There is a particular kind of Dutch autumn rain that quickly exposes what a dry spell has allowed homeowners to forget. A gutter that seemed fine in August suddenly pours water over its edge. A small patch of standing water…

A pre-war Dutch home has its charm: deep window reveals, brick facades, timber floors, stained glass, high ceilings. It can also be cold in a way modern homes rarely are, and not only from draughts. Sit near the facade in…

An energy label used to sit at the edge of a Dutch property listing. In 2026 it sits closer to the centre. The rating now shapes how buyers compare homes, how banks set borrowing capacity, how owners plan renovation work,…

How to Save Trees, Fences and Planting Protecting your garden during a renovation in the Netherlands rarely gets the attention the house does. Yet a major renovation seldom stays within the walls. Scaffolding needs ground space. Materials arrive by van.…

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…

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…

The Dutch government's ISDE subsidy (Investeringssubsidie Duurzame Energie en Energiebesparing) pays homeowners back for installing insulation, heat pumps, solar boilers, and heat network connections. The scheme has run since 2016 and is managed by RVO (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland). It…

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…

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.…