Pre-purchase building inspection in the Netherlands
Know what you are buying. An independent bouwkundige keuring of your house or apartment, at one fixed price, with an English-speaking inspector. Report within 5 working days, urgent within 2.
Nederlandstalig? Offerte aanvragen in het Nederlands.
The Dutch way of buying a home puts the risk on you
In the Netherlands the seller has a duty to disclose known defects, but the buyer has a duty to investigate. Anything a careful viewing could have revealed is your problem after the transfer, and older homes are usually sold with an age clause (ouderdomsclausule) that shifts even more risk to the buyer. A twenty-minute viewing tells you nothing about the roof, the foundation, the timber floors or the wiring.
A bouwkundige keuring is the independent building inspection that closes that gap. AC Vastgoed Advies inspects every accessible building element according to NEN 2767, the Dutch standard for condition assessment, and reports the repair costs per defect. You use the report to negotiate the price, to invoke the resolutive condition in your purchase agreement, or to satisfy your mortgage lender or NHG.
Four situations in which buyers call us
Most buyers arrange the inspection between signing the purchase agreement and the end of the resolutive condition. Earlier is better.
📝 Resolutive condition in your purchase agreement
Dutch purchase agreements often contain an ontbindende voorwaarde: if the report shows immediate repair costs above an agreed threshold, you can cancel the purchase without penalty. The deadline is usually short, often one to two weeks.
🏦 Required by your mortgage lender or NHG
Lenders and the National Mortgage Guarantee ask for a building report when the valuer flags repair costs or recommends further investigation. Our summary follows the format they use.
🏠 Before you make an offer
In a competitive market many buyers bid without conditions. An inspection before the bid tells you what you are bidding on and what it will cost you afterwards.
🏢 Buying an apartment in a VvE
You buy a share of the whole building. The roof, facade, foundation and lift are paid through the homeowners association. We show you what to check and can review the maintenance plan.
Every building element gets a condition score from 1 to 6
Visual and non-destructive, according to NEN 2767. Score 1 is excellent, score 6 is very poor. You see at a glance where the risks are.
Roof
Roof covering, gutters, rainwater drainage, dormers, chimney and penetrations.
Facades and pointing
Brickwork, joints, cracks, lintels and signs of settlement, including the connection to neighbouring properties.
Window frames and glazing
Wood rot, paintwork, sealant joints, hardware and the insulation value of the glass.
Floors and structure
Floor levels, deflection, beam ends and visible structural defects.
Installations
Central heating boiler, electrical panel and earthing, water pipes and drainage, as far as visible.
Bathroom and kitchen
Tiling, sealant joints, watertightness, ventilation and connections.
Moisture and ventilation
Visual check for damp and mould at risk locations, and ventilation. In case of doubt we recommend a moisture inspection.
Crawl space
If accessible: moisture, foundation, pipes and insulation under the ground floor.
A report you can negotiate with
Within 5 working days after the inspection, or within 2 working days with the urgent option.
Condition score per element
Every building element scored from 1 to 6 according to NEN 2767, with an explanation
Repair costs per defect
An indication of the cost of every defect found, split into immediate and long-term
Photos of every defect
Each defect photographed and named, so seller and agent cannot wave it away
Summary for bank and NHG
Immediate costs, costs within 5 years and improvement costs, in the format lenders use
From request to report in 4 steps
One inspector, one point of contact, English throughout.
Request
By phone on 085 902 7577 or via the form. Mention the address, the type of home and your deadline.
Reply within 24 hours
We confirm the fixed price and plan the inspection with you and the selling agent.
Inspection on site
1 to 2 hours, visual and non-destructive. You are welcome to walk along and ask questions.
Report within 5 working days
Digital report in PDF with a phone explanation in English. Urgent: within 2 working days.
What does a pre-purchase inspection cost?
Pre-purchase building inspection
One fixed price for a house or apartment up to 750 m³. No hourly rate on top, no surprises afterwards. Private buyers cannot reclaim VAT, so our price already includes 21 percent VAT.
✓ On-site inspection of 1 to 2 hours, English-speaking inspector
✓ Condition score per building element according to NEN 2767
✓ Repair costs per defect, immediate and long-term
✓ Photos of every defect and a summary for bank and NHG
✓ Digital report (PDF) with phone explanation in English
✓ Travel costs included within the Randstad; outside it by distance, stated in the quote in advance
Questions about the pre-purchase inspection
Know what you are buying
Fixed price €484 incl. VAT, reply within 24 hours, report within 5 working days. Urgent within 2 working days for €574.75 incl. VAT.