In short
- Four hubs: the VvE, the Dutch process, Dutch houses and buying in Rotterdam.
- Written for owners who did not grow up with the Dutch system.
- Practical rather than promotional — we say when you need someone other than us.
- Start with the VvE guide if you own or are buying an apartment.
- Start with Dutch houses if you are still looking at properties.
We are a Rotterdam building company, and a growing share of our clients are people who moved here and bought a property that needs work. The same questions come up every time, and the answers are almost never available in English. So we wrote them down.
Where to start
| Your situation | Start here |
|---|---|
| Still looking at properties | Dutch houses explained |
| Buying or bidding in Rotterdam | Buying a fixer-upper in Rotterdam |
| You own an apartment | The VvE explained |
| Planning work and unsure about permits | Permits |
| About to sign a quotation | Working with a Dutch contractor |
| Worried about a pre-war house | Foundations |
| Cold house, high bills | Insulating an old Dutch house |
The five things that catch people out most
- Preparation takes months; building takes weeks. Almost everyone plans the reverse.
- The owners' association decides more than you expect, and it meets rarely. Start that process first.
- Permit-free is not requirement-free. The building regulations apply either way.
- Pre-war property in the west of the country has a foundation question. Investigate before you buy, not after.
- Insulating without addressing ventilation creates damp. That is not a risk; it is a near-certainty.
About these guides
We wrote these because the questions were repeating and the answers were not written down anywhere in English. A few things worth saying plainly:
- They are general guidance, not advice on your specific property. Where you need a lawyer, a notary, a tax adviser or a specialist engineer, we say so.
- Rules change. The Dutch permit system was overhauled in 2024 and VAT categories are adjusted from time to time. We date the guides and we tell you when to verify something yourself.
- We are a contractor, so we have a view. Where that view is commercial, we try to make it obvious rather than dress it as neutral.
If something is unclear or wrong, tell us. These pages are easier to correct than a printed book.