Dutch VAT looks simple from a distance. The standard rate is 21%. The reduced rate is 9%. Renovation work sits in between. Some work on older homes qualifies for the reduced rate. Other work, even inside the same room and…
There’s a moment every Amsterdam canal house owner recognises. You climb the steep, narrow stairs to the top floor, duck under a beam positioned for someone considerably shorter, and reach the attic. The space is there – raw, dusty, full…
The Dutch net-metering scheme is on its way out. For hundreds of thousands of solar panel owners, that changes the maths. Does investing in a home battery finally make sense, or is it still too early? For years, Dutch homeowners…
Your kitchen’s been ripped out, the bathroom is a shell, and there’s dust on everything you own. At some point during a major renovation, most Dutch homeowners reach the same conclusion: we can’t live here. So what do you do…
Building on last year’s Practical Guide to Renovating Your Dutch Home (published May 2025), where we covered the basics of planning and budgeting, this 2026 edition focuses on the strategic advantages of a total renovation in today’s ultra-tight market. With…
We’ve all been there. You walk into a beautifully renovated, modern living room. The herringbone floors are gleaming, the walls are freshly plastered, and the massive crittall-style windows let in glorious sheets of sunlight. It looks spectacular. But then someone…
There’s a particular magic to a Dutch garden or terrace once the light fades. The long summer evenings stretch out, but by autumn the dark arrives quickly, turning a perfectly pleasant outdoor spot into something you hurry past. Good lighting…
Picture the scene. You’ve finally secured the keys to that charming, slightly run-down 1930s terraced house in Haarlem, or perhaps a spacious shell in the heart of Amsterdam. You have your Pinterest boards meticulously organised, overflowing with herringbone flooring, bespoke…
Why Your Neighbours Have a Say in Your Own Home You’ve finally found it, a flat in Amsterdam-Noord, or perhaps a solid 1970s apartment block in Eindhoven. You’ve got plans. Perhaps your plans include renovating the kitchen, knocking down a…
The housing narrative in the Netherlands has clearly shifted in recent years. For many years, homeowners mainly asked themselves whether they should move or improve their current property. However, as we move further into 2026, the housing market remains tight.…
