Renovation contractor in Utrecht Renovating Utrecht, from the Maliebaan to Leidsche Rijn
Utrecht runs from medieval canal houses with wharf cellars and the tree-lined streets of Utrecht-Oost to the flats of Overvecht and the new homes of Leidsche Rijn. We renovate houses and apartments in the city and across the province of Utrecht, with one site manager from the first visit to handover.
At a glance
- Price
- Bathroom from €15,000, bespoke kitchen from €25,000, whole home from about €1,500 per m²
- Permit
- Usually none for internal work; extensions, dormers and façade changes through the Omgevingsloket; in protected areas, windows and façades need approval too
Six protected areas in one city
The city of Utrecht has six protected townscapes (beschermd stads- of dorpsgezicht): the medieval city centre; Utrecht-Oost with the Maliebaan, the Wilhelminapark and the area around the former Veeartsenijterrein; the neighbouring garden villages Elinkwijk and De Lessepsbuurt, built from around 1915; Oud-Zuilen; Blauwkapel; and Haarzuilens. In these areas you need a permit sooner than elsewhere, and the welstandscommissie, the city's design review committee, can set extra requirements for materials and colours.
Wharf cellars along the canals
Along the Oudegracht and the other canals lie some 800 wharf cellars (werfkelders), dating back to the Middle Ages. They belong to businesses and private owners, ownership of a cellar is not always clear, and according to the municipality the owner is responsible for keeping it watertight. If your building has a werfkelder, find out its state before you plan a kitchen, a bathroom or heavy finishes on the ground floor.
Post-war flats and new neighbourhoods
Overvecht was built between 1960 and 1970 as a post-war high-rise district with many flats. In apartment buildings like these, the owners' association (VvE) decides a lot about floors, sound insulation and working hours. Leidsche Rijn, where building started in 1997, was for many years the largest Vinex location in the Netherlands. In younger homes like these, a renovation is usually about a new kitchen, a bathroom, floors, built-in furniture or an extension at the back.
What we do in Utrecht
- Complete renovations of houses and apartments, with one site manager from start to handover.
- Kitchens: bespoke, or IKEA kitchens fitted with premium fronts and stone worktops.
- Bathrooms with walk-in showers, underfloor heating and natural stone.
- Floors, stairs and built-in cabinetry.
- Windows and doors.
- Extensions, dormers and loft conversions, including the permit application.
Permits and practical rules in Utrecht
Internal renovation usually needs no permit. An extension, a dormer or a change to the façade does: you apply through the national Omgevingsloket, and we prepare the drawings and the application. Utrecht is clear about dormers: one at the front of a house always needs a permit, as does a dormer on a monument; at the back or side it can be permit-free under conditions, but not in a protected townscape.
Ordinary maintenance of a monument, such as repainting in the same colour or replacing glass like for like, usually needs no permit; larger repairs do, and the rules cover the inside as well as the outside. In the city centre a zero-emission zone applies to vans and lorries, which affects deliveries and transport for any work there.
Planning a renovation in Utrecht? Ask for a free visit - we reply within one working day. For a first idea of the budget, try our online cost calculator or read the guide to renovation cost per m².
Questions
Questions about renovating in Utrecht
Usually not for internal work. An extension, a dormer or a change to the façade needs an omgevingsvergunning, which is applied for through the Omgevingsloket; we prepare the drawings and the application. In the six protected townscapes, such as the city centre and Utrecht-Oost, you need a permit sooner, and the welstandscommissie can set extra requirements for materials and colours.
Not at the front of a house: the municipality always requires a permit there, and also for a dormer on a monument. At the back or side a dormer can be permit-free if it meets the conditions, for example a flat roof, but not in a protected townscape. We check this for your address and prepare the drawings and the application when a permit is needed.
Yes. According to the municipality the owner is responsible for keeping a werfkelder watertight, and who owns a cellar is not always clear. Find out its state before planning a kitchen, a bathroom or heavy finishes on the ground floor, so the design suits what is underneath.
Yes. We work in the city of Utrecht and across the province, as well as in Amsterdam, Amstelveen and the rest of Noord-Holland. We reply to every request within one working day and plan the visit with you.
A complete bathroom usually starts from €15,000, a bespoke kitchen from €25,000 and a whole-home renovation from roughly €1,500 per square metre. After a free visit you get a written quote.
Ready to elevate your living space?
Book a free, no-obligation consultation - we'll talk through your ideas, suggest the best solutions and map out a plan for an amazing renovation.