Handover inspection knowledge base

This knowledge base is based on almost 2,900 of Premiumkeur’s own reports from 2013–2026: building inspections, foundation surveys, roof, damp and crawl space inspections and maintenance plans.

In brief. At a handover inspection (in Dutch: opleveringskeuring) an independent inspector walks through your new or renovated home with you before you sign the handover report (proces-verbaal van oplevering). Anything that is not right goes on the snagging list. What is not on that list is much harder to claim later. In 13 of our own handover reports that we reviewed for this page, we found damaged frames, glass or doors in 10 cases and a missing or doubtful bathroom safety earthing in 5. A handover inspection by Premiumkeur costs € 499 including VAT. Our advice: have the pre-handover inspection checked as well. Defects we find then can still be fixed before the final handover. The report can be written in English for € 100 extra.

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1. What is a handover inspection?

A handover inspection is a visual, non-destructive inspection of a home at the moment the contractor hands the work over to you. That can be a new-build home, but also a renovation or the conversion of an old building into apartments.

The contractor usually sends its own handover inspector. That person works for the contractor. Our inspector works only for you. We never inspect on behalf of contractors, developers or estate agents.

At the handover a report is drawn up listing the points the contractor still has to fix. Our inspector makes sure the important ones are actually in it.

Buying an existing home rather than a new one? Then you need a building inspection instead: see House Inspection Amsterdam or Pre-Purchase Inspection Amsterdam.

2. When do you need one?

• New-build house or apartment: just before you receive the keys.
• Renovation: when the contractor says the work is finished and asks for the final payment.
• Conversion: an office or commercial building turned into apartments. This is where we often find work that differs from what was agreed.
• Re-inspection: when the contractor was not ready at the first handover. We have inspected the same apartment twice more than once.
• Pre-handover (vooroplevering): before the final handover. We recommend this. Defects we find at the pre-handover can still be fixed by the contractor, so you are not confronted with them only at the final handover. A pre-handover inspection also costs € 499.

You do not have to be there, but we recommend it. You see what the inspector sees and can ask the contractor’s representative questions on the spot.

3. How we inspect a handover

We go through the home room by room and give each element a condition score based on the Dutch standard NEN 2767: very good, good, fair, moderate, poor or very poor. Anything we cannot see is listed as “not inspected”.

We check:

• facades, window frames, glazing and locks and hinges;
• balconies, roof terraces, dormers, the roof and gutters;
• screed floors, plasterwork, ceilings, paintwork and sealant;
• bathroom and toilet: sanitary fittings, drains, sealant and the safety earthing;
• meter cupboard, fuse box, switches and sockets;
• ventilation, smoke detectors and intercom;
• crawl space and loft, if there are any.

With a thermal imaging camera we look for cold bridges and draughts around windows and frames. On request we also check the underfloor heating with the thermal camera; this costs € 99 extra, including VAT. Set the underfloor heating to at least 23 °C two days before the inspection. The floor needs time to warm up, and a cold floor cannot be checked with a thermal camera.

We do not inspect the heat-recovery ventilation unit (WTW) or other installations such as a heat pump, central heating or gas pipes. The underfloor heating is the only exception. For the installations we ask the contractor for an approval statement from the installer.

You receive a report with photos, a score per element and a conclusion within two working days. Those two working days start once your payment has reached our bank account.

4. What we find most often at a handover

This table is based on 13 Premiumkeur handover reports from 2017 to 2026, covering new builds and renovations. It is a sample, not a national average. People often order a handover inspection because they already have doubts, which can skew the figures.

Most points are small and quick to fix. A broken screed, a leaking balcony or missing earthing are not. Those must be on the list before you sign.

5. Your rights at handover (Dutch law)

These are the rules from the Dutch Civil Code that come up most often at a handover. This is a summary, not legal advice.

• The 5% scheme (article 7:768 Dutch Civil Code). If you, as a private individual, have a new home built, the last 5% of the contract price is held in escrow by the civil-law notary for three months after handover. If snagging points have not been fixed by then, you can keep part of it back, in proportion to the defects.
• Liability after handover (article 7:758(4), Quality Assurance Act). For building contracts from 1 January 2024 the contractor is also liable for defects not discovered at handover, unless the defect cannot be attributed to the contractor. The old defence that you should have spotted the defect at handover no longer applies.
• Handover file (article 7:757a). At handover the contractor must give you a file with drawings, calculations and information on materials, installations and maintenance.
• Insurance (article 7:765a). The contractor must tell you in writing beforehand how it is insured for defects.

In our reports we state that the contractor must fix the snagging points within three months. Also ask for a statement that the installations and the safety earthing have been approved.

Is the contractor not cooperating? Read our page on a dispute with your contractor (in Dutch).

6. Handover inspection after a renovation

With a renovation of an old building it is not just about scratches and sealant. It is about workmanship and safety: fire-resistant ceilings, earthing in the bathroom, the connections of balconies and dormers, and new pointing that matches the old brickwork.

Of the 69 handover inspections in our report database, 7 concerned homes built before 1960. That is where we found the most serious points, such as a ceiling that was not fire-resistant and unsafe wiring.

A handover inspection is not the same as a pre-construction survey (in Dutch: nulmeting). A pre-construction survey records the condition of your home before the neighbours start building. A handover inspection assesses work that you commissioned.

7. Case studies from our reports

The cases are anonymous: no addresses, no names and no names of contractors.

Case 1: broken screed in a new-build apartment, Amsterdam-Oost, December 2021

• Situation: two-storey new-build apartment from 2020, not yet occupied. The buyer wanted a poured resin floor.
• Findings: the cement screed was broken in several places (score: poor). Between the screed and the frames there was crooked concrete plywood. The balcony was unfinished: water was standing on it and could enter at the sliding door.
• Advice: the floor was rejected as a base for a poured floor. The safety earthing of both bathrooms had to be checked.
• Why it matters: a poured floor on a broken base will crack along with it. We saw the same fault in other apartments in the same building.

Case 2: fall risk and cold bridges after a conversion, Amsterdam-Noord, October 2021

• Situation: two-storey apartment in a converted building, with an owners’ association (VvE).
• Findings: a balcony door that should only tilt opened fully without fall protection. Two sliding doors would not close. The thermal camera measured 19.8 °C at the edges of the frames against 27.6 °C in the middle of the window. There were draughts at every hinge.
• Advice: our inspector raised the fall risk directly with the contractor’s representative and asked for an approval statement for the installations.
• Why it matters: a life-threatening defect only came to light through an independent inspection.

Case 3: renovation of a 1922 terraced house, Amsterdam-West, May 2026

• Situation: an old five-storey building converted into several homes. The client had the contractor’s work assessed.
• Findings: new pointing with an unacceptable colour difference; standing water in both dormers; glazing sealant too thin; carpentry on balcony doors and windows “very poor”; a ceiling not finished to be fire-resistant; no central earthing point in the bathroom; unsafe air-conditioning wiring.
• Advice: have the work redone by a qualified tradesman and have the electrics, gas, central heating and flue inspected by an outside company.
• Why it matters: in a renovation, workmanship and fire safety matter far more than cosmetic flaws.

Case 4: re-inspection after an unfinished renovation, Amsterdam-Zuid, April 2024

• Situation: two-storey apartment with a VvE. The owner asked for a second handover inspection because the work was not finished.
• Findings: another crack in the screed, despite promises. A leaking kitchen tap with a large damp patch. The earth wire was not connected to the bathroom earthing. A glazed front of € 19,750 (excl. VAT) and taps of about € 2,500 had not been delivered.
• Advice: the owner took the invoices and our report to his lawyer.
• Why it matters: the report became the key evidence in a dispute with the contractor.

Case 5: work not as agreed in a new-build apartment, Utrecht (Leidsche Rijn), June 2022

• Situation: single-storey new-build apartment from 2022, not yet occupied.
• Findings: exposed reinforcement steel in a ceiling, a loose heating manifold, an insufficiently fixed rainwater pipe, play in the shower screen, safety earthing not in order, a lighter heat unit than agreed and scratches in the glass.
• Advice: all points were put in the handover report. Some were noted “under protest”, because the contractor would only judge glass from three metres away.
• Why it matters: what is not on the snagging list is hard to claim later. Noting it under protest keeps the discussion open.

Case 6: Handover inspection of a new-build apartment, Amsterdam-Noord

Situation: New-build apartment completed in 2021, two storeys, part of an owners’ association. The client asked us to attend the handover in October 2021. All defects were reported on site to the contractor’s inspector and recorded in the official handover report.

Findings:

• A balcony door that should only have worked as a tilt window swung fully open with no fall protection. We asked the contractor to take immediate measures.
• Infrared images showed minimum temperatures of 19.8 °C and 20.3 °C on the concrete walls between the window frames; the outer facade was poorly finished, so we suspect a weak insulation connection.
• Draughts came in through the hinges of all windows and frames.
• The plasterwork was not yet ready for painting, and a bath tap was loose, with a risk of water damage.
• Wiring under one toilet was finished unsafely; the circuit diagram was missing.

Advice: The contractor must repair all handover defects within three months. The client should ask for a statement that the technical and electrical installations have been approved. The installations were not tested; whether the underfloor heating worked was not yet known.

Why it matters: A handover is not only about scratches and plaster. A window that swings open without protection is a safety risk that has to be solved before the keys change hands.

Case 7: Handover inspection after a renovation, Amsterdam-West

Situation: Apartment built in 1949, single storey, part of an owners’ association. A contractor had renovated the interior. The client planned to rent it out and asked us in September 2020 for an independent handover inspection. The exterior was outside the scope.

Findings:

• The bathroom had no supplementary bonding at all: no earthing mesh in the floor (at least 1 m² under NEN 1010), and no bonding on the water pipes, radiator or floor drain.
• We rejected the electrical installation (condition 5, poor), partly because there were too few residual-current devices.
• Gas pipes ran across the ceiling without brackets or paint; the condensate drain of the 2007 boiler was leaking.
• Doors had been shortened without fitting a new batten, hinges were fixed with drywall screws, and locks were painted shut.
• We estimated repairs at no less than €15,000 (2020 price level) and at least a month of work.

Advice: First have the electrics safety-tested, the gas pipes pressure-tested and ask for proof of approval. Only rent the apartment out once the bonding is in order. Ask for at least 5 years of extra warranty on the wall tiles glued onto plasterboard.

Why it matters: A renovation can look tidy from a distance and still be unsafe. It is the hidden parts, such as bonding and gas, that decide whether a home is fit to live in.

Case 8: Handover inspection of a shell-finish new-build home, Amsterdam-Noord

Situation: New-build home from 2019 with three storeys, no owners’ association. The home was handed over as a semi-shell: kitchen, bathroom, wall finishes and floor finishes were still to be fitted by the client. We inspected the handover in June 2019.

Findings:

• Almost every element, from brickwork to the electrical installation, was rated condition 2 (good).
• In a room with underfloor heating the anhydrite screed had been opened and patched carelessly; the repair was not level with the rest of the floor.
• The double glazing on the first floor had a scratch that might not be removable without trace.
• Window and frame woodwork was damaged in several places, outside as well.
• The ventilation unit stood in a loose bracket on the floor instead of being fixed to the wall.

Advice: Have the floor fitter take moisture readings in the anhydrite screed before laying the final floor. If the scratch is still visible at the final handover, insist on new glass. The painter should repair the damage and repaint the frames to avoid colour differences.

Why it matters: Even a good handover produces a short list. Recording the points now means they can still be put to the contractor without argument.

8. Premiumkeur in figures: handover inspections

Our database of our own reports (October 2026) holds 69 handover inspections. 54 concerned homes built in 2017 or later. 7 concerned renovations of homes built before 1960. 37 were in Amsterdam; the rest mainly in Utrecht, Diemen, Weesp, Haarlem and Purmerend. Where the type of home is known, they were mostly apartments (11) and terraced houses (9).

9. Cost and booking

A handover inspection costs € 499 including VAT. The price is based on a maximum of one and a half hours per home; every extra half hour costs € 75 net. A pre-handover inspection also costs € 499. Checking the underfloor heating with the thermal camera costs € 99 extra, including VAT. A report in English costs € 100 extra. Is a whole complex being handed over at once? From ten participants a group discount can be discussed. All prices are on our services and rates page (in Dutch). More about the service: Handover inspection Amsterdam and New build inspection Amsterdam. What clients say: English reviews.

Want to book? Call Premiumkeur on +31 20 773 6842, send a WhatsApp to +31 6 2956 3190 or email premiumkeur@gmail.com. We can be reached by WhatsApp and email 7 days a week.

Videos of our inspections are on our YouTube channel.

Frequently asked questions

What does a handover inspection cost?

At Premiumkeur € 499 including VAT, for a maximum of one and a half hours per home. Every extra half hour costs € 75 net. A report in English costs € 100 extra.

Can I bring my own inspector to the handover?

Yes. You are the client and may bring your own expert. The contractor’s handover inspector works for the contractor.

What if the contractor refuses to put a point on the list?

Have it noted “under protest” in the handover report. That makes it clear you do not agree.

What is the 5% scheme?

For new builds commissioned by a private individual, 5% of the contract price stays in escrow with the notary for three months (article 7:768 Dutch Civil Code). If defects have not been fixed by then, you can keep part of it back.

Is the contractor liable for defects I find later?

For contracts from 1 January 2024: yes, unless the defect cannot be attributed to the contractor (article 7:758(4)).

Do you test the heat pump and ventilation?

No. We do not inspect the heat-recovery ventilation unit, the heat pump or other installations; for those we ask the contractor for an approval statement from the installer. Only the underfloor heating is checked, with the thermal camera.

Do you also inspect after a renovation?

Yes. In old buildings we pay extra attention to fire safety, earthing, balconies and connections to the existing structure.

When do I get the report?

Within two working days after your payment has reached our bank account.

Why a pre-handover inspection?

At the pre-handover the contractor can still fix the defects we find before the final handover, so there are no surprises at the final handover. A pre-handover inspection costs € 499.

Can you check the underfloor heating?

Yes, with the thermal camera, for € 99 extra including VAT. Set the underfloor heating to at least 23 °C two days before the inspection. A cold floor cannot be checked with a thermal camera.

Is there a discount if several buyers in the same complex take part?

From ten participants a group discount can be discussed.

Sources

• Suspension right and 5% scheme under the Quality Assurance Act – IPLO (Dutch government, in Dutch)
• Consequences of the Quality Assurance Act for building contracts – PONT Omgeving (in Dutch)
• Premiumkeur’s own handover reports, 2017 to 2026 (13 reviewed, 69 in the database)