Even when your contractor speaks English, the paperwork around a renovation in the Netherlands is full of Dutch words. They appear on quotes, in contracts, on permit applications and in emails from the municipality. This list explains the ones you will meet most, grouped by where you will see them. It is written by Boers & Breuer Totaalbouw, an English-speaking building company in Brabant.
People and companies
| Dutch | In English | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Aannemer | Contractor | The company that takes on the building work and is responsible for the result. A good one also coordinates the trades. |
| Uitvoerder | Site manager | The person who runs the work on site day to day. |
| Onderaannemer | Subcontractor | A separate company hired by the contractor for part of the job, such as electrics or tiling. |
| Klusbedrijf | Handyman company | For smaller jobs. Usually not the right choice for structural work or a full renovation. |
| Constructeur | Structural engineer | Calculates beams, floors and foundations, for example when a load-bearing wall is removed. |
| Bouwkundige keuring | Structural survey | An independent inspection of a house, usually before buying. |
| VvE | Owners' association | In an apartment building, the association of all owners. It has to approve work on shared parts. |
Quotes, contracts and money
| Dutch | In English | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Offerte | Quote | The price proposal. A good one lists the work per part and states what is not included. |
| Meerwerk | Extra work | Work on top of the agreed quote. Should always be agreed in writing, with the price, before it is done. |
| Minderwerk | Reduced work | Work that is dropped from the quote, which lowers the price. |
| Stelpost | Provisional sum | A budget amount for something not yet chosen, such as tiles. The final cost can be higher or lower. |
| Termijnen | Instalments | Payments spread over the project, linked to progress. |
| Bouwdepot | Construction deposit | An account in your mortgage from which the bank pays renovation invoices once you approve them. |
| Oplevering | Handover | The moment the finished work is inspected together and handed over. |
| Opleverpunten | Snagging list | The defects found at handover that the contractor still has to fix. |
Permits and rules
| Dutch | In English | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Omgevingsvergunning | Building permit | The permit you need for work that is not permit-free, such as a roof extension. |
| Omgevingsloket | Permit portal | The national website where permit applications are submitted. |
| Vergunningvrij | Permit-free | Work you can do without a permit, within national limits. Other rules can still apply. |
| Omgevingsplan | Zoning plan | The municipality's rules for what may be built where. |
| Welstand | Design review | The municipality's check on how a building looks in its street. |
| Beschermd stadsgezicht | Protected townscape | An area with extra rules for anything visible, such as the centre of Den Bosch. |
| Monument | Listed building | A building with heritage status. Almost every change needs a permit. |
Parts of the house
| Dutch | In English | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Dakkapel | Dormer window | A box-shaped extension in a pitched roof that adds standing height and a window. See dormer window. |
| Dakopbouw | Roof extension | A full extra floor on a house. See roof extension. |
| Aanbouw / uitbouw | Extension | Extra space at the side or back of a house. See home extension. |
| Kozijn | Window frame | The frame around a window or door, in timber, plastic or aluminium. |
| Spouwmuur | Cavity wall | An outer wall with a gap in the middle, which can often be filled with insulation. |
| Kruipruimte | Crawl space | The low space under the ground floor, where floor insulation is added. |
| Groepenkast | Consumer unit | The fuse box. An old one is a sign the wiring needs replacing. |
| Standleiding | Soil pipe | The main vertical waste pipe. Where it runs decides where a bathroom or toilet can go. |
| Dekvloer | Screed | The layer of sand-cement on top of the floor structure, often with underfloor heating in it. |
Energy and subsidy
| Dutch | In English | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Energielabel | Energy label | A rating from A++++ to G that every house for sale must have. |
| ISDE | Sustainable energy subsidy | A national subsidy for insulation and heat pumps, often when combining two measures. |
| Warmtepomp | Heat pump | Heating that uses outside air or the ground instead of gas. |
| HR++ glas / triple glas | Double / triple glazing | Insulating glass. Triple glazing insulates better but is heavier. |
Summary
You do not need to learn Dutch to renovate here, but knowing these words makes quotes, contracts and permits much easier to read. The three that matter most for your budget are offerte, meerwerk and stelpost: make sure you understand what is in the quote, what is not, and how extra work is agreed. At Boers & Breuer Totaalbouw we write our quotes in English and explain any Dutch term that comes up, for clients in Eindhoven, Den Bosch, Tilburg and the rest of Brabant.
Frequently asked questions
What does aannemer mean?
An aannemer is a contractor: the company that takes on building work and is responsible for the result.
What is meerwerk?
Meerwerk is extra work outside the agreed quote. It should always be agreed in writing, with the price, before it is carried out.
What is a dakkapel?
A dakkapel is a dormer window: a box-shaped extension in a pitched roof that gives you standing height and daylight in the attic.
What does VvE mean?
VvE stands for Vereniging van Eigenaars, the owners' association in an apartment building. It has to approve renovation work that touches shared parts of the building.
Planning a renovation in Brabant?
Joeri visits without obligation, talks through your plans and budget and sends an itemised quote in English. We work in Eindhoven, Veldhoven, Den Bosch, Tilburg, Breda, Helmond and the rest of Brabant.