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Tax credit for trade services: what the customer needs to knowShow the labour share separately, ask for a bank transfer, plan the job before 31 DecInvoice · Bathroom renovationWorked example, BMFItemAmountLabour and travel costseligible under EStG s. 35a€2,000Materials and other itemsnot eligible€3,000Invoice total€5,000Tax reduction: 20 % of €2,000€400Payment by bank transfer · cash does not count20 %of labour costs€1,200maximum per yearSource: EStG s. 35a(3), deducted from the taxFAQCan I claim the work againstmy tax?For the labour share: 20 % of the costs,up to €1,200 a year (EStG s. 35a).Required: invoice and bank transfer.Your tax adviser checks your case.Appointment slots, November to DecemberCut-off 31 Dec: the year of transfer countsWk 45bookedWk 46bookedWk 47freeWk 48bookedWk 49freeWk 50freeWk 51bookedWk 52bookedWk 53payment
Seasonal business Oct 18, 2026

Tax Credit for Trade Services: Customers Before Year End

Customers can cut income tax by 20 percent of labour costs, up to 1,200 euros. What trade businesses should state on website, FAQ and invoice before year end.

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From repair request to the European Repair Information FormThe website collects item and fault; the form then goes to the customer as a file/repair/Request a repairItemWashing machineMake and modelManufacturer, from the rating plateWhat is faulty?Does not drain, error code on displayHand-overAt the workshopPreferred dateNext weekiDiagnosis fee is stated before the visitNotice under Art. 245 § 2(2) EGBGBSend request+ name, email, phoneby emailas a PDFEuropean RepairInformation FormAnnex 19Art. 245 § 3(1) EGBGB: eleven items1Repairer2Address and contact3Item to be repaired4Fault and repair5Price or maximum price6Duration in days7Temporary replacement8Hand-over place9Ancillary services10Period of validity11Additional informationvalid for at least 30 daysfree of charge,before binding
Law Oct 17, 2026

Repair shop websites: the European Repair Information Form

Article 245 EGBGB now governs the European Repair Information Form in Germany. What it requires and how your repair page and request form should prepare for it.

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Motion in moderation: reveal, reduced motion, five-second limitOne scroll reveal with and without motion, next to the test for continuous movementTimeline of a revealExample: “Fade in from below”StartCard in place150 msDuration 600 ms02505007501000 msDelayDurationCurve: “Flow (soft out)”Reduce motion: offService24 pxCard slides in from belowReduce motion: onServiceCard is there at once, in fullWCAG 2.2.2 testPause, Stop, Hide (Level A)1Starts by itself?also when scrolled into viewyes2Runs longer than 5 s?Reveal (up to 2 s): noyes3Next to other content?Text, buttons, formsyesPause, stop or hidemust be possibleOne “no” and 2.2.2 does not apply.Self-updating content such as counters:skip question 2 (no 5 s exception).Sources: W3C, WCAG 2.2 and Understanding WCAG 2.2 (criterion 2.2.2); XICflow documentation, brand and design (reveal defaults)
Accessibility Oct 16, 2026

Animations on your website: subtle, calm and accessible

Reveals, sliders, marquees and countdowns: when motion helps a website, what the five-second rule of WCAG 2.2.2 means and how reduced motion settings work.

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Type specimen card: two pairings under testHeading and body text, test line with umlauts and figures, weights in the buildA: serif + sans-serifHeading · serif, boldWarmth that lastsBody text · sans-serif, regularWe service your system before the heatingseason and confirm a fixed appointment.Test lineGröße, Öffnungszeiten, 0 1 7B: one family, two weightsHeading · sans-serif, boldWarmth that lastsBody text · sans-serif, regularWe service your system before the heatingseason and confirm a fixed appointment.Test lineGröße, Öffnungszeiten, 0 1 7Weights in the buildEvery weight is a separate file the visitor downloadsOnly the chosen weights2Whole family embedded872%of websites serve at least onefont file from their own serverSource: HTTP Archive Web Almanac 2025
Website basics Oct 15, 2026

Website fonts: how to choose, pair and keep them readable

Which typeface suits your website? How to pair headings with body text, check umlauts and figures, and stay fast by shipping only the weights you use.

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Homepage: what belongs in the first screenFour zones above the fold, follow-up sections below, on desktop and on mobileBathroom refitsin HildesheimPlanning to tiling from one team,one fixed contact personRequest a dateor call usMaster craftsmanLocal referencesFoldServices as entry pointsEvidence and processFrequent questionsFooter: imprint, privacy policy1234Bathroom refitsin HildesheimPlanning to tiling,one fixed contactRequest a dateMaster craftsman, referencesFoldPhoto of the workServicesEvidence, processQuestions, footer1234The four zones1Service and place2Benefit line3Enquiry button4Trust elementViewing timeabout57%of viewing timeabove the foldthe rest is spreadfurther downNielsen Norman Group 2018Desktop, pages in general
Website basics Oct 14, 2026

Building a homepage: what belongs in the first screen

What belongs in the first screen of a homepage? Service and place, a benefit line, one way to enquire and one trust element, checked on mobile and desktop.

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From logo colour to a readable web paletteFive roles, one contrast value each per WCAG 2.2 – body text threshold 4.5:1Logo colour#17A98DAs text on whiteEnquire now2.96:1 – below 4.5:1As a surface, dark textEnquire now4.81:1 – passes AAOn black: 7.10:1Derived palette with rolesText and links6.46:1#006B5A on whiteButton9.80:1White text on #004D43Light surface8.79:1#004D43 on #E6F6F2Accent2.62:1#ACA316 as text on whiteFocus ring9.80:1#004D43 against white, threshold 3:1Body text threshold 4.5:1Button previewDefaultRequest a dateWith focus ringRequest a date83.9%of home pages withlow-contrast text2025: 79.1%Source: WebAIM Million 2026
Accessibility Oct 13, 2026

Brand colours for your website: readable, high-contrast

Turn a logo colour into a web palette with roles: text, surface, button, accent and focus with enough WCAG 2.2 contrast, plus sample values and a checklist.

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Review view: environmental claims on the homepageFlagged wording on the left, concrete replacement on the rightsince 27 Sep 2026Homepage · previewYour painting business in the region“Eco-friendly painting”generic environmental claim without proof · no. 4a“Climate-neutral renovation”based on offsetting certificates · no. 4cECOOwn seal “Eco business”no certification scheme · no. 2aReplacement: measure, not labelspecific, provable, on the same pageWall paints with the Blue Angelproduct named in the quote, data sheet on requestWe support a peatland projectnamed as funding, no climate promiseOur measures, each with proofsolar panels on the workshop, e-van in town,repair before replacementUWG Annex no. 2a, 4a, 4c · banned outright towards consumersspecify onlyremovereplacement
Law Oct 12, 2026

Environmental claims on websites: rules since 27 September

Since 27 September 2026, German unfair competition law bans vague green claims, offset-based climate neutrality and home-made eco seals. How to check your copy.

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Service area instead of stacked town pagesMerge identical pages and show the area properly onceBefore: town pagesRoofer SarstedtRoofer HarsumRoofer GiesenRoofer AlgermissenSame text,only the town name changes301redirectAfter: one service area pageCore areaTravel includedHarsum · Giesen · AlgermissenExtendedFlat fee per visitSarstedt · NordstemmenBeyond thaton requestRecently completedRoof renovationin HarsumNew gutterin SarstedtEmergency service in the core area only
Local visibility Oct 11, 2026

Show your service area instead of stacking city pages

One page per neighbouring town with only the name swapped rarely brings enquiries. How mobile businesses show their service area and merge old town pages.

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Year-end budgets: orders buyers can approve at onceReal cut-off date, fixed-price packages, a form with order details and a shared inboxOrder cut-offDelivery still in 2026Order by the cut-off, date taken from the real delivery planOnce it has passed, the stored text replaces the counterFixed-price packages in the pricing tableOn-site setupFixed net price, delivery by cut-offOrderTeam trainingFixed net price, date of your choiceOrderMaintenance contractMonthly price, minimum term beside itOrderQuote valid until: date shown next to the priceQuote form with order detailsCompanyPurchase order or reference numberBilling addressPreferred datestill in 2026Q1 2027flexibleDropdown in the Form blockAllNewReadArchivedStatus filter, notification and a deputy in the teamGoods: the year of delivery counts, § 9a EStDVLow-value assets up to 800 euros net, § 6(2) EStG
Winning customers Oct 10, 2026

Year-End Budgets: Winning Orders From Business Customers

Many companies and public bodies plan purchases around year end. How a cut-off date, fixed-price packages and an order form bring those orders to your site.

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