Monument Amsterdam knowledge base

A seventeenth-century canal house, a merchant’s house on a side street or a municipal monument from the 1920s: in Amsterdam you often buy more history than you can see at first glance. That history has a price. A monument needs different maintenance and different materials, and sometimes a permit where you could decide for yourself with an ordinary house. This knowledge base is about the building side of buying and owning a monument. It is based on our own inspection reports of listed buildings in Amsterdam and the surrounding area.

Nederlandse versie: kennisbank monument Amsterdam

We are Premiumkeur, a group of building inspectors with our head office on the Heiligeweg in Amsterdam. We inspect according to NEN 2767 and NTA 8060. We do not carry out repairs ourselves and we do not recommend contractors or restoration firms.

In brief

• Not every old building is a monument. A rijksmonument (national monument), a gemeentelijk monument (municipal monument) and a beschermd stadsgezicht (protected townscape) are three different things, with different rules.
• Since 1 January 2025, ordinary maintenance with the same materials, detailing and colour needs no permit again. For changes, such as repointing the whole facade or replacing historic glass, you usually need an omgevingsvergunning (environmental permit).
• In our reports on monuments, the foundation, damp, pointing, wood rot and the roof come up most often.
• Repairs to a monument cost more and take longer, because suitable materials and often a permit process are needed.
• Have a building inspection done before you buy. For buildings on wooden piles, add a quick scan of the foundation.

1. What is a monument?

In Amsterdam, three terms are often mixed up.

The word “monumental” in a listing says nothing about the status. An estate agent will quickly call a building from 1900 with nice ceilings monumental. You can check whether a building is really protected in the national monuments register (in Dutch) of the Cultural Heritage Agency. For a municipal monument, ask the municipality. Check this before you bid, because the status decides what you may do with the house later.

2. What monument status means when you buy

According to the Dutch national government (in Dutch), you usually need an environmental permit to renovate or restore a protected monument. Examples are demolition, an extension, repointing a whole facade and replacing historic glass. Ordinary maintenance, where detailing, profiling, design, material and colour stay the same, needs no permit.

When the Omgevingswet (Environment and Planning Act) came into force in 2024, ordinary maintenance on monuments became subject to a permit by mistake. This was corrected nationwide on 1 January 2025, reports Omgevingsweb (in Dutch), citing the Cultural Heritage Agency. If you are not sure whether something is maintenance or a change, ask the municipality for a preliminary consultation first. That avoids delays.

We see what this means in practice in our reports. The inspector writes, for example, that pointing may only be renewed with permission from the heritage department, that old roof tiles must be reused, or that foundation repair on a monument costs more than on an ordinary building. These are not bans. They are conditions that cost time and money.

3. What we find in monuments

For this knowledge base we searched all reports in our report software for monuments. In just over sixty reports from Amsterdam and the surrounding area (2021 to 2026), the inspector calls the building a rijksmonument, a municipal monument or a monumental building. Of the buildings with a known year of construction, almost two thirds were built before 1800, and more than a quarter even before 1700. These are the subjects that come up most often:

A note on these figures: we count reports in which the inspector mentions the monument status. In older reports the status is not always stated, even if the building is a monument. So the real number of monuments we inspect is higher.

4. Step by step: buying a monument

1. Check the status. Look the building up in the national monuments register and ask the municipality about a municipal status or a protected townscape.
2. Ask for documents. Ask the seller for earlier restorations, permits, drawings, foundation studies and, for an apartment, the MJOP (long-term maintenance plan) and the minutes of the VvE (owners’ association).
3. Building inspection with a condition. Have the building inspected before the purchase becomes final. For a building on wooden piles, we recommend a quick scan of the foundation. We do this during the inspection.
4. Check your plans. Do you want to renovate or make the house more sustainable? Then ask the municipality for a preliminary consultation first. What takes a few weeks for an ordinary house can take months for a monument.
5. Keep a reserve. Expect higher maintenance costs for a monument. Restoration with suitable materials and craftspeople who can work with old techniques costs more.

5. Making a monument more sustainable

A monument is rarely energy efficient. Single glazing, uninsulated facades and draughty sash windows come with the building. In our reports we therefore often advise talking to the municipality first about any sustainability work. A few things we see in practice:

• Thin double glazing exists, and single glazing with an insulating film, made especially for monuments. The municipality decides whether this is allowed for your building.
• Insulation on the inside of an old facade can cause damp problems if it is done wrongly. Have a specialist calculate it.
• Amsterdam has decided to drop the permit requirement for solar panels on monuments and in protected townscapes, with rules for where they can be placed (Solar Magazine (in Dutch), June 2024). Check the current rules with the municipality before you have anything installed.

6. Maintenance, VvE and long-term maintenance plan

Many Amsterdam monuments are split into apartments. The VvE (owners’ association) is then responsible for the facade, the roof and the foundation. A meerjarenonderhoudsplan (MJOP, long-term maintenance plan) for a monument looks different from one for a new-build complex: painting is more frequent, wood repair is larger and replacement is done with the original materials. In the MJOPs we make for monuments, we therefore state explicitly for windows, pointing and roof that the monument status must be taken into account.

If you buy an apartment in a monument, check whether the MJOP is recent, whether the reserve fund fits the plans and whether big items are coming, such as foundation repair or repointing the facade.

7. Financing and subsidies

Owners of a rijksmonument can use schemes from the Nationaal Restauratiefonds (in Dutch):

• Subsidie Woonhuismonumenten Rijk (national subsidy for residential monuments). For private owners of a rijksmonument used as a home. You can apply once a year, between 1 March and 30 April.
• Restauratiefonds mortgage. A low-interest loan for maintenance and restoration. If you use the monument as your main home, the interest is deductible.
• Duurzame Monumentenlening (sustainable monuments loan). For energy-saving measures during a restoration, for owners and VvEs of homes that are rijksmonumenten.

The conditions and interest rates change regularly. Always check the website of the Restauratiefonds and the Cultural Heritage Agency. For municipal monuments, the municipality sometimes has its own schemes.

8. What an inspection of a monument costs

Canal houses often have a large volume in cubic metres, so the inspection costs more than the base rate. An inspection takes 1 to 1.5 hours on average, and longer for a large monument with many floors. You get the report within two working days. The current rates are on our page services and prices (in Dutch).

9. Free inspections and restoration: what to look out for

Free roof inspection or free leak detection

In Amsterdam too, roofers and plumbing companies regularly offer a free roof inspection or free leak detection. Free usually means you do not pay separately for the inspection. The cost is earned back through the repair work that follows. So whoever finds the cause also earns from the fix. Many tradespeople work honestly, but the advice is harder for you to check, and a quote can include more work than needed. With a monument there is another risk: repair with the wrong materials can damage the building and can break the permit rules.

So always ask which defect was found and how, and which part of the quote is really needed. If you have doubts or the amount is large, get an independent survey from a party that does not carry out repairs itself. Be extra careful with door-to-door sales, pressure to decide fast and cash payment. According to the Dutch national government (in Dutch), you in principle have a 14-day cooling-off period for a door-to-door agreement above € 50. The trade association for roofers advised on Kassa (in Dutch) (2015) not to accept a job from a company that only wants to be paid in cash.

10. Case studies: monuments from our reports

Below are 17 cases from our own reports on monuments and monumental buildings in Amsterdam, Weesp and Abcoude. Addresses, names and companies are left out. Amounts are estimates from the report, at the price level of that year. The status is given as the inspector states it in the report.

Case 1: Ventilation grilles and double glazing in a rijksmonument, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Apartment in a rijksmonument from 1641, six floors, with a VvE. Building inspection in July 2026 for a buyer.

Findings. The report calls the building a rijksmonument. The protection covers the exterior and the interior. Ventilation grilles have been fitted in protected parts of the front facade. The front facade frames have double glazing, not original monumental glass. It cannot be determined by eye whether this is thin monument glass or whether the frames and glazing bars have been kept. The interior has largely been renovated. Whether permits were granted for this has not been checked.

Advice and costs. Ask the VvE and the municipality whether an environmental permit was granted for the grilles and the glazing. If not, have the consequences (legalising or restoring the original state) assessed before you buy. Have the glass assessed by a monument specialist. 2026 prices: ventilation € 350.

What this shows. An inspection does not check permits. With a rijksmonument, the buyer must look into the permit history themselves.

Case 2: Coating, windows and roof terrace of a rijksmonument, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Terraced house from 1736 with a VvE, five floors. Sustainable long-term maintenance plan in March 2026, prepared for the VvE.

Findings. The report calls the building a rijksmonument. The front facade has a coating that is probably vapour-tight, with crazing, loss of adhesion and blistering. Damp comes through in several places, probably through frame connections that are not watertight enough and cracks in the pointing and brickwork. The windows are original wooden sash windows with single or double glazing. The roof terrace lies directly on the flat roof. It was not known whether it has a permit and was built to approved drawings.

Advice and costs. Investigate the coating, remove it where possible, repair the pointing and apply a vapour-open finish. Have a carpenter adjust the windows. Replace glazing only in line with the requirements for monuments. Look up the permit documents for the roof terrace. 2026 prices: adjusting windows € 800 to € 1,000; masonry parts of the facade € 12,000.

What this shows. A vapour-tight coating stops moisture from moving out. With a rijksmonument, the permit status of a roof terrace is part of the investigation.

Case 3: Leak through a low roof upstand and a damaged frame, Amsterdam-Oost

Situation. Terraced house from 1909 with a VvE, five floors. Long-term maintenance plan in January 2026 for the VvE, after a recent leak from the roof.

Findings. The report calls the building a municipal monument. The upstands of the flat roof nowhere reach the standard 150 mm. A blocked rainwater outlet let water run over the upstand into the wall and ceiling. There is damp damage on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors. The frame on the 3rd floor is so damaged that it must be renovated or replaced.

Advice and costs. Raise the roof upstands to at least 150 mm and fit an emergency overflow. Replace or renovate the frame only when it is certain that the leak is fixed and the wall is dry. Contact the heritage department of the municipality beforehand, or check the environmental permit counter about whether a permit is needed. 2026 prices: upstands and overflow € 3,000 to € 3,500; allowance for windows and frames on the rear facade € 5,000.

What this shows. A roof upstand that is too low and a blocked outlet can damage frames on several floors. With a municipal monument, talk to the municipality before repairing the frame.

Case 4: Overdue woodwork and dormer in a monumental building, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Terraced house from 1740 with a VvE. Short long-term maintenance plan in November 2025 for the VvE.

Findings. The report speaks of monumental status, without a type. The rear dormer is at the end of its life. The roofing, trim and frames are badly worn and partly affected by wood rot. The windows and frames are mostly original, with glazing bars and single glazing. On the 2nd to 4th floors the paintwork has not been maintained for years, with local wood rot and damp penetration.

Advice and costs. Replace the rear dormer completely. Almost all work on monuments needs a permit. Repair the woodwork, renew all putty and glazing sealant, and have a carpenter do the work. Replacing windows is subject to strict conditions in the municipal policy framework. 2025 prices: dormer € 7,500; repair of windows and frames € 14,000; replacement indicatively about € 4,000 each.

What this shows. With a monumental building, almost every repair needs permission. Overdue maintenance makes the repair bigger.

Case 5: Basement flat after foundation repair and single glazing in a monument, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Apartment from 1750 on the raised ground floor and basement, with a VvE. Inspection in May 2026 for buyers.

Findings. The report calls the building a monument, without a type. According to the information given, the foundation was repaired around 2003 with the table method, which keeps the old load-bearing walls and still allows rising damp. An earlier sale was called off because of too much damp. The basement walls were injected afterwards and now measure no strong deviation. At the outside stairs, a frame is damaged and has increased damp. The glazed wall behind the kitchen has single glazing of unknown monumental status.

Advice and costs. Follow the damp readings, have the drainage at the stairs to the basement checked and keep it free of dirt. Inject again if needed and check the guarantee. If you want to upgrade the glazing for energy saving, ask the authorities first. The rules for monuments come first. 2026 prices: frame repair and sealing € 700 (VvE).

What this shows. After foundation repair that keeps the old walls, damp in a basement remains a risk. With a monument, the rules limit the choice of glazing.

Case 6: Poor repair work on pointing and frames, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Terraced house from 1740, four floors, with a VvE. Independent inspection in December 2025 of repair work done earlier, at the request of the VvE.

Findings. The report speaks of monumental buildings, without a type. The pointing was not ground out but only filled, and came loose with little force. Frame repairs were probably done with polyester filler instead of epoxy and have split open in many places. The lead at the dormers was fitted in one piece, not in strips of about 1 metre. The building has single glazing, with condensation and mould on the first and third floors.

Advice and costs. Formally hold the contractor to account for the shortcomings and give a reasonable period for repair. Check your legal position with your legal expenses insurer. Replace the opening parts with insulating glazing, after talking to the monuments department of the municipality about what is allowed. No amounts in the report.

What this shows. A rate far below the market average, without specialists and expert supervision, can wipe out the saving.

Case 7: Wood rot repair and painting of a facade section, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Apartment complex from 1880, three floors, monumental building, with a VvE. September 2025. The VvE asked for an independent check of wood rot repair and painting on one facade section, carried out by a resident. The work was not finished, so the report is provisional.

Findings. The woodwork and painting are of good quality. At the corner rafters, wind boards and dormers, as much of the original material as possible has been kept and repaired, following the heritage guidelines. Open points: too little paint under the fascia board, a wide gap between frame and brickwork, paint on the glass, material in the gutters and ornaments still to be repaired. The ornaments in the corners can only be reached with scaffolding.

Advice and costs. We advise finishing the remaining work and clearing the gutters straight away. Ornaments are repaired using moulds taken from intact ones elsewhere on the building. No cost estimate of our own. The report does take over the contractor’s hours overview: € 28,155 for painting and € 28,449 for facade repair, incl. VAT (2025 prices), both below the quotes from outside companies.

What this shows. With a monumental building, keeping the original material is the standard. An independent check tests this while the work is going on.

Case 8: Failed bathroom renovation with monumental parts, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Upper-floor apartment from 1754, two floors, unoccupied, no VvE, with monumental beams and a tall monumental hoisting wheel. August and September 2025. The owner asked for an independent assessment of two bathrooms, plasterwork and a partition wall after work by a contractor.

Findings. The tiling, pointing and sealant work were substandard. In the main bathroom the floor is almost flat, with no fall to the drain, and a skirting seal is missing. The bath no longer fits after the walls were changed. The toilet is crooked. The plaster on the monumental beams was applied by mistake. Plaster was also applied around the hoisting wheel against the agreement, damaging the wheel. The sanitaryware has been stored in a damaged state.

Advice and costs. We advise several itemised quotes. A rough estimate could not be given. The plaster on beams and hoisting wheel must be fully repaired. Mentioned (2025 prices): sanitaryware about € 4,300 bought, replacement about € 4,763; about € 2,000 charged for painting; about € 5,000 over budget; allowance for other damage € 1,000.

What this shows. Damage to monumental parts mostly comes from careless work and too little checking during the work.

Case 9: Subsided building with a poor roof, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Ground-floor apartment in a monumental building from 1631, with a VvE. June 2024. Purchase inspection. The buyer wanted to know the condition of the building.

Findings. A floor levelling survey shows that the building has subsided badly. The neighbouring building almost hangs on this one. A load-bearing structure at the rear has subsided. There are measuring bolts on the front facade. The monumental roof tiles are loose, the membrane is worn out and the roof battens are damaged by damp. Wood rot in the roof boarding cannot be ruled out. Repointing the front facade is only possible with permission from the monuments department.

Advice and costs. We advise a second-phase foundation survey with excavation of piles, a structural engineer and a check of the building drawings at the municipal archive. The roof tiles must be removed and laid again. Costs: foundation at least € 700,000, roof tiles € 40,000, both for the VvE (2024 prices), excluding scaffolding and with a chance of higher amounts.

What this shows. With a subsided monumental building, the foundation and roof decide the purchase. The costs fall on the VvE.

Case 10: Long-term maintenance of a courtyard complex with monumental roofs and facades, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Courtyard complex with apartments from 1755, four floors, monumental building, with a VvE. September 2026. The VvE had a ten-year long-term maintenance plan drawn up.

Findings. The roof tiles are old and monumental. In theory they are written off, but the heritage department often requires them to be kept. They do not overlap well everywhere, and the membrane probably does not lie well everywhere. A yearly check is needed. The pointing is fair to moderate, and on the rear facade the joints already differ in colour. The crawl space is damp, with superficial damage to the floor joists.

Advice and costs. Have the pointing repaired in one go by a pointing company that specialises in monuments, without acids and without high-pressure cleaning. Replace the water boards. Estimated (2026 prices, incl. VAT): pointing € 5,500 and rear facade € 4,000 (both 2031), water boards € 1,800 (2028), ridge tiles € 1,500 (2031), exterior painting € 35,000.

What this shows. With monuments, one skilled job on the pointing is better than separate repairs. A yearly check of the roof prevents leaks.

Case 11: Canal house with a sagging rear facade and roof renewal, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Monumental canal house from 1745, six floors, unoccupied, no VvE. May 2022. Purchase inspection for a planned major renovation.

Findings. The rear facade has sagged badly above the glass front. There is a danger of collapse. There are signs of leaks everywhere, with a risk of wood rot, woodworm and dry rot in the load-bearing structure. The roof tiles are written off. A wall anchor of the gable has been partly sawn off. Material suspected of containing asbestos is found around the central heating pipes. Plasterwork and pointing are good. For fire safety there are limits because of the monumental value.

Advice and costs. Prop up the rear facade as soon as possible and bring in a structural engineer. We advise renewing the whole roof and insulating it on the outside, so that the monumental roof structure is not boxed in with plasterboard. Estimated (2022 prices): roof € 100,000, leaks € 30,000, structure of rear facade € 10,000, bluestone staircase € 40,000 in the longer term; total immediately € 295,600.

What this shows. In a monumental building with overdue maintenance, the biggest risks only show up during demolition work.

Case 12: Commercial unit with a subsided extension, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Commercial unit in a monumental building, with a VvE, year of construction 1650 in the data and 1700 in the text. February 2024. Inspection for purchase and renovation. The building has an extension.

Findings. Floor levelling surveys in the extension and the boiler room show large height differences over a few metres. The floor has subsided and has no foundation, with very serious cracks in non-load-bearing partition walls. A steel H-beam is badly rusted. The pointing has been renewed recently, but in places there is damp penetration from a roof leak. According to VvE members, the right-hand roof contains asbestos. It was inspected only to a limited extent.

Advice and costs. We advise renewing the foundation of the extension completely and also doing a second-phase foundation survey for the monumental part. Repair there can rise to € 500,000 or more. Ask for several quotes. Estimated (2024 prices): foundation € 300,000, ventilation € 15,000, H-beam € 1,500; asbestos roof at least € 100,000 (according to VvE members).

What this shows. Foundation problems in an extension can make a survey of the monumental part necessary, with large financial consequences.

Case 13: Thatched roof and cellar of a farmhouse, Abcoude

Situation. Farmhouse from the 18th century in Abcoude, occupied, no VvE. Purchase inspection in June 2026. According to the report, the front part has monument status. As far as is known, this does not apply to the rear part (the former stables).

Findings. The thatched roof of the front part is in fair condition and must be renovated within a number of years. The roof windows are old and completely built into the thatch. In the cellar under the front part, high damp was measured, cracks in the walls were seen and the frame on the garden side is in very poor condition. At the former stables, considerable lean in the brickwork is visible, without large cracks. The foundation scores moderate.

Advice and costs. In a monument, only the necessary maintenance is desirable: local pointing repair instead of the whole wall, agreed beforehand with the municipality’s monuments officer. For the cellar and glazing, agreement with the competent authorities is needed. Estimate, 2026 prices: thatched roof € 35,000 to € 40,000; roof windows € 3,000 per window including thatcher; cellar frame € 3,000 to € 3,500; waterproofing the cellar by injection about € 150 per running metre. Foundation survey by a specialist party before purchase.

What this shows. With a monument with a thatched roof, the thatcher’s work and the talks with the municipality decide the costs, even for a single roof window.

Case 14: Subsidence in a building on shallow foundations, Weesp

Situation. Monumental building from 1756 in Weesp, four floors, occupied, no VvE. Purchase inspection in November 2021. The building was completely renovated more than six years earlier.

Findings. According to the estate agent, the building stands on shallow foundations, without wooden foundation piles. It has subsided towards the rear: the purlins in the roof are no longer level. After the renovation, the floors on all levels are almost level, with height differences of less than 20 mm. The front and rear facades stand reasonably straight and are not deformed. Lining walls hide possible cracks in the load-bearing walls. In the wall of the neighbouring building, large cracks in the plaster are visible. The report says foundation defects are common in Weesp.

Advice and costs. We advise fitting measuring bolts to the building, so that the rate of subsidence is known over a longer period. A guarantee that the foundation will hold cannot be given. The buyer accepts the risk of further subsidence. For the foundation: no amounts in the report.

What this shows. With a monumental building on shallow foundations, subsidence is a lasting risk. Measuring over a longer time gives more certainty than a single levelling survey.

Case 15: Failed renovation in a monumental building, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Terraced house from 1630 in Amsterdam-Centrum, five floors, unoccupied, no VvE. Independent building survey in November 2024, after a renovation by a previous contractor. The report refers to the monuments office, without giving a more exact status.

Findings. The roof structure is in very poor and unsafe condition. A leak has caused wood rot. Several membranes lie on the roof boarding, including a vapour-tight one. The floor joists were not fitted according to the structural drawings. Joist ends do not sit properly in the wall, and several joists are damaged by damp and woodworm. The wooden staircase stands on a landing and creaks. There is an asbestos pipe on the chimney. The bluestone staircase has subsided and broken. The electrical installation must be completely redone.

Advice and costs. First fix the leak, then repair the roof structure under the guidance of a structural engineer. Fixing the bluestone staircase is only possible with permission from the municipality and the monuments office. New glass in the front facade windows must meet the requirements of the monuments office: no double glazing, only a historic glass type. No amounts in the report.

What this shows. Departing from the structural drawings in a monumental building leads to demolition and repair. A structural engineer should guide the rebuild.

Case 16: Overdue maintenance in a monument, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Building from 1675 in Amsterdam-Centrum with a home and a shop, occupied, no VvE. Ten-year long-term maintenance plan, March 2026. The report speaks of a monument.

Findings. The woodwork of the rear facade is in very poor condition. Several windows are badly affected by wood rot. The paintwork of the front facade is poor. There are active leaks on the top floor and damp patches in the rear facade and the shop. The monumental roof structure is locally affected by wood rot. Cracks in the facade and stairwell date from the time of the poor foundation, which has since been renewed. The staircase has come loose from the facade. The roof gutter is dirty and finished with bitumen.

Advice and costs. Restore the roof structure locally, investigate the leaks and only then paint. Renew the roof gutter. 2026 prices, excluding scaffolding: direct costs together € 89,150, including painting of the rear facade € 30,000 (plus € 16,000 in 2032), painting of the front facade € 14,000 (plus € 14,000 in 2032), stairwell € 14,000 and roof structure € 1,800.

What this shows. Postponed maintenance on a monument piles up. A leak causes wood rot, and painting can only be done after repair and drying.

Case 17: Pointing and damp in a canal house, Amsterdam-Centrum

Situation. Monumental canal house from 1671 in Amsterdam-Centrum, five floors, unoccupied, no VvE. Purchase inspection. The date is missing from the report.

Findings. The pointing of the rear facade is old and moderate. The facade was viewed from a distance. At the top left of the front facade there is damp penetration from a gutter leak. The woodwork of the front and side facades has wood rot in several places. There is single glazing, with broken glass. In the cellar there are stubborn damp patches above the concrete cellar tank. The tank itself was dry. According to the estate agent, the foundation has been renewed, but no proof was seen.

Advice and costs. Repairs to the pointing need permission from the monuments office. Consult several specialists and allow for a setback: only after cleaning with water can the condition of the joints be judged properly. Paint the whole facade after it has dried, otherwise there will be a colour difference. In the cellar, use a fan with a damp sensor. According to the report, injecting is mostly money wasted. Amounts, price level unknown: exterior painting € 25,000 (with scaffolding), pointing of rear facade € 1,800, local pointing repairs € 650, damp penetration € 3,000.

What this shows. With monumental pointing, the size of the repair only becomes clear after cleaning. The estimates assume local repairs.

11. Frequently asked questions about buying a monument in Amsterdam

How do I know whether a building is a monument?

You can find a rijksmonument in the national monuments register of the Cultural Heritage Agency. Whether a building is a municipal monument or lies in a protected townscape, you ask the municipality. The word “monumental” in a listing says nothing about the status.

May I maintain a monument myself?

Yes. Since 1 January 2025, ordinary maintenance where the material, detailing, shape and colour stay the same needs no permit again. For changes, such as repointing the whole facade or replacing historic glass, you usually need an environmental permit.

Is an inspection of a monument different from one of an ordinary house?

The method is the same: a visual inspection according to NEN 2767, without destructive testing. In the report we pay extra attention to the parts where the status has consequences, such as pointing, windows, roof and foundation. We also show where you should expect a permit to be needed.

What does an inspection of a canal house cost?

A building inspection costs € 499 for a home up to 800 m³, plus € 0.50 per extra m³ (October 2026). Canal houses are often bigger. With a quick scan of the foundation added, the inspection costs from € 898.

Is repair on a monument more expensive?

Usually, yes. You work with suitable materials and with craftspeople who know old techniques, and changes need a permit process. In our reports we write, for example, that foundation repair on a monument can cost more than on an ordinary building.

May I install double glazing in a monument?

That depends on the building. Thin double glazing exists, and single glazing with an insulating film, that is suitable for monuments. Replacing historic glass usually needs a permit. Ask the municipality for a preliminary consultation first.

Are there subsidies for a monument?

For rijksmonumenten used as homes there is the Subsidie Woonhuismonumenten Rijk, which you can apply for between 1 March and 30 April. The Nationaal Restauratiefonds also offers low-interest loans. For the current conditions, see the website of the Restauratiefonds.

Should I have a foundation survey done for a monument?

For a building on wooden piles we recommend it, and most Amsterdam monuments stand on wooden piles. We do a quick scan during the inspection. You can read more in our foundation survey knowledge base (in Dutch).

Do you recommend restoration firms?

No. Premiumkeur does not carry out repairs itself and does not recommend contractors, roofers or restoration firms. This way we have no interest in the size of the work.

Do you also inspect for the seller?

No. We only work for buyers and owners.

12. Videos of our inspections

On the Premiumkeur YouTube channel (in Dutch) you can see our inspectors at work, including on roofs, in roof structures and cellars, and during foundation measurements in old Amsterdam buildings.

13. Further reading

• Building inspection of a monumental building (in Dutch): our service for buyers of a monument.
• Premiumkeur Amsterdam knowledge base (in Dutch): the building inspection, the purchase contract and buying in Amsterdam.
• Damp patches and black mould in Amsterdam (in Dutch): when damp in an old building is the problem.

Sources: the cases on this page come from Premiumkeur’s own reports (2021 to 2026). Addresses and names are left out. Prices according to Premiumkeur, October 2026. External sources (all in Dutch): Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed (Cultural Heritage Agency), Rijksmonumentenregister (national monuments register); Rijksoverheid (Dutch national government), permit for renovation or restoration of a monument; Omgevingsweb, ordinary maintenance on protected monuments (2 November 2024); Solar Magazine, 17 June 2024; Nationaal Restauratiefonds, subsidies for monuments; Rijksoverheid, rights for door-to-door sales; Kassa (BNNVARA), 2015. Reference date: October 2026.

Contact details Premiumkeur Amsterdam

Premiumkeur B.V., Heiligeweg 30, 1012 XR Amsterdam
Phone: 020-7736842
Email: premiumkeur@gmail.com
Chamber of Commerce (KvK) 81106130

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