A new layout
Moving non-load-bearing interior walls is usually a private matter. The building's pipes and shafts are left untouched.
House type · Apartment
Renovating an apartment: upper or lower flat and the owners' association
In Amsterdam and Amstelveen many homes are apartments, often an upper or lower flat in a walk-up building. Renovating such a home involves not only the municipality but also the owners' association (Vereniging van Eigenaars, VvE). We set up the plan so that both approvals are achievable.
- First clarify what is private and what is shared
- Drawings and justification for both the owners' association and the municipality
- Attention to structure, sound and fire safety between homes
Frequently requested work
What we often change in an apartment
From a new layout to a roof terrace: the bigger the intervention, the sooner the owners' association has a say.
Opening up a load-bearing wall
Load-bearing walls are usually part of the common structure. An opening then requires consent from the owners' association and a structural calculation.
Moving the bathroom or kitchen
A bathroom above the neighbours' living room needs good waterproofing, drainage with sufficient fall and attention to sound.
Roof terrace or roof extension
On an upper apartment, a roof terrace or extra storey is a major intervention: it usually needs consent from the owners' association, a permit and a check of the load-bearing structure.
Extending a ground-floor apartment
An extension into the garden affects the facade and often the foundation of the building, and therefore the owners' association.
Merging or splitting apartments
Merging two apartments or splitting one changes the division of the building. This requires amended division drawings and often a permit from the municipality. Division drawings at Aboss Bouwadvies (in Dutch)
Deed of division
Private or shared?
Whether you need the owners' association depends on which part of the building you change. The deed of division and the regulations of your building are decisive.
- Usually private: non-load-bearing interior walls, the kitchen and bathroom fittings and the floor finish
- Usually shared: facade, roof, foundation, load-bearing walls and floors, the stairwell and shared pipes
- Always decisive: what the deed of division and the regulations of your building say
Not sure? Request the deed of division from the Land Registry (Kadaster) or the board of your owners' association.
To the meeting
A good proposal for the owners' association
A clear proposal makes it easier for the other owners to agree.
- Drawings of the existing and the new situation
- A structural justification for load-bearing changes
- The method and schedule of the work, including the expected disruption
- Agreements on repairing damage and on future maintenance
How decisions are made is set out in the regulations. Schedule the meeting in good time. Building drawings
Living above and next to each other
Technical points between homes
In an apartment, a renovation quickly affects the neighbours. That is why we look beyond your own home.
- Sound: a new floor or a moved bathroom can change the sound reaching the neighbours
- Fire safety: separations between homes and the stairwell remain intact
- Pipes: the building's risers and shafts remain accessible
- Structure: in older buildings the floors are often timber; extra load calls for a check
From idea to construction
The route in five steps
Deed of division and existing situation
We look at what is private and what is shared, and survey the home.
Sketch design
We work out the new layout or intervention in a few options. Sketch design and building plan
Proposal for the owners' association
Drawings, justification and method of work are combined into a clear proposal.
Permit where needed
If the intervention needs a permit, we prepare the application. Permits and advice
Construction with clear agreements
Working hours, protection of shared spaces and completion are agreed with the contractor.
Apartment FAQ
Frequently asked questions about renovating an apartment
Do I need the owners' association's consent to renovate?
For changes to common parts usually yes, such as the facade, the roof or a load-bearing wall. What is common property is set out in the deed of division and its regulations.
Where can I find the deed of division?
At the Land Registry (Kadaster) or from the board of your owners' association. The division drawing that comes with the deed shows which spaces belong to which apartment.
Is a permit needed if the owners' association agrees?
The two are separate. The owners' association decides on the common parts, the municipality on the permit. Some interventions need both.
May I make an opening in a load-bearing wall in my apartment?
Only with a structural calculation and, because load-bearing walls are usually common property, with the consent of the owners' association.
Can I add a roof terrace to my upper apartment?
Sometimes. It usually requires consent from the owners' association, a permit and a check of the load-bearing structure. A sketch helps to discuss feasibility beforehand.
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