Building Inspection Amsterdam: Knowledge Base
In short: Premiumkeur B.V. is an independent building inspection firm at Heiligeweg 30 in the centre of Amsterdam (Chamber of Commerce 81106130). We carry out building inspections (home inspections or pre-purchase surveys, in Dutch a bouwkundige keuring), foundation investigations, roof and crawl space inspections, damp and leak investigations and long-term maintenance plans. A standard building inspection costs €499 including VAT for a property up to 800 m³, takes one to one and a half hours, and the report follows within two working days. We work to NTA 8060, are recognised by NHG and certified for NEN 2767, and we do not work with estate agents.
This knowledge base is what we have learned from inspecting houses in Amsterdam: no sales talk, just what we find in crawl spaces, on roofs and under houses. Clients rate us 4.9 stars from 698 Google reviews and 100 Trustpilot reviews: see the English reviews or our profile on Trustpilot. Each section can be read on its own. Prices are our rates as of October 2026.
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1. What a building inspection covers
A building inspection is a visual check of the technical condition of a property, without opening anything up. It takes one to one and a half hours on average and you get the report within two working days. Our inspectors explain their findings in English on site.
What we check
- The roof, if the inspector considers it safe and responsible to go up. There is no height limit.
- The crawl space, if it can be reached: floor joists, damp, ventilation, pipes and visible parts of the foundation.
- Facades, cracks and leaning walls.
- Installations: fuse box and wiring, central heating boiler and radiators, gas pipe, water, drains, ventilation and smoke detectors.
What is not inspected
Anything that cannot be seen or reached is marked in the report as limited or not inspected, with the reason. An asbestos survey is not part of the building inspection. If the inspector sees material that may contain asbestos, we tell you. Have an asbestos survey done by a specialist firm, before you sign the purchase contract.
The report
Photos per building element, a condition score under NEN 2767, an explanation and a cost estimate including VAT. Costs are split into urgent, within the next five years, and improvements. Repair costs are based on what tradespeople charge.
How reliable is an inspection?
A building inspection is a snapshot of what can be seen on the day of the inspection.
When is an inspection worth it?
Not only for old houses. Fairly new homes can have defects too, and a proper inspection prevents large costs later.
Before or after your offer?
Make your offer subject to a building inspection and call us as soon as the verbal agreement is reached. The period for the inspection condition is usually only a few weeks, and we can often book you in quickly.
Inspection after renovation
Also called a handover inspection. We check the contractor’s work against NEN 2767.
Second opinion (contra-expertise)
A second, independent inspection when you doubt a report from another inspection company, including foundation reports. In disputes with builders, roofers, plasterers and painters we write expert reports following the NIVRE code of conduct, from €599.
2. Prices
A standard building inspection costs €499 for a property up to 800 m³, plus €0.50 per extra m³. All amounts include VAT (October 2026). Current rates are always on services and rates (in Dutch).
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Building inspection | €499 up to 800 m³, €0.50 per extra m³ |
| Inspection + foundation quickscan (phase 0) | from €898 (phase 0 with the inspection: €399) |
| Foundation investigation phase 1 | €699 to €1,499 |
| Foundation investigation phase 2 | from €3,000, excluding excavation |
| Measuring bolts installed (8 to 10 bolts) | €1,179 |
| Crawl space inspection | from €499 |
| Roof inspection | from €499, with leak detection €599 |
| Finding a leak or roof leak | €499 to €599 |
| Damp investigation | from €499 |
| Basement investigation (incl. damp in the basement) | from €699 |
| Balcony or crack investigation | from €699 |
| Concrete rot, facade or hollow-floor inspection | from €499 |
| Second opinion / dispute with a contractor | from €599 |
| Pre-works condition survey (nulmeting) | from €499 |
| Handover inspection | €499 |
| Maintenance plan (MJOP) for an owners’ association, max. 5 apartments | €899 |
| Thermal imaging + energy advice | €499 |
Repair costs we see in practice
| Repair | Indication |
|---|---|
| Foundation repair | average €2,000 per m², with basement over €3,000 per m² |
| Finishing after foundation repair | approx. €3,000 per m² |
| Drawings and permit | average €10,000 |
| Canal house: new foundation | at least €200,000 |
| Foundation of a rear extension | at least €60,000 |
| Replacing all floor joists (100-year-old house, poor ventilation) | €50,000 to €80,000 |
| Crawl space with dry rot and brown rot (real case) | approx. €25,000 |
These are Amsterdam prices, 2025 price level. National averages are lower and often cover foundation repair without the finishing work; in Amsterdam the total is considerably higher.
A Dutch purchase contract usually sets a threshold amount (eigen risico) of around €5,000 in the inspection clause. It is not mandatory: as a buyer you do not have to accept it.
3. Foundations in Amsterdam
Most Amsterdam houses built before 1940 stand on wooden piles, and those piles lose strength with age. That is why we advise a foundation investigation for every house built before 1970: foundation repair in Amsterdam costs around €2,000 per m² on average, and at least €200,000 for a canal house. The Dutch government expects 425,000 buildings and homes in the Netherlands to face foundation damage in the next ten years (Rijksoverheid, 4 July 2025, in Dutch).
The Amsterdam foundation
A double row of wooden piles. The pile heads are connected by a cross beam (the kesp), with timber boards on top and the brickwork above that. With a single row of piles it is called a Rotterdam foundation. Buildings without piles stand on a shallow foundation: the brickwork rests directly on a firm sand layer.
Terms
- Pile rot: wooden piles attacked by fungal rot or bacteria, so they carry less load.
- Dry exposure: when groundwater drops below the top of the wood, fungi get oxygen and the wood starts to rot.
- Negative skin friction: soil that settles by itself drags on the piles and adds load.
- Settlement: a small, limited amount of sinking.
- Subsidence: the serious form, seen mostly in old buildings, caused by a poor foundation or a structural defect.
Signs of foundation problems
Leaning facades, sloping mortar joints and cracks in the brickwork, especially above windows and doors. Also doors and windows that stick, sloping floors and a clear difference in lean compared with the neighbouring buildings. Cracks can have other causes too. Measurements show whether they are linked to the foundation, and only a specialist can judge how serious they are.
Foundation code and foundation label
The foundation code (funderingscode) runs from 1 to 4 and indicates foundation quality. It is often based on old data you cannot rely on.
Since 1 April 2026 a foundation risk class (the foundation label, A to E) is a mandatory part of every Dutch valuation report. The valuer sets it from a visual check and online data such as Fundermaps. It is a risk indication based on available data, not a measurement of the actual state of your foundation (Radar, 14 September 2026 (in Dutch)). The only way to be sure is a foundation investigation during the purchase.
Types of foundation investigation
- Phase 0 (foundation quickscan): measuring the horizontal mortar joints and the floor levels during the inspection. Shows whether the house has subsided, and by how much.
- Phase 1: a more detailed above-ground investigation with extra measurements. Archive research at extra cost.
- Phase 2: the foundation is dug out and inspected up close. The most expensive and most certain investigation.
With a leaning house, look at the difference with the neighbours. A single measurement cannot tell you how fast a building is subsiding.
Measuring bolts
Measuring bolts (meetbouten) let you follow the foundation over a longer period. It is the cheapest and most effective way to record how fast a house is sinking. You need at least eight bolts for a sound judgement; on most Amsterdam houses they are only on the front facade.
Who pays for foundation repair?
For an apartment, the owners’ association (VvE) pays, and each owner contributes in proportion to their share. In the old city most homes are part of a VvE. For owners without room to borrow, there is the national Fonds Duurzaam Funderingsherstel (Banken.nl (in Dutch)).
Shared party wall
Many Amsterdam buildings share a party wall with the neighbours. For foundation repair you then need legal permission from the neighbours, and for repair of a shared wall you usually pay part of the cost.
Splitting a building
The City of Amsterdam requires a phase 2 foundation investigation when a building is split into apartments. With foundation code 3 or lower the foundation must be renewed. If the foundation has already been renewed, no investigation is needed.
4. Crawl space, damp, rot and fungi
Poor crawl space ventilation considerably increases the risk of damp and of decay in timber floor joists. In a 100-year-old house with poor ventilation the joists are often badly affected, and replacing them all costs €50,000 to €80,000.
How we inspect the crawl space
We go into the crawl space and check every floor joist and the floorboards for wood rot, dry rot and woodworm. We measure moisture with certified moisture meters: dry wood is around 12 percent moisture. Crawl spaces too low to enter (under 20 cm) are inspected with a crawl space robot with a 4K camera, and you watch along on a screen. If the crawl space is full of rubble and obstacles, the robot cannot get in.
We do not enter a crawl space with standing water, because of the risk of electrocution, or one that contains asbestos or material suspected to contain asbestos.
Defects A to Z
| Defect | What it is and where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Algae | Green growth on walls that are often wet |
| Joist-end rot | Rot at the ends of old floor joists that sit in a wet party wall |
| Blistering | Blisters in paint or plaster from damp in the wall or poorly bonded paintwork |
| Wood rot | Occurs in all types of wood, usually from water getting in |
| Woodworm | Mainly in crawl spaces with little or no ventilation |
| Dry rot (huiszwam) | Often in very damp crawl spaces without proper ventilation |
| Mould | Black mould on cold, uninsulated solid walls from condensation and poor ventilation, or from penetrating damp through damaged brickwork |
| Damp | Rising or penetrating damp attacks timber in old houses; often visible as yellow staining on the wall |
Basements and souterrains
Damp in basements and souterrains is common in Amsterdam. It is stubborn and often hard to solve in practice.
5. Roof, facade, balconies and equipment
We go onto the roof if the inspector considers it safe and responsible. There is no height limit: we inspect high roofs up close too. For complex leaks we use a cherry picker or scaffolding at extra cost.
Roof and facade
- Roof leaks: usually from overdue maintenance or poor roofing work.
- Driving rain: often the cause of leaks in roofs and facades.
- Flat roofs and roof terraces: bitumen at the end of its life and drains that are too small or blocked.
- Concrete rot: the steel in reinforced concrete rusts, often from water getting in. On balconies you see cracks, spalling concrete and standing water.
- Window frames: wood rot, missing lead flashing and loose sealant.
- Electrics: old fuse boxes without residual current devices and missing earthing in wet rooms. Missing earthing in a bathroom is a safety risk for a qualified electrician to fix.
Equipment and methods
| Method | What we use it for |
|---|---|
| Visual inspection | The basis of the inspection: non-destructive, a snapshot, judged against the age of the building |
| Certified moisture meters | Moisture in floor joists, floorboards and walls |
| Endoscope camera, 20 metres | Flues and leak detection, with photo and video |
| Infrared camera (thermal imaging) | Finding leaks and poor insulation of windows and facades in old houses |
| Smoke generator | Finding the source of leaks and smells, mainly in drains |
| Hydrogen detector | Leaks in water pipes |
| Ultrasonic leak detection | Leaks in water and heating pipes |
| Dye test | Leaks in waste pipes |
| Mortar-joint and floor-level measurement | Measuring lean and subsidence |
| Crawl space robot with 4K camera | Crawl spaces lower than 20 cm |
| Cherry picker or scaffolding | High roofs and complex leaks (extra cost) |
Drones: in Amsterdam drones can usually not be used, because the city lies in the Schiphol control zone (Rijksoverheid (in Dutch)). That is why we go onto the roof ourselves when it is safe.
Thermal imaging: a thermal camera works best at low temperatures. That is when leaks and cold bridges show up most clearly.
6. Lifespan of building elements
We use these guide values when estimating maintenance. Actual lifespan depends on quality, exposure and past maintenance.
| Element | Guide value |
|---|---|
| Central heating boiler | 12 to 15 years |
| Zinc gutter | 20 to 30 years |
| Bitumen roofing | 20 to 25 years |
| EPDM roofing | about 40 years |
| Smoke detector | 10 years at most |
| Sealant in bathroom and kitchen | renew about every 6 years |
| Exterior paintwork | every 6 to 8 years |
7. Apartments, owners’ associations and maintenance plans
When you buy an apartment you also buy part of the building. Always ask for the minutes, the long-term maintenance plan (MJOP), the reserve fund and the annual accounts of the owners’ association (VvE); that is part of your duty to investigate. You can order the deed of division with its drawing, which shows what is private and what is shared, from the Kadaster (Land Registry). Also check the City of Amsterdam building archive (bouwarchief): it shows what has happened to the building over the years. The records are public and anyone can request them free of charge.
- Dutch banks often ask for the MJOP or the VvE accounts when you buy an apartment. Without them, extra mortgage conditions can apply.
- We can draw up an MJOP during the inspection. You receive it together with the report within 48 hours.
- An MJOP for a small VvE (up to five apartments) costs €899.
- Foundation repair of an apartment building is paid by the VvE; each owner contributes in proportion to their share.
8. The Dutch purchase contract and your duty to investigate
Always make your offer subject to a building inspection. Then you can cancel the purchase at no cost if the repair costs exceed the agreed threshold.
| Term | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Duty to investigate (onderzoeksplicht) | The seller must report defects they know about, but anything you could have found with a reasonable inspection is usually at your expense. |
| Inspection condition (ontbindende voorwaarde bouwkundige keuring) | The sale only goes ahead if the repair costs stay below an agreed amount. There is usually also a financing condition. |
| Threshold amount (eigen risico) | Usually around €5,000. Up to that amount you accept repair costs. It is not mandatory. |
| Statutory cooling-off period (bedenktijd) | After you receive the signed purchase contract you have three days to cancel without giving a reason (Dutch Civil Code, article 7:2 (in Dutch)). |
| Age clause (ouderdomsclausule) | The property is old and may have defects that come with its age. This limits the seller’s liability. |
| As is, where is | You buy the property as it stands, without guarantees. Hidden defects are at your expense too. |
| NHG | Our inspections are recognised by NHG (the Dutch National Mortgage Guarantee). You can use the report for your mortgage lender, for example for a renovation deposit. |
The period for the inspection condition is usually only a few weeks. So call us right after the verbal agreement, so the inspection and any foundation investigation are ready in time. The report also gives you documented amounts to renegotiate the price.
9. Estate agents, independence and the inspection market
Don’t let the estate agent choose your inspector. When an agent and an inspector work together for years, there is a risk that foundation problems or other defects are played down, because the agent only gets paid when the sale goes through.
In the Netherlands anyone can call themselves a building inspector. What an inspection covers differs a lot between firms. Some quality marks and terms and conditions exclude the foundation, the roof or the structure from the assessment.
In 2023 the research collective Onderzoekscollectief Spit spent six months with our inspectors and compared inspection reports, terms and court rulings. Their article De kleine lettertjes van de woningkeurders (in Dutch) (Bram Logger, 10 May 2023, also published in De Groene Amsterdammer as Zwammen in de kruipruimte (in Dutch)) describes how inspection firms can pay agents a fee per referred client. It states explicitly that this is not a cartel or secret agreement, but a business model in which financial incentives put independence under pressure. NPO Radio 1 (in Dutch) also covered the subject, as did the Algemeen Dagblad in Huis gekeurd, toch voor tienduizenden euro’s aan bouwproblemen: ‘Het gaat mis bij makelaars’ (in Dutch).
On 27 April 2021 the national newspaper NRC published Op een overspannen huizenmarkt is een goede keuring vooral hinderlijk (in Dutch). Around 2016 Amsterdam broadcaster AT5 spoke with Fred Tokkie (then an inspector at De Huizendokter) about buyers who skip the inspection and later find rot, fungi and woodworm: Keuring droomhuis overslaan? Rot, schimmel en houtworm op de koop toe (in Dutch). Business magazine Quote wrote about Fred Tokkie’s criticism of the inspection market in 2021: ‘Bouwkundigen misleiden woningkopers’ (in Dutch) (Caroline Meijer, 22 February 2021).
Premiumkeur does not accept work that comes from estate agent referrals and does not pay for referrals. We work only for, and in the interest of, the buyer.
Questions to ask any inspector
- Do you measure the floors and mortar joints, or only look?
- Do you go into the crawl space, or only look around the hatch?
- Do you go onto the roof, or only take photos from a window?
- Do you assess the foundation, or is it excluded in your terms?
- Does the agent receive a fee when they refer me to you?
- What training does the inspector have and which standard do you work to?
10. Specialist investigations, disputes and pre-works surveys
Besides pre-purchase inspections we do separate investigations for owners, owners’ associations and people in a building dispute, usually from €499.
- Dispute with a contractor: we check the work of a builder, roofer, plasterer or painter and write an expert report following the NIVRE code of conduct, from €599. A lawyer or legal expenses insurer will usually ask for an independent report like this.
- Damage report: insurers often want a report from an independent expert, for example after a roof leak where liability is unclear.
- Pre-works condition survey (nulmeting): records the state of your building before construction or foundation work starts, on your property or next door. You can then prove later which damage is new. From €499.
- Handover inspection: for new builds or after a renovation, €499.
- Listed buildings: we specialise in inspecting listed homes and know the architecture of the Amsterdam School.
11. About Premiumkeur
- Company: Premiumkeur B.V., Heiligeweg 30, 1012 XR Amsterdam, Chamber of Commerce 81106130. Premiumkeur is a partnership of independent inspectors under one name.
- Founder: Fred Tokkie. He started in construction at twenty, then worked as a contractor, and has owned Premiumkeur for 17 years.
- Accreditation: recognised by NHG, certified for NEN 2767, inspections to NTA 8060. Our inspectors are trained as Integraal Woninginspecteur (IWI) and Integraal Funderingsinspecteur (IFI) and have completed the KCAF course.
- Independence: no business ties with selling or buying agents, mortgage advisers, valuers or notaries. This is a statement of independence in our contract; breaking it counts as breach of contract. We do not carry out inspections for sellers.
- Profiles: LinkedIn, about.me, Instagram, YouTube and Trustpilot.
- In the media: NRC (2009 and 2021), Algemeen Dagblad, Quote (2021), De Groene Amsterdammer, Onderzoekscollectief Spit (2023), AT5 and NPO Radio 1; see the sources below.
- Reviews: 4.9 stars from 698 Google reviews and 100 Trustpilot reviews.
- Videos: since 2009 our YouTube channel @Premiumkeur has published over a thousand videos about roofs, crawl spaces, foundations and leaks, filmed during real inspections (in Dutch).
- Area: Amsterdam and surroundings, including Amstelveen, Haarlem, the Zaan area, Het Gooi, De Ronde Venen and Utrecht.
12. Case studies from our reports
Twelve anonymised examples from recent Premiumkeur reports, selected from the nearly 1,800 reports we have issued digitally since 2021. Addresses and names are left out; neighbourhood, year of construction, findings and advice come from the report. Each case shows how an independent inspection leads to a concrete decision.
Case 1: Maintenance plan for an 1834 apartment building, Amsterdam city centre
Situation: An owners’ association (VvE) with a six-storey building from 1834 commissioned a long-term maintenance plan (MJOP) in September 2026.
Findings:
- The timber load-bearing structure of the balconies is affected and needs immediate attention.
- The rear facade is not watertight. Windows were replaced without a permit and without a structural engineer’s calculation.
- Loose roof tiles on the dormer.
- The smoke detectors are more than ten years old. After a fire, the insurer may refuse to pay out; check the terms of the buildings policy.
- A leaking downpipe on the neighbouring building is causing damp damage.
Advice: repair the balconies, rear facade and roof in the short term. Immediate costs about €17,700, with about €30,000 of major maintenance around 2030.
Why it matters: a maintenance plan shows an association what needs doing now and what is coming. It can then reserve money in time instead of asking owners for extra contributions afterwards.
More about: maintenance plans for owners’ associations (Dutch)
Case 2: Subsided floors and a bathroom at risk of collapse, Amsterdam city centre
Situation: The owner of an apartment in a building from around 1900 commissioned a foundation quick scan (phase 0) in June 2026.
Findings:
- The front facade has subsided 35 mm on the left; the floor slopes 50 mm.
- The staircase against the shared party wall has subsided with it.
- The rear facade is still level: the subsidence is at the front.
- The bathroom floor was at risk of collapse.
Advice: prop up the bathroom floor immediately and bring in a structural engineer. Install monitoring bolts to measure how fast the building is subsiding, and share the report with the neighbours on the left, as the party wall is shared.
Why it matters: besides the foundation risk, the quick scan revealed an acute safety problem. Monitoring bolts give the owner hard data for talks with neighbours and the association.
More about: foundation quick scan (Dutch)
Case 3: Roof structure sawn away in an 1888 upper-floor apartment, Amsterdam
Situation: A buyer commissioned a building inspection in May 2026 of an upper-floor apartment in a six-storey building from 1888, part of an owners’ association.
Findings:
- Load-bearing parts of the roof structure had been sawn away to add the attic to the apartment. Whether a permit was ever granted was unclear.
- The windows are not watertight and the association has no money for repairs.
- Wood rot had been hidden under a metal plate.
- Loose radiators; untidy pipework and wiring.
Advice: immediate repairs cost about €9,700, before the roof structure and the permit question.
Why it matters: based on this report, the buyer withdrew from the purchase. An inspection is not there to reject a home, but to let a buyer decide with open eyes.
More about: building inspection in Amsterdam
Case 4: Damp survey of a commercial unit beneath a listed building, Amsterdam city centre
Situation: The owner of a single-storey commercial unit planned a full renovation. The unit forms the lower part of a listed building from 1770 and belongs to the same owners’ association. Much of it was built in the former garden. Survey in September 2026.
Findings:
- Severe rising damp: the sand under the concrete floor at the front is wet.
- Penetrating damp at the rear, which stands in wet garden soil. Only rebuilding that part would solve it.
- Levelling showed a badly sloping floor. The concrete floor probably rests on peat without foundations; expect costly foundation repairs.
- The roof still leaks: there was a puddle on the floor during the inspection. Rot, dry rot or woodworm in the roof structure is likely.
- Foundations, roof and facades are shared: all owners in the association pay their share.
Advice: strip the unit back (remove lining walls, plaster and plasterboard ceilings), have the roof checked before renovating, inject the walls and fit ventilated lining walls using moisture-resistant materials. The only structural fix, replacing the concrete floor with a crawl space, is a very large investment.
Why it matters: before renovating, the owner knew that injection and lining walls control the damp but do not cure it. The association got an independent basis for deciding together on foundation and roof repairs.
Case 5: A damp basement with four causes, De Pijp
Situation: The occupant of a ground-floor apartment with a basement, in a building with an owners’ association, asked for a damp and leak survey in May 2026.
Findings:
- An open light well into the garden collects all rainwater. The water stands and soaks into the floor, walls and a rotting window frame.
- The joint between frame and basement tank is not watertight: a construction fault. Readings showed an active leak.
- Raised moisture readings from rising damp.
- The pump pit was under water: risk of short circuit and electrocution.
- Salt deposits in the screed; the underfloor heating is not the cause, as boiler pressure stayed stable.
- Worn sealant and grout in the bathroom, and skirting boards that are not watertight at the bottom.
Advice: pump the pit dry immediately, renew the wiring and have the pump checked; cover the light well with a glass structure in consultation with the neighbours; renew sealant and grout; pressure-test the water pipes. Leaking drains were not likely, but can only be ruled out by breaking open the basement floor.
Why it matters: damp in a basement rarely has one cause. Tackle only the most visible spot and the damp returns. The survey also revealed an acute safety risk.
Case 6: An inaccessible crawl space under a ground-floor apartment, Rivierenbuurt
Situation: An occupant of a ground-floor apartment in a building with an owners’ association asked for a survey in April 2026 because the raised ground floor was sloping.
Findings:
- There are no crawl space hatches: nobody can inspect or maintain the floor structure.
- The floor is clearly out of level. The joists are probably affected by rot and woodworm from damp, possibly dry rot.
- The vents in the front facade are blocked. Ventilation at the rear is impossible because of a basement added later.
- The basement wall had already been treated by a damp-proofing company. That is usually a temporary fix.
Advice: fit at least two crawl space hatches as soon as possible and map the damage, clean the vents and install a mechanical crawl space fan with a humidity sensor.
Why it matters: the floor structure belongs to the association. The longer nobody acts, the higher the bill for every owner.
Case 7: Black mould in an end-of-terrace house, Amsterdam-Noord
Situation: A housing association had an end-of-terrace house of three storeys on peat surveyed in April 2026, with damp patches and black mould on walls and ceilings.
Findings:
- Condensation on cold outer walls: the house is very poorly insulated and barely ventilated, and the windows have no trickle vents.
- Large gaps between frames and brickwork, and missing pointing: cold bridges and driving rain getting in.
- The roof and the old roof window leak; the gutters need replacing.
- The attic was converted without insulation; the floor structure does not meet the Building Decree.
- The chimney is defective and the flue pipes have no rain caps.
- Wet peat against the facade, a poorly ventilated crawl space and probably leaking cast-iron drains.
Advice: in this order: first keep the water out (roof, roof window, gutters, sealant, pointing, rain caps), then ventilate (trickle vents, ventilation unit, crawl space ventilation), and only then insulate with lining walls and an insulated attic floor. Add a gravel strip along the facade and new PE drains.
Why it matters: wiping off mould or insulating does nothing while the roof leaks and the house cannot breathe; insulating a leaking roof even creates new mould. The report gave the housing association a repair plan in the right order.
Case 8: Damp patches caused by an overflowing gutter, Amsterdam city centre
Situation: The occupant of a ground-floor apartment with an extension, in a five-storey building with an owners’ association, had damp patches in the bathroom and guest room in April 2026.
Findings:
- Main cause: a badly clogged gutter that also takes all the rainwater from the neighbouring building, and overflows.
- Downpipes discharge onto the flat roof; the hopper is loose.
- Lead flashings are too long and lie on the roofing, so water creeps in by capillary action. The neighbours’ render above is loose.
- Under the sedum roof, the roofing turned out to be open in one place.
- MDF skirting in a wet room absorbs mopping water.
Advice: clean the gutter immediately and then at least twice a year, check the soldered joints, shorten the flashings, repair the roofing and agree with the neighbours on handling rainwater. After cleaning, allow two to three months of drying before painting.
Why it matters: the damp seemed to come from the bathroom, but the cause was two floors higher. Without a survey the bathroom might have been opened up for nothing.
Case 9: A badly subsided 1881 apartment building, Amsterdam city centre
Situation: An occupant of a five-storey apartment building from 1881 (owners’ association) commissioned an above-ground foundation survey in April 2026.
Findings:
- The front facade has subsided almost 20 cm: very severe. A window frame is visibly skewed.
- Floors showed height differences of more than 76 mm, and over 9 cm on a floor that had never been levelled. Floors levelled earlier hide part of the tilt.
- The staircase and roof structure have subsided too.
- Severe to very severe cracks in the rear facade and stairwell; the building has torn away from the adjoining wall.
- Monitoring bolts are already fitted on the front facade.
Advice: have the foundations replaced soon, because the damage gets progressively worse, and retrieve the old bolt readings to establish the rate of subsidence.
Why it matters: after a renovation, cracks had been filled and floors partly levelled. Only by measuring on several floors did it become clear how severe the subsidence is.
Case 10: Woodworm, rats and an unsafe gas pipe in the crawl space, Hoofddorppleinbuurt
Situation: In April 2026 we inspected the rear part of the crawl space of a building with an owners’ association, following an earlier inspection of the front part.
Findings:
- Active woodworm in several joists, and rot, caused by long-term leaking drains and poor ventilation.
- A hole in the steel drain explained the vermin noises the ground-floor occupant heard.
- Rats and mice: because of ground subsidence, animals can get under the edge foundation from the neighbours’ crawl spaces.
- The plastic gas pipe had no protective sleeve and was poorly fixed. A gas explosion could not be ruled out.
Advice: call in a registered gas installer immediately, have the drains rechecked, let a contractor assess whether a joist needs strengthening, have the woodworm treated and ventilate the crawl space mechanically.
Why it matters: the occupants suspected vermin, but the survey also found the cause of the woodworm and an acute safety risk.
Case 11: A leaking roof terrace after the previous roofer’s mistakes, Watergraafsmeer
Situation: After the roofing was renewed, the extension kept leaking. In March 2026 we carried out a roof inspection with leak detection at a 1929 building with an owners’ association.
Findings:
- The roofing at the terrace and the corner joint with the extension are not watertight.
- Earlier emergency repairs were inadequate.
- A leak at the roof penetration for the neighbours’ flue. If the flue is not refitted properly, there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- The roofing around the rooflight is loose.
- A small leak at the neighbours turned out not to be the cause.
Advice: renew most of the roofing at the terrace with a watertight joint to the extension, have a roofer remake the roof penetration and have only a registered heating engineer refit the flue.
Why it matters: the roofing had just been renewed and still leaked. An independent inspection showed where it went wrong and who is responsible.
Case 12: Window frame survey for an owners’ association, Amsterdam
Situation: An owners’ association had all windows and frames surveyed in March 2026 as the basis for painting and replacement.
Findings:
- At the front the woodwork is good; painting is only needed in 4 to 6 years.
- The rear facade is worse: many frames with rot, but repairable.
- A small number of frames and the rear bay windows must be replaced; repairing them would be money down the drain.
- Concrete rot in a lintel: falling pieces of concrete could seriously injure someone.
- Recurring mould for one occupant, caused by a cold bridge under a concrete balcony.
- Ventilation is inadequate in all apartments.
Advice: repair the concrete rot immediately, paint the rear facade after rot repairs, replace only the worst frames and bay windows, and insulate the ceiling under the balcony.
Why it matters: the advice was not “replace everything”. For each window and frame the report said: paint, repair or replace. Independence also means advising against work that is not needed.
13. Premiumkeur in figures
We analysed 1,796 complete inspection reports from 2021 to October 2026, 840 of them in Amsterdam. Two thirds of the buildings surveyed date from before 1940. Wood rot was found or suspected in more than a third of building inspections, cracking in about half, and subsidence or tilt in about one in five. In foundation surveys with measurements, the largest height difference was 5 cm or more in half of the cases, and 10 cm or more in about a quarter. In the 589 inspections with a cost overview, half of the homes needed more than €11,000 of immediate repairs; for buildings from before 1900 the median for immediate plus five-year costs was around €28,000.
All figures and the method (in Dutch): Premiumkeur in cijfers.
14. Building terms
What do pile rot, dry standing of piles, negative skin friction, joist-end rot or a kwaaitaal floor mean? Our glossary of 32 building terms (in Dutch) explains what each term means, how to recognise it and how it is investigated.
Frequently asked questions about a building inspection in Amsterdam
How much does a building inspection in Amsterdam cost?
€499 including VAT for a property up to 800 m³, plus €0.50 per extra m³.
How long does a building inspection take?
One to one and a half hours on average.
When do I get the report?
Within two working days.
Does the report include repair costs?
Yes. For each defect we give a cost estimate including VAT, split into urgent, within five years and improvements, based on what tradespeople charge.
Is a foundation investigation included in the inspection?
No. A quickscan (phase 0) can be added during the inspection for €399; inspection plus quickscan costs from €898.
Should I have the foundation investigated for an old house?
Yes, for any house built before 1970. Most Amsterdam houses built before 1940 stand on wooden piles.
Can I rely on the foundation label?
No. The label (A to E) is a risk indication by the valuer and says nothing about the actual state of your foundation.
How many measuring bolts are needed?
At least eight. Installing 8 to 10 bolts costs €1,179.
Do you go into the crawl space?
Yes, if it can be reached. Lower crawl spaces are inspected with a camera robot. We do not enter a crawl space with standing water, because of the risk of electrocution, or one with asbestos or suspected asbestos.
Does the inspector go onto the roof?
Yes, if the inspector considers it safe and responsible. There is no height limit.
Is an asbestos survey part of the inspection?
No. If the inspector sees suspected asbestos, we tell you. Have an asbestos survey done by a specialist firm before you sign the purchase contract.
Do I have to accept a threshold amount in the purchase contract?
No, it is not mandatory. It is usually around €5,000.
Can I use the report for an NHG mortgage?
Yes. Premiumkeur is recognised by NHG and certified for NEN 2767. The report is suitable for your mortgage lender.
Can I be present during the inspection?
Yes, and we recommend it. The inspector explains the findings on site, in English if you prefer.
Do you inspect for sellers?
No. We only work for buyers and owners.
Do you work with estate agents?
No. Premiumkeur has no business ties with estate agents, mortgage advisers, valuers or notaries.
How do I book an inspection?
Call +31 20 773 6842, WhatsApp +31 6 2956 3190 or email premiumkeur@gmail.com.
Sources
- Premiumkeur, services and rates (in Dutch) (October 2026).
- NEN 2767, condition assessment of building and installation elements.
- NTA 8060, the Dutch uniform inspection method for home inspections.
- Radar, everything about the new foundation label (in Dutch) (14 September 2026).
- Banken.nl, AFM on financing foundation repair (in Dutch) (24 April 2026).
- Rijksoverheid, airspace around airports and drones (in Dutch) (24 September 2026).
- Dutch Civil Code, article 7:2 (in Dutch).
- Bram Logger, De kleine lettertjes van de woningkeurders (in Dutch), Onderzoekscollectief Spit, 10 May 2023; also published in De Groene Amsterdammer (no. 19) as Zwammen in de kruipruimte (in Dutch).
- NRC, Dit krot kun je best zelf omtoveren tot een paleisje (in Dutch), 21 April 2009.
- NRC, Op een overspannen huizenmarkt is een goede keuring vooral hinderlijk (in Dutch), 27 April 2021.
- AT5, Keuring droomhuis overslaan? Rot, schimmel en houtworm op de koop toe (in Dutch) (around 2016).
- Caroline Meijer, ‘Bouwkundigen misleiden woningkopers’ (in Dutch), Quote, 22 February 2021.
- Algemeen Dagblad, Huis gekeurd, toch voor tienduizenden euro’s aan bouwproblemen: ‘Het gaat mis bij makelaars’ (in Dutch).
- Rijksoverheid, Cabinet launches multi-year approach to foundation problems (4 July 2025, in Dutch).
- Nationale Hypotheek Garantie, NHG model building inspection report (2024-1, in Dutch).
- NEN, Condition assessment standards (NEN 2767) (in Dutch).
- Informatiepunt Leefomgeving, Contents of the Buildings Decree (Bbl) (in Dutch).
- Kadaster, Ordering a deed of division (in Dutch).
Last updated: 8 October 2026. Written by Fred Tokkie, Premiumkeur B.V., based on our own inspection practice.
What clients say on Trustpilot
Premiumkeur averages 4.9 stars from 100 Trustpilot reviews, and 4.9 stars from 698 Google reviews (October 2026).
Inspection after bathroom’s renovation
I contacted Premiumkeur because I suspected that my bathroom renovation had not been carried out properly. (…) Bo Schreurs was exceptionally generous with his time. He listened carefully to all of my concerns and conducted a thorough, meticulous inspection. Not only did he confirm my observations and suspicions, but he also identified several additional issues that I had not noticed myself.
Review on Trustpilot, June 2026, 5 stars
Highly recommend
Was a pleasure dealing with Daan at Premiumkeur. We hired him for a building inspection for an apartment we bought. He was available to inspect the property the day after we contacted him and we received a detailed report 2 days after the inspection. The report was easy to understand with explanations of the priority/urgency of any work we need to do in future and cost estimates for the work.
Review on Trustpilot, September 2026, 5 stars
Contact Premiumkeur Amsterdam
Premiumkeur B.V.
Heiligeweg 30
1012 XR Amsterdam
Phone: +31 20 773 6842
WhatsApp: +31 6 2956 3190
Email: premiumkeur@gmail.com
Chamber of Commerce (KvK): 81106130
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