own garden kitchen – worktop and jamb for the outdoor kitchen

    20. May 2024
    A backyard with a round above-ground pool surrounded by white gravel, green grass, a small plant, and palms. A blue shed and stone wall sit in the background, with chairs and a table on the patio area. www.commaik.de

    Palm trees for the pool – vacation atmosphere in your own garden

    8. July 2018
  • Removing and extending a gabion wall on a slope

    A gabion retaining wall made of wire baskets filled with stones provides effective slope stabilization on a gravel-covered courtyard. Trimmed shrubs and small plants thrive behind the wall, framed by a wooden fence in the background. www.commaik.de

    The small slope below the parking lot was secured with a gabion wall last year. I created a raised bed between the wall of stone baskets and the parking lot and planted the first plants. The raised bed has an automatic watering system and is additionally secured with a honeycomb fleece. The area in front of the office now looks tidier and cleaner than before. Our visitors are offered a much more beautiful picture. The slope was also secured against slipping with the stone baskets. In this article I describe how I extended the existing gabion wall with an additional stone basket.

    Weiterlesen

    Ähnliche Beiträge

    A long gabion retaining wall made of wire cages filled with rocks stands beside a dirt path, showcasing the strength and durability of gabion construction. Some building materials and houses are visible in the background. www.commaik.de

    Securing a slope with gabions – 1. initial situation and preparation

    20. April 2020
    Several green plants grow in a gravel garden with purple flower spikes. Some are surrounded by black landscaping fabric and gray rocks arranged in wire mesh grids, forming a modern raised bed. A stone wall completes the background. www.commaik.de

    Secure raised bed on a slope with gabions and honeycomb fleece

    2. August 2020
    An irrigation control system with pipes, valves, and wires is installed beside a stone-filled trench near a raised bed in the garden. Purple flowers and soil are visible in the background. www.commaik.de

    Building a raised bed on a slope with gabions and automatic irrigation

    2. August 2020
  • Perfect winterizing of lawn and irrigation system

    Three lawn mowers and a bag of lawn fertilizer lie on green grass next to a green area with white stones and a small palm tree. www.commaik.de

    It’s fall and the cold winter is approaching. It is therefore high time to prepare the lawn and the lawn irrigation system for the cold and frosty temperatures by winterizing. My main focus today is on making my garden ready for winter, which includes taking care of the lawn and making sure the automatic lawn watering system is frost-proof.

    Weiterlesen

    Ähnliche Beiträge

    Two black Rain Bird lawn sprinklers spray water in multiple streams across a vibrant green grass lawn on a sunny day. www.commaik.de

    Lawn Irrigation Comparison Hunter MP Rotator vs. RainBird R-Van

    13. September 2020
    A close-up of a sprinkler spraying water over a lush, green lawn on a sunny day showcases the benefits of planning lawn irrigation, with a stone wall and some trees in the background. www.commaik.de

    Plan and install lawn irrigation yourself 2 – Calculating the water connection

    13. May 2020
    A man in a black jacket stands next to a Hunter X-Core irrigation timer, pointing at it. The X-Core’s display reads 4:22 PM and features green buttons and a central dial with labeled settings in German. www.commaik.de

    Hunter X-Core control computer for garden irrigation program yourself

    29. January 2021
  • Renovate basement ceiling yourself – safely replace steel beams

    Close-up of a heavily rusted and corroded basement metal girder with jagged edges showing considerable decay. A blurred ladder and a bright background can be seen through a large hole in the metal. www.commaik.de

    Our art nouveau villa was built in 1900 and has a full basement. However, there is another, previously unrenovated cellar beneath the basement. This was used in the past as a vegetable cellar and air raid shelter. The climate is therefore cool and humid. Over the years, leaking pipes on the outside have led to major water damage in this area. For years, rainwater from a roof area of more than 100 square meters ran directly into the masonry. This, of course, had a considerable impact on the building fabric. The steel beams in the basement ceiling are badly rusted and the floor is blown up.

    Weiterlesen

    Ähnliche Beiträge

    A terraced outdoor area features brick stair steps leading to a paved landing, bordered by gabion walls filled with firewood. Stacks of construction materials and lush green plants are visible nearby. www.commaik.de

    A paving stone staircase is built into the slope leading to the parking lot

    19. October 2014
    Concrete blocks are laid in a straight line to form a shuttering stone wall foundation, with a spirit level, wooden plank, and hammer on top; yellow guide lines ensure alignment. Soil and rocks can be seen in the background along the gentle slope. www.commaik.de

    Build your own carport – secure slope with shuttering blocks

    26. August 2020
    A yellow spirit level rests on an upright orange drainage pipe anchored with a post anchor and partially embedded in a muddy trench, with water and soil around the base and a string for alignment. www.commaik.de

    Build your own carport – embedding post anchors in concrete

    26. August 2020
  • Optimally illuminate carport with LED light – install camera and motion detector

    A modern, white carport is illuminated at night with bright electric lights. Behind it is a stone wall, and in the background a crescent moon hangs in the dark sky. Building materials and equipment can be seen in the surroundings. www.commaik.de

    The carport was finally finished. The roof was tight and the protective coating was also applied several times. Now I could devote myself to the electrics. In addition to lighting that had to be activated by a motion detector but also had to be switchable for continuous operation, at least 2 sockets also had to be accommodated in the carport. Of course, I also need the right cables and connections to be able to connect the amplifier’s speakers in the basement. After all, the carport should also serve as a shelter for celebrations in bad weather. Finally, of course, one of my surveillance cameras should also be installed on the…

    Weiterlesen

    Ähnliche Beiträge

    A gabion filled with stones forms a small retaining wall next to an evergreen bush and concrete blocks in a sloping, leaf-covered garden. The sunlight casts soft shadows on the scene. www.commaik.de

    Build your own carport – safely stabilize slopes with gabions

    4. October 2020
    A construction site with a foundation of concrete blocks, crushed stone flooring and wooden beams laid over the base, indicating the early stages of building a carport structure. www.commaik.de

    Build your own carport – calculate and adjust post lengths correctly

    26. September 2020
    A yellow spirit level rests on an upright orange drainage pipe anchored with a post anchor and partially embedded in a muddy trench, with water and soil around the base and a string for alignment. www.commaik.de

    Build your own carport – embedding post anchors in concrete

    26. August 2020
  • Build your own carport – calculate and adjust post lengths correctly

    A construction site with a foundation of concrete blocks, crushed stone flooring and wooden beams laid over the base, indicating the early stages of building a carport structure. www.commaik.de

    The kit for the carport was delivered and the weather was getting better every day. The construction of the carport was now within reach. In order for the construction to run smoothly, the work had to be well planned. As well as catering for the construction team, I had to make sure that I had the tools I needed in stock. I also had to check my preparatory work, especially the height of the post anchors, to avoid any nasty surprises when putting up the carport. In the following article, I write everything you need to know about the necessary tools and how to calculate the correct post lengths.

    Weiterlesen

    Ähnliche Beiträge

    A small red excavator is digging a pile of dirt in a backyard or construction area, with wooden sheds, a carport, and a fence in the background. The machine is operated by a person inside the cab. www.commaik.de

    Build carport yourself – prepare building site

    26. August 2020
    A yellow spirit level rests on an upright orange drainage pipe anchored with a post anchor and partially embedded in a muddy trench, with water and soil around the base and a string for alignment. www.commaik.de

    Build your own carport – embedding post anchors in concrete

    26. August 2020
    A gabion filled with stones forms a small retaining wall next to an evergreen bush and concrete blocks in a sloping, leaf-covered garden. The sunlight casts soft shadows on the scene. www.commaik.de

    Build your own carport – safely stabilize slopes with gabions

    4. October 2020
89101112

Autor & Blogger

In this construction diary, we share our experience in the renovation and modernization of our Art Nouveau villa and hope to give a few suggestions and tips to some of you.

commaik.de © 2026
  • Contact Form
  • Privacy Policy
  • Imprint
  • Change privacy settings
  • Cookie policy
  • English
  • Deutsch (German)