diff --git a/src/db/db/dbDeepEdges.cc b/src/db/db/dbDeepEdges.cc
index ea66d4bbe..6363e8ddc 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbDeepEdges.cc
+++ b/src/db/db/dbDeepEdges.cc
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ DeepEdges::ensure_merged_edges_valid () const
       db::hier_clusters<db::Edge> hc;
       db::Connectivity conn;
       conn.connect (m_deep_layer);
-      //  TODO: this uses the wrong verbosity inside ...
+      hc.set_base_verbosity (base_verbosity() + 10);
       hc.build (layout, m_deep_layer.initial_cell (), db::ShapeIterator::Edges, conn);
 
       //  collect the clusters and merge them into big polygons
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ DeepEdges::ensure_merged_edges_valid () const
       //  hopefully more efficient that collecting everything and will lead to reuse of parts.
 
       ClusterMerger cm (m_deep_layer.layer (), hc, report_progress (), progress_desc ());
-      cm.set_base_verbosity (base_verbosity ());
+      cm.set_base_verbosity (base_verbosity () + 10);
 
       //  TODO: iterate only over the called cells?
       for (db::Layout::iterator c = layout.begin (); c != layout.end (); ++c) {
@@ -1019,7 +1019,7 @@ RegionDelegate *DeepEdges::extended (coord_type ext_b, coord_type ext_e, coord_t
     db::hier_clusters<db::Edge> hc;
     db::Connectivity conn (db::Connectivity::EdgesConnectByPoints);
     conn.connect (m_merged_edges);
-    //  TODO: this uses the wrong verbosity inside ...
+    hc.set_base_verbosity (base_verbosity () + 10);
     hc.build (layout, m_merged_edges.initial_cell (), db::ShapeIterator::Edges, conn);
 
     //  TODO: iterate only over the called cells?
diff --git a/src/db/db/dbDeepRegion.cc b/src/db/db/dbDeepRegion.cc
index e626c5126..ce1b5a6e0 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbDeepRegion.cc
+++ b/src/db/db/dbDeepRegion.cc
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ DeepRegion::ensure_merged_polygons_valid () const
       db::hier_clusters<db::PolygonRef> hc;
       db::Connectivity conn;
       conn.connect (m_deep_layer);
-      //  TODO: this uses the wrong verbosity inside ...
+      hc.set_base_verbosity (base_verbosity () + 10);
       hc.build (layout, m_deep_layer.initial_cell (), db::ShapeIterator::Polygons, conn);
 
       //  collect the clusters and merge them into big polygons
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ DeepRegion::ensure_merged_polygons_valid () const
       //  hopefully more efficient that collecting everything and will lead to reuse of parts.
 
       ClusterMerger cm (m_deep_layer.layer (), layout, hc, min_coherence (), report_progress (), progress_desc ());
-      cm.set_base_verbosity (base_verbosity ());
+      cm.set_base_verbosity (base_verbosity () + 10);
 
       //  TODO: iterate only over the called cells?
       for (db::Layout::iterator c = layout.begin (); c != layout.end (); ++c) {
@@ -1197,7 +1197,7 @@ DeepRegion::merged (bool min_coherence, unsigned int min_wc) const
   db::hier_clusters<db::PolygonRef> hc;
   db::Connectivity conn;
   conn.connect (m_deep_layer);
-  //  TODO: this uses the wrong verbosity inside ...
+  hc.set_base_verbosity (base_verbosity () + 10);
   hc.build (layout, m_deep_layer.initial_cell (), db::ShapeIterator::Polygons, conn);
 
   //  collect the clusters and merge them into big polygons
@@ -1207,7 +1207,7 @@ DeepRegion::merged (bool min_coherence, unsigned int min_wc) const
   DeepLayer dl_out (m_deep_layer.derived ());
 
   ClusterMerger cm (m_deep_layer.layer (), layout, hc, min_coherence, report_progress (), progress_desc ());
-  cm.set_base_verbosity (base_verbosity ());
+  cm.set_base_verbosity (base_verbosity () + 10);
 
   for (db::Layout::iterator c = layout.begin (); c != layout.end (); ++c) {
     const db::connected_clusters<db::PolygonRef> &cc = hc.clusters_per_cell (c->cell_index ());
@@ -1273,7 +1273,7 @@ DeepRegion::sized (coord_type d, unsigned int mode) const
 namespace
 {
 
-struct DB_PUBLIC XYAnisotropyAndMagnificationReducer
+struct XYAnisotropyAndMagnificationReducer
   : public db::TransformationReducer
 {
   db::ICplxTrans reduce (const db::ICplxTrans &trans) const
diff --git a/src/db/db/dbHierNetworkProcessor.cc b/src/db/db/dbHierNetworkProcessor.cc
index 40d7c0dd0..de09415c6 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbHierNetworkProcessor.cc
+++ b/src/db/db/dbHierNetworkProcessor.cc
@@ -851,9 +851,8 @@ private:
 
 template <class T>
 void
-local_clusters<T>::build_clusters (const db::Cell &cell, db::ShapeIterator::flags_type shape_flags, const db::Connectivity &conn, const tl::equivalence_clusters<unsigned int> *attr_equivalence)
+local_clusters<T>::build_clusters (const db::Cell &cell, db::ShapeIterator::flags_type shape_flags, const db::Connectivity &conn, const tl::equivalence_clusters<unsigned int> *attr_equivalence, bool report_progress)
 {
-  bool report_progress = tl::verbosity () >= 50;
   static std::string desc = tl::to_string (tr ("Building local clusters"));
 
   db::box_scanner<T, std::pair<unsigned int, unsigned int> > bs (report_progress, desc);
@@ -1068,10 +1067,17 @@ private:
 
 template <class T>
 hier_clusters<T>::hier_clusters ()
+  : m_base_verbosity (20)
 {
   //  .. nothing yet ..
 }
 
+template <class T>
+void hier_clusters<T>::set_base_verbosity (int bv)
+{
+  m_base_verbosity = bv;
+}
+
 template <class T>
 void hier_clusters<T>::clear ()
 {
@@ -1739,7 +1745,7 @@ template <class T>
 void
 hier_clusters<T>::do_build (cell_clusters_box_converter<T> &cbc, const db::Layout &layout, const db::Cell &cell, db::ShapeIterator::flags_type shape_flags, const db::Connectivity &conn, const tl::equivalence_clusters<unsigned int> *attr_equivalence)
 {
-  tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () >= 21, tl::to_string (tr ("Computing shape clusters")));
+  tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () > m_base_verbosity, tl::to_string (tr ("Computing shape clusters")));
 
   std::set<db::cell_index_type> called;
   cell.collect_called_cells (called);
@@ -1748,7 +1754,7 @@ hier_clusters<T>::do_build (cell_clusters_box_converter<T> &cbc, const db::Layou
   //  first build all local clusters
 
   {
-    tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () >= 31, tl::to_string (tr ("Computing local shape clusters")));
+    tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () > m_base_verbosity + 10, tl::to_string (tr ("Computing local shape clusters")));
     tl::RelativeProgress progress (tl::to_string (tr ("Computing local clusters")), called.size (), 1);
 
     for (std::set<db::cell_index_type>::const_iterator c = called.begin (); c != called.end (); ++c) {
@@ -1760,7 +1766,7 @@ hier_clusters<T>::do_build (cell_clusters_box_converter<T> &cbc, const db::Layou
   //  build the hierarchical connections bottom-up and for all cells whose children are computed already
 
   {
-    tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () >= 31, tl::to_string (tr ("Computing hierarchical shape clusters")));
+    tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () > m_base_verbosity + 10, tl::to_string (tr ("Computing hierarchical shape clusters")));
     tl::RelativeProgress progress (tl::to_string (tr ("Computing hierarchical clusters")), called.size (), 1);
 
     std::set<db::cell_index_type> done;
@@ -1798,13 +1804,13 @@ void
 hier_clusters<T>::build_local_cluster (const db::Layout &layout, const db::Cell &cell, db::ShapeIterator::flags_type shape_flags, const db::Connectivity &conn, const tl::equivalence_clusters<unsigned int> *attr_equivalence)
 {
   std::string msg = tl::to_string (tr ("Computing local clusters for cell: ")) + std::string (layout.cell_name (cell.cell_index ()));
-  if (tl::verbosity () >= 40) {
+  if (tl::verbosity () >= m_base_verbosity + 20) {
     tl::log << msg;
   }
-  tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () >= 41, msg);
+  tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () > m_base_verbosity + 20, msg);
 
   connected_clusters<T> &local = m_per_cell_clusters [cell.cell_index ()];
-  local.build_clusters (cell, shape_flags, conn, attr_equivalence);
+  local.build_clusters (cell, shape_flags, conn, attr_equivalence, tl::verbosity () >= m_base_verbosity + 30);
 }
 
 template <class T>
@@ -1899,10 +1905,10 @@ void
 hier_clusters<T>::build_hier_connections (cell_clusters_box_converter<T> &cbc, const db::Layout &layout, const db::Cell &cell, const db::Connectivity &conn)
 {
   std::string msg = tl::to_string (tr ("Computing hierarchical clusters for cell: ")) + std::string (layout.cell_name (cell.cell_index ()));
-  if (tl::verbosity () >= 40) {
+  if (tl::verbosity () >= m_base_verbosity + 20) {
     tl::log << msg;
   }
-  tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () >= 41, msg);
+  tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () > m_base_verbosity + 20, msg);
 
   connected_clusters<T> &local = m_per_cell_clusters [cell.cell_index ()];
 
@@ -1931,9 +1937,9 @@ hier_clusters<T>::build_hier_connections (cell_clusters_box_converter<T> &cbc, c
 
   {
     static std::string desc = tl::to_string (tr ("Instance to instance treatment"));
-    tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () >= 51, desc);
+    tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () > m_base_verbosity + 30, desc);
 
-    bool report_progress = tl::verbosity () >= 50;
+    bool report_progress = tl::verbosity () >= m_base_verbosity + 30;
     db::box_scanner<db::Instance, unsigned int> bs (report_progress, desc);
 
     for (std::vector<db::Instance>::const_iterator inst = inst_storage.begin (); inst != inst_storage.end (); ++inst) {
@@ -1950,9 +1956,9 @@ hier_clusters<T>::build_hier_connections (cell_clusters_box_converter<T> &cbc, c
     double area_ratio = 10.0;
 
     static std::string desc = tl::to_string (tr ("Local to instance treatment"));
-    tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () >= 51, desc);
+    tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () > m_base_verbosity + 30, desc);
 
-    bool report_progress = tl::verbosity () >= 50;
+    bool report_progress = tl::verbosity () >= m_base_verbosity + 30;
     db::box_scanner2<db::local_cluster<T>, unsigned int, db::Instance, unsigned int> bs2 (report_progress, desc);
 
     for (typename connected_clusters<T>::const_iterator c = local.begin (); c != local.end (); ++c) {
@@ -1985,7 +1991,7 @@ hier_clusters<T>::build_hier_connections (cell_clusters_box_converter<T> &cbc, c
   //  finally connect global nets
   {
     static std::string desc = tl::to_string (tr ("Global net treatment"));
-    tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () >= 51, desc);
+    tl::SelfTimer timer (tl::verbosity () > m_base_verbosity + 30, desc);
 
     GlobalNetClusterMaker global_net_clusters;
 
diff --git a/src/db/db/dbHierNetworkProcessor.h b/src/db/db/dbHierNetworkProcessor.h
index 2bcfb1242..67c90c013 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbHierNetworkProcessor.h
+++ b/src/db/db/dbHierNetworkProcessor.h
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ public:
    *  cluster joining may happen in this case, because multi-attribute
    *  assignment might create connections too.
    */
-  void build_clusters (const db::Cell &cell, db::ShapeIterator::flags_type shape_flags, const db::Connectivity &conn, const tl::equivalence_clusters<unsigned int> *attr_equivalence = 0);
+  void build_clusters (const db::Cell &cell, db::ShapeIterator::flags_type shape_flags, const db::Connectivity &conn, const tl::equivalence_clusters<unsigned int> *attr_equivalence = 0, bool report_progress = false);
 
   /**
    *  @brief Creates and inserts a new clusters
@@ -767,6 +767,14 @@ public:
    */
   hier_clusters ();
 
+  /**
+   *  @brief Sets the base verbosity
+   *
+   *  The default value is 30. Basic timing will be reported for > base_verbosity, detailed timing
+   *  for > base_verbosity + 10.
+   */
+  void set_base_verbosity (int bv);
+
   /**
    *  @brief Builds a hierarchy of clusters from a cell hierarchy and given connectivity
    */
@@ -814,6 +822,7 @@ private:
   void do_build (cell_clusters_box_converter<T> &cbc, const db::Layout &layout, const db::Cell &cell, db::ShapeIterator::flags_type shape_flags, const db::Connectivity &conn, const tl::equivalence_clusters<unsigned int> *attr_equivalence = 0);
 
   std::map<db::cell_index_type, connected_clusters<T> > m_per_cell_clusters;
+  int m_base_verbosity;
 };
 
 /**