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Construction help needed – directly on a lake, 40 min from Berlin

4.5
(11 reviews)11

The experience

We're building out our retreat on a lake 40 min from Berlin and need hands-on help. Main projects: converting a shed into a workshop, building a community kitchen, and supporting bungalow renovations. You should be comfortable with power tools and working with wood. Mid-February to end of March, 5-7 volunteers, shared meals, sauna by the lake. Not a polished retreat experience – but the chance to help build one.

What you offer

30 hours of help per week

Painting & Decorating: Help with painting or decorating the property facilities.

Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.

What you get

2 days off per week

Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.

Team Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other people.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.

Get free drinks or beverages.: Drink up! Get free and tasty drinks for yourself.

Bikes at your disposal: You can use our bikes any time you want.

Pick Up: We will pick you up when you arrive, and take you to our property.

Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.

Fast Internet Access: High-speed internet for you to work remotely

Dedicated Workspace: Specific space for you to work remotely

Requirements

Intermediate English or Intermediate German

Between 18 and 60 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

Neupitz is a retreat location directly on a lake in Brandenburg, about 40 minutes from Berlin. We host team retreats and offsites for companies, as well as individual guests who come to work remotely in a quiet, natural setting. The property includes a main house from the early 1900s and several GDR-era bungalows that we're gradually renovating.

This is our third season, and we're using the weeks before opening to get serious work done. From mid-February to end of March, we won't be hosting regular guests – it's construction time. You'll be part of a small crew of 5-7 volunteers, working alongside hired professionals on some of the bigger projects.

We're looking for people who enjoy working with their hands and have solid experience with construction or woodworking. You don't need to be a professional, but you should be comfortable using power tools and able to work through tasks independently once you know what to do.

You'll stay in the main house. Depending on how many volunteers are here, you may have a private room or share with one other person. Support volunteers prepare vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the whole crew, so you can focus on the work. A few times a week, we fire up the sauna at the lake.

Activities & Shift

You'll work 30 hours per week with 2 days off – how you distribute your hours is somewhat flexible.

Main projects during this period:

- Converting an old shed into a workshop: insulating roof and floor, framing, cutting beams, installing windows
- Building a community kitchen in the winter garden: painting, laying flooring, installing the kitchen
- Supporting professional craftsmen renovating our bungalows: sanding window frames, removing old drywall, painting

Other tasks as needed:

- Painting rooms in the main house
- Setting up a large outdoor tent
- Small repairs (doors, handles, fixtures)
- Installing acoustic panels and lighting

You'll always work under supervision – either mine or the professionals' – but we appreciate initiative and the ability to work through tasks independently once you know what to do.

Rules

- Minimum stay of 2 weeks, longer preferred
- Solid hands-on experience with construction, woodworking, or renovation – you should be comfortable with power tools and confident working with wood
- Fluent English or fluent German required (German is helpful when working with local craftsmen, but I'm always around to translate)
- Reliability and a practical mindset – we're building something real, and the work needs to get done
- Openness to community life: shared meals, shared spaces, and the occasional sauna session