- Home
- over ons
- Onze blog
- Guide for expats
Over Veerkade Vastgoed
Guide for expats: How to renovate your home
Are you an expat in the Netherlands, and are you considering to renovate your home? Then you must have noticed it is not as simple as it might seem, and there’s a lot involved in modernizing and making your home more sustainable. From permits to subsidies, and from finding the right contractor to make an interior design. Being well prepared is key! In this blog you will find practical tips to help guide your renovation project.
Finding a reliable contractor
After you have decided what work you would like to have done in your home, the next step is to find a reliable contractor that suits your needs. But how do you know who to hire? And how do you know a contractor is reliable?
In the Netherlands there are different kind of contractors: we have contractor companies where there are a few project managers who make the quote and plan and oversee the work, but we also have a lot of freelance construction workers who mostly are trained in one or two trades. The upside to a contractor company is the fact that they have different kinds of trade men working for them, so they can take on the complete project and you do not have to hire different companies.
And then there is the question of knowing which contractor is reliable. When you have found a contractor you can start with checking their reviews on Google and other platforms like Werkspot etc. to see what previous costumers have experienced. You can also take a look at their website to see pictures of their previous work, and what they specialize in. And you can of course read their terms and conditions to see if they offer any kind of warranty etc. But most importantly is the feel you get when contacting a company, and experiencing yourself how their process goes before you agree upon anything.
Which permits do you need?
In the Netherlands we have a lot of different permits you can apply for when renovation your home, but do you need them al? And how do you know which ones you need?
The rule of thumb is you probably need a permit when you are going to make any structural changes to the property. So when you want to add anything to the outside you will need a environmental permit (omgevingsvergunning), which can be easily acquired through the environmental desk (het omgevingsloket). When you live in a registered monument you will need a monumental permit (monumentenvergunning) for almost any change you want to make. In some municipalities you even require a permit to place a building container in front of your door. So our tip to you is always check your municipalities website to check which permit you need before you start with knocking down any walls.
Funding your renovation
A common way to finance a renovation in the Netherlands is through a construction mortgage (bouwdepot). This is a loan within your mortgage specifically for the costs of the renovation. You can best discuss the options for this with a mortgage advisor.
There are also a few subsidies you can apply for, however these are mostly for making your home more sustainable. For example you can apply for ISDE (investmentsubsisie sustainable energie and energiereduction), this is for when you are going to apply more sustainability measures within 24 months. For example: when you are going to insulate your home, and get a solar water heater. For more information on which subsidies you can apply for, and how much you will get you can best take a look at the website of our government.
Are you ready to start?
Whether you are going to renovate your apartment in Rotterdam or upgrade your detached home in Breda, preparation is key. And we at Veerkade Vastgoed would love to help you with the preparation and execution of your renovations!
You can contact us via the forms on the website, or just give us a call to set up a free consultation, where we will give you advice and a provide you with a detailed quotation.