A custom-built house is a real possibility in the Netherlands these days — and you don't even have to be super rich to afford one.

The Dutch urbanscape is memorable more for the work of stalwarts like Hendrik Petrus Berlage, the brain behind the Koopmansbeurs on the Damrak in Amsterdam and Willem Marinus Dudok, the creator of the Bijenkorf in Rotterdam, than for the uninspired single-family houses and terrace houses that have sprouted like a rash throughout the Randstad.

Something different: having your dream home built to order

Historically these terrace houses made sense, as the Dutch government had to quickly provide sufficient housing after the ravages of the Second World War.  These days, when over 50 per cent of the Dutch housing market is privately owned and the customer wants a bigger say in where he wants to live, things are different.

Also, the Dutch housing is beginning to look pale in comparison with what neighbouring countries, Belgium and Germany, have to offer. This has started a small exodus from the Netherlands and the government is taking notice.

It is no surprise then that the Dutch government is rethinking their housing strategy.

According to the Netherlands Ministry of Housing, Special Planning and the Environment or VROM, the Dutch private housing market is expected to break the 70 per cent mark in the coming years. This emerging market structure already has established an overwhelming demand for detached housing.

As this demand increases, punters playing the property market feel that the the price of single houses or villas will soar to unknown heights.

This is already being reflected in the housing market, with a single-standing, customised villa being valued at EUR 850,000  while a house of similar dimensions which forms one half of luxury villa, built in the same year and in the same neighbourhood today is valued at EUR 469,000.

The Ministry has therefore adjusted its policy by shifting from a quantity market to a quality market. The custom-built dream house for many is thus turning into reality.

Jamal K (name changed on request) came to the Netherlands from Turkey some 7 years ago. Today he lives in a house made to his specifications in the Haarlemmermeer area.

"I have got a home to suit my needs, and all-in-all, it did not cost too much more than buying a standard house," he says. He does admit that it took more time and effort, yet "it was well worth it".

You don't necessarily have to build it from scratch with your own hands.

Martin Beijring, currently studying architecture in Delft helped his parents build the house of their dreams a few years ago.

"I drew up the plans for my parents and worked along with a builder. It took less than a year to get the house standing and it worked out far cheaper than buying a ready house. My parents are very pleased with the final result."

Beijring says that the low cost was possible as he did all the work an architect would have done, which saved his parents thousands of euros.

According to Hans W. André de la Porte, manager at Vereniging Eigen Huis (Association of Home Owners), "the price of a customised house does not have to be higher than a ready made house, however it usually is. There is a logical explanation for this: a customised house usually includes all the owner's wishes, while a ready made house is usually a compromise."

Moreover, he adds, "A builder is generally able to get better prices on materials and labour, because of the volume."

The Vereniging Eigen Huis has several handy tips on how to procure land, what sort of building approach may be best suitable for what you have in mind, designing, getting in touch with architects etc. This is mostly in Dutch, but it gives great support to people embarking on this journey.

André de la Porte says that customised housing is not only for the rich. “The government has made it a priority to make customised housing available to lower incomes too. For individuals it usually means combining both their efforts as well as their budgets with others who would like to build their own house too.

We call that ‘collectief opdrachtgeverschap’ (collective assignments). The individual households form a collective that as a whole hires an architect and a builder to develop a complex of houses. There are several organisations who can help these collectives realise their plans: De Regie (www.deregie.nl) and Primavilla (www.primavilla.nl).”

Where to begin?

Finding the right property

First you need to register for a plot of land either at the local municipality, or gemeente in Dutch.

Every municipality should have a list of land set aside for private development. Be sure to read the small print as there may be stipulations attached in relation to what can be built. This is also a good time to figure out the rules and permission required for building a house and how you plan to finance things.

The Netherlands, as commonly known, has one of the densest populations in the world. That makes land a rather precious commodity. Add to that the new interest in a custom-built home, and you may find yourself joining a waiting list of a few years. The website www.kavelbank.com, with its English listing of plots for sale in the Netherlands, may prove a helpful aid in your search.. 

Getting a mortgage

The banks in the Netherlands do not discriminate their clients if they intend to get a customised house. André de la Porte says "A bank will need assurance that building permission will be obtained and will look more closely at the future value of the custom designed house. Banks have no special or higher rates for custom houses, but
they have to do the preparatory work that is regularly done by the builder."

The right builder and architect

Once you have acquired your property, sit back with a cool celebratory drink, and start making plans of what you want built, the style, the number of rooms and all those little details that make you go "Ooh"! If you chose to work with an architect, they will do all the work for you, including making the plans, dealing with the various contractors and sourcing material. A good place to start looking for architects is the website of the Royal Institute of Dutch Architects: http://www.bna.nl/. They have an English version too.

If you have some level of fluency in Dutch, Vereniging Eigen Huis’s publication ‘Eigen huis bouwen’ can be a very useful tool as well. It lists in detail what your possibilities are for every phase of getting your own house built.

You could also simply go with a building contractor. It may be cheaper than hiring an architect, but it is also very cumbersome as you will have to look into all the details yourself.

How customised does your house have to be?

That depends on you of course. If your needs are not so specific, there is a good chance that you could opt for standing building material or even chose a house from a brochure. This would bring your costing down.

If you’re a good handyman, you may say you want the house with only the walls made for you, and then do the interiors yourself. 

There are various permutations and combinations to help you achieve your dream. You just need to figure out whether you have the time to devote to the project, and how much money you want to put into it.

Detailed tips on how to go about building your dream home are also available at www.eigenhuis.nl  and www.bna.nl.

9 November 2004

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject: Housing in the Netherlands