Renovating as an expat in the Netherlands: permits, owners' associations and building hours

What is different about renovating here

In many countries the builder sorts everything out and you only hear about problems. The Dutch system is more formal. Since 1 January 2024 the building rules sit in the Omgevingswet (Environment and Planning Act) and the Bbl, the national building decree. On top of that, each gemeente sets its own rules in its omgevingsplan (environment plan). So a dormer window can be permit-free in one town and need a permit in the historic centre of the next.

The houses are different too. Dutch homes often have timber joist floors, steep narrow stairs and foundations on piles in wet ground. An old canal house in Amsterdam needs a different approach from a 1970s terraced house in Zoetermeer. Knowing this helps you plan realistically and be less surprised by what the demolition uncovers.

A practical order helps. First work out what kind of home you have: owned or rented, apartment or house, listed or not. That tells you who else has a say: the gemeente, the VvE or the landlord. Only then does it make sense to ask for quotes and choose materials. If you reverse that order, you may pay for a design that is not allowed, or wait months for a permission you could have asked for earlier.

• Gemeente: the municipality, which handles permits and the public road.
• Omgevingsloket: the national portal for permits and notifications.
• VvE: the owners' association in an apartment building.
• Offerte: the quote, with a description of the work.
• Meerwerk: extra work that is not in the quote.
• Oplevering: handover, when the work is finished and inspected together.

The gemeente and the Omgevingsloket

Almost every permit question starts at the Omgevingsloket. The permit check shows, for your address, whether an activity needs a permit, a notification or nothing at all. You log in with DigiD, the Dutch government login. The portal is mostly in Dutch, but the government explains the system in English on government.nl.

Interior work such as a new bathroom, plastering or a new floor is usually permit-free. Work on the outside, on the load-bearing structure or on a listed building is another matter. Demolition has its own rules as well. According to IPLO, the government information point, you must file a demolition notice if more than 10 m³ of demolition waste is produced or asbestos is removed, at least four weeks before work starts. This is not permit advice: the outcome depends on your address.

Listed buildings and protected townscapes

Many expats live in the old centres of Amsterdam, Leiden, The Hague, Haarlem and Utrecht. These areas have many national and municipal monuments, and large parts are protected townscapes (beschermd stadsgezicht). The national monuments register of the Cultural Heritage Agency shows whether your building is a rijksmonument (national monument). For municipal monuments, ask the gemeente.

For a listed building, work that affects the monument often needs a permit, even inside. Think of removing an old fireplace, replacing historic window frames or moving a wall. Allow for this in your planning, because a permit application takes weeks.

Living in an apartment: the VvE

An apartment in the Netherlands nearly always falls under a VvE, a Vereniging van Eigenaars or owners' association. You own your private part, but the facade, roof, load-bearing walls and often the pipes in the shaft are shared. What exactly is private is set out in the splitsingsakte (deed of division) and its regulations.

Under article 5:119 of the Dutch Civil Code you may make changes inside your private part without the other owners' consent, as long as this does not harm another part of the building. You must inform the VvE straight away. The regulations can set different rules, for example on hard floors and noise. So read the documents first. Our guide to renovating an apartment in an owners' association explains how.

Renting: the landlord comes first

If you rent, the rule is strict. The Dutch government says you may only make changes without permission that can be undone without much cost. A new bathroom, kitchen or floor needs the landlord's permission.

Put the agreement in writing: what you may do, who pays for what and what happens when you leave. For expats on a fixed-term contract, that last question matters. Read more in renovating a rented home.

Building hours, neighbours and the street

Under the Bbl, a building company may work on weekdays and Saturdays between 7:00 and 19:00. Sundays and public holidays are off. For noisy work there is a table limiting the number of days per noise level. The gemeente can set its own policy rules that differ from this.

In a city the street adds another layer. A skip, scaffolding or a building lift on the public road needs a permit or exemption in many municipalities. Parking for vans in city centres is limited. It helps to tell your neighbours in advance, even when it is not required. See building hours and noise in the city for the details.

• Working hours: weekdays and Saturdays, 7:00 to 19:00.
• Skip or scaffolding on the street: check with the gemeente.
• Demolition notice for more than 10 m³ of waste or for asbestos: at least four weeks ahead.
• Neighbours and VvE: tell them about the planning and the noisy days.

Working with a Dutch contractor

A Dutch quote is usually a fixed price for a described scope of work. Anything not in it counts as extra work (meerwerk). So read a quote line by line and ask what is included for demolition, waste removal and finishing. Our guide to reading and comparing quotes shows what to look for.

At Parus you speak to the same person at the site visit, the quote and during the work: the owner, Stas. He coordinates plastering, tiling, electrics and plumbing, so you do not have to translate between trades. We work in Amsterdam, Haarlem, Leiden, The Hague, Utrecht and the surrounding area. One client wrote about a large renovation with us: "The guys worked hard and met the deadline regardless that we had to almost double the amount of work from the initial estimation."

Want to know what is possible in your home? Look at our full renovation service or get in touch. You get a reply within 24 hours and, after a site visit, a free quote with no obligation.

Frequently asked questions