Our team—from A for Acquisition to Z for Civil Engineer—is united by a passion for construction, design, and architecture. Those who work there day in and day out are best suited to describe what a typical workday at CUUBUUS is like, what skills you need, and what makes the real estate industry so fascinating.
In today’s episode, we’re talking with
JOHANNES KLINGLMAIR, TECHNICAL PROJECT ASSISTANT, WARRANTY AND DEFECT REPAIR
Mr. Klinglmair, you are responsible for warranty management at CUUUBUUS. What exactly does that entail?
Warranty management essentially refers to the process of rectifying defects that are reported within the warranty period after the property has been handed over to the owner or tenant. This task is often carried out by individuals who managed the construction supervision office’s affairs during the construction phase.
How and why did you actually come across CUUBUUS? Were you already familiar with our company?
I have to admit that it was a speculative application that led me to CUUBUUS, since there were very few job openings at the time I was looking for work. In fact, though, I had already heard of the company—or rather, seen some of its projects—before that. I had also come across CUUBUUS earlier while doing research during my studies, and I was really impressed by it.
Back to your work: From the discovery of a defect to its satisfactory resolution, there are likely several steps involved. Could you give our readers a brief overview of how such a process works?
This varies greatly from case to case. If a defect can be immediately attributed to a company or trade, fewer steps are required.
First, it must be determined whether there is actually a defect. The initial assessment can sometimes be made based solely on a description or a photo, but an on-site inspection is usually necessary. Once the cause has been identified, the company responsible for the defective work is required to remedy the defect.
It’s not uncommon for a combination of factors to make the situation more complex. In such cases, it often involves sifting through documentation, documents, and guidelines. Sometimes it’s necessary to bring in specialists, experts, or product manufacturers to clearly determine which trade is responsible for the defect. This requires a great deal of patience and organization.
I can imagine it’s not always easy to balance the interests of everyone involved. Have you always had a knack for calming things down and mediating between opposing sides, or do you just enjoy arguing? 😉
No, it really isn’t. Sometimes there are very sensitive and emotional reactions, which I understand. Housing is a basic need, and users want their expectations to be met perfectly.
A knack for it… I don’t know if I’d call it that, but I’ve often been able to defuse “tense situations” both in my club activities and in my personal life. In situations like these, it’s simply important to me that a reasonable solution is found quickly, rather than arguing, since that’s just the wrong approach for me and, above all, leads nowhere.
And in your opinion, what personal qualities are needed to do this job? What technical skills are essential, and what talents or abilities are nice to have but not a must?
Honestly, I really don’t know where to start. 🙂
There are many qualities and skills you should possess, as this is a very diverse work environment. Technical knowledge, legal knowledge, a structured and analytical approach to work, time management, the ability to handle stress, and a problem-solving mindset are skills that are definitely required.
“Nice to have,” of course, would be experience—just like in any other job. That makes the whole thing a lot easier. A certain degree of composure, strong communication skills, and empathy can’t hurt either.
Speaking of coworkers: How do you feel about working together as a team, and on projects? Do you prefer working in the office or on-site?
Working as part of the team at CUUBUUS is very, very pleasant. I noticed this right from the very first minute. You interact with all your colleagues, and everyone tries to handle requests right away, despite the stress.
A healthy mix of office work and on-site work—that’s something that’s very important to me personally and is a major selling point for this position. I couldn’t imagine spending 40 hours a week sitting in front of a screen in the office.
And finally, a personal question: Has your professional work already influenced you to the point where even in your personal life, every construction flaw immediately catches your eye, or can you just tune it out? 😉
But of course. Regardless of your profession, you just pick up certain habits, and then you can’t shake them off in everyday life. It always happens very quickly, I find.
Maybe I don’t notice every construction flaw right away, but my perception has definitely changed, yes. Whether I’m walking past construction sites or visiting friends in an unfamiliar apartment, something always catches my eye. Since I moved just a few weeks ago myself, I’ve already noticed that you see a lot of things in a different light—things you simply wouldn’t have paid attention to before. Of course, it’s very practical when you can also benefit from it.
Thank you very much for the pleasant conversation and the interesting insights!
