12 October 2026 · 3 min read
Renovation Cost per m² in Amsterdam: 2026 Prices
Renovating a home in the Netherlands costs about €200-€350 per m² for a light refresh, €500-€900 for an average renovation and €1,200-€2,000 per m² for a full renovation back to the shell, including 21% VAT (Rekenmachinepro, 2026 market averages). Listed buildings add 20-40%. A whole-home renovation of a canal house or townhouse by Tommy's Service starts from about €1,500 per m². Below: what each level includes, the Amsterdam surcharges, hourly rates per trade and the city's 2026 permit fees.
Renovation cost per m² in 2026
| Level | What it covers | Price per m², incl. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Painting, flooring, small cosmetic work, no structural changes | €200-€350 |
| Average | New kitchen or bathroom, new pipes, simple layout changes | €500-€900 |
| Heavy | Back to the shell, moving load-bearing walls, complete renovation | €1,200-€2,000 |
For a 120 m² home that means roughly €24,000-€42,000 for a light refresh, €60,000-€108,000 for an average renovation and €144,000-€240,000 for a full one. Homedeal (July 2026) puts a complete home renovation at €60,000-€150,000 or more.
Surcharges for Amsterdam homes
| Situation | Surcharge | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Listed building | +25% | Rekenmachinepro |
| Listed building or protected area | +20-40% | Archi Sulerr |
| Randstad or another expensive region | +10% | Rekenmachinepro |
| Labour in the Randstad | +10-15% | Homedeal |
| Upper-floor home without a lift | +10% | Rekenmachinepro |
The centre of Amsterdam is a protected cityscape and the canal belt is full of national monuments. Add narrow stairs, little room to store materials and work in occupied buildings, and an inner-city renovation tends to land in the upper half of these ranges.
Hourly rates per trade
| Trade | Hourly rate, excl. VAT |
|---|---|
| Main contractor or site coordinator | €50-€85 |
| Tiler | €40-€65 |
| Plumber or installer | €50-€80 |
| Electrician | €45-€85 |
| Plasterer | €40-€65 |
| Painter | €35-€55 |
Permit fees in Amsterdam in 2026
Interior work often needs no permit. When it does, for example for structural changes, a change visible from the street or a listed building, Amsterdam charges these fees:
| Permit | Fee in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Structural check (bouwtechnische toets), building costs up to €75,000 | 0.76% of the building costs, at least €100 |
| Planning activity (omgevingsplanactiviteit), building costs up to €75,000 | 1.81% of the building costs, at least €233 |
| Work on a national monument | €262 |
| Object permit for a container or materials, up to 2 weeks | €181.30 |
| Object permit, 4 weeks | €362.30 |
| Reserving up to 2 parking bays | €150.90 |
Whether you need a permit at all is explained in permit or no permit and permits, monuments and VvE.
VAT: 9% on part of the work
Insulating, painting, plastering and wallpapering homes older than two years are taxed at 9%. All other work, such as tiling, floors, kitchens and bathrooms, is taxed at 21% (Belastingdienst). In a larger renovation the quote and the invoice must show the 9% and the 21% work separately.
What a premium whole-home renovation costs
Tommy's Service renovates canal houses and townhouses from about €1,500 per m². The range is wide because the building decides: access, structure and heritage rules move the figure more than the finishes do. One team coordinates the trades and the logistics. See luxury house renovations and canal house renovation.
How to budget a renovation
- Start from the price per m² for your level, then add the surcharges that apply to your building.
- Keep a reserve for what you find behind walls and under floors. In a pre-war home it is rarely nothing.
- Ask for quotes broken down per trade and per room, with VAT shown separately.
- Check how the contractor handles logistics: parking, street permits and working hours in shared buildings.
Want a figure for your own home? We visit for free and send a written quote. Get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a renovation cost per m² in Amsterdam?
- In the Netherlands €200-€350 per m² for a light refresh, €500-€900 for an average renovation and €1,200-€2,000 for a full renovation, VAT included (Rekenmachinepro, 2026). In Amsterdam add about 10% for the Randstad and 20-40% for a listed building.
- What does a complete home renovation cost?
- Homedeal gives €60,000-€150,000 or more for a complete renovation (July 2026). For a 120 m² home at €1,200-€2,000 per m² that is €144,000-€240,000.
- How much more does a listed building cost to renovate?
- Expect 20-40% on top of the base cost for special materials and a slower process (Archi Sulerr, 2026). In Amsterdam the permit for work on a national monument costs €262 in fees.
- Is renovation VAT 9% or 21%?
- 9% for insulating, painting, plastering and wallpapering in homes older than two years; 21% for all other work.
- What does a whole-home renovation by Tommy's Service cost?
- From about €1,500 per m² for a canal house or townhouse. After a free visit you get a written quote.
Sources and further reading
- Verbouwkosten per m² - Rekenmachinepro
- Renovation cost per m² in the Netherlands 2026 - Archi Sulerr, 20 May 2026
- Verbouwing kosten - Homedeal, 7 July 2026
- Algemene legesverordening Amsterdam 2026, tarieventabel - Gemeente Amsterdam
- Werkzaamheden aan woningen: 9% btw - Belastingdienst