Thinking about renovating your home? Or contemplating purchasing a new one that’s far from turnkey ready?

Look no further than Indra Manniesing, founder and CEO of the Dutch Real Estate Company (DREC). More than a just a real estate business, DREC specialises in helping internationals on their “entire housing journey”—from finding short-term rentals, forever homes or investment properties to renovations and mortgage advice.

Her one-stop shop is partly due to DREC being a family business: son Ganesh is the company’s contractor. While contractors have been known to be a hard lot to reliably pin down, Ganesh—whose team does everything from the pipes to the flooring, electrics to design—stands by his (and his mother’s) word.

With an architect and stylist also on board, DREC makes the whole renovation process seamless. “Before our clients knew about our renovation options, most of them only wanted turnkey properties,” says Indra. “But now that they know they can work with us, 50% of the people who didn’t think of buying a renovation property now do.”

So what do you need to know if you are considering renovating your Dutch home?

You can borrow up to 100% of the property value, with a little extra thrown in Yes, in the Netherlands, you can not only buy a home without putting any money down, but you can borrow even more on a mortgage to pay for renovations. For certain there are strict income requirements to be met, but if you meet them, you’re home free.

So, for example, if you’re borrowing less than your income allows, you can put the extra borrowable amount towards renovation projects. And within certain guidelines, you can also borrow more money, especially if your renovations increase the energy efficiency of your home. “That’s very typically Dutch,” says Indra. “Just getting a 100% mortgage is fairly unique to the Netherlands.”

You will, however, need about 5% of the total property value in reserve, to pay legal fees and other costs.

Those steep Dutch stairs are here to stay
We’ve all had that moment when first encountering a Dutch stairwell, especially in older buildings – the one where you look up and think may have mistakenly just entered the Eiffel Tower. But unfortunately, as building stairwells are communal property, they fall under the auspices of the homeowner’s association, meaning you can’t change them without the consent of the entire board.

Even if all agree, there’s not much architectural room to play with, especially as the project will eat into the square meterage of the building’s apartments. Best to head to the gym, or cycle more vigorously, to keep your legs in climbing shape.

External lifts
Those steep, skinny stairwells are not only hard on humans, but make it difficult to get building supplies where they’re needed, especially on the upper floors. Back in the day, that was done via the pulley system from the top of the building, with larger objects hauled in or out through the windows.

While that system is still in use, there’s now also the external lift, or elevator, which actually looks more like stairs but hoists everything from your grandmother’s antique armoire to building supplies. “It’s something many internationals have never seen before,” says Ganesh. But in the Netherlands, if there’s a need, there’s usually a well thought-out solution!

No hot water in in most (miniscule) toilet sinks
The lack of hot water in a public or home toilet sink has sobered up many an international. Maybe the practice is a result of how the pipes were laid eons ago. Or perhaps it’s due to the sober Dutch way, or the thriftiness that permeates all aspects of society. Why pay for hot water when cold will suffice?

Although germaphobes may disagree, be prepared to ice up in your own toilet sink, as renovating this Dutch quirk is usually more trouble than it’s worth.

Rising damp in a country below sea level
It’s said that some 26% of the Netherlands is below sea level. But when a big storm blows in or water levels rise, that number increases to 59%. The country manages to keep its head above water via a complex system of dikes, ditches, deltas, dams, pumps, floodgates and coastal sand dunes.

The Dutch are indeed world renowned water wizards when it comes to keeping the sea at bay. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t foundation issues due to dampness. According to Indra, questions about a building’s foundations are among the top concerns of home buyers. “It depends how far above sea level your home is,” she says. “Damp problems are more frequent outside of cities. In Amsterdam, you’re pretty safe.”

What’s hiding behind that wall?
Far from an extended family of mutant rats, Ganesh says the most unpleasant surprises he’s encountered have been rusty pipes or, sometimes, asbestos. Both can set back your renovation deadlines, so best to peek behind the wall sooner than later.

Energy labels are all the rage. It used to be new kitchens and bathrooms that sold houses. But these days, says Manniesing, it’s the all-important energy label that buyers and renters look for.

“The energy label wasn’t mandatory until recently, and now people are obsessed with it,” she says. “Even though it doesn’t factor in usage, people still want a good energy rating. And it can affect your mortgage, with a B or higher rating leading to a slightly reduced interest rate.” A better energy label could also fetch a higher selling price.

For more information about the Dutch Real Estate Company’s services, feel free to get in touch.