Building survey Haarlem

If you typed “building survey Haarlem” into Google, you are probably about to buy an older house and you want to know what holds it up. We wrote this page for expats and other international buyers in Haarlem and the rest of Kennemerland. It explains what a Dutch building survey covers, how it compares with the structural survey you may know from the UK, and where expats tend to get caught out.

In Dutch the survey is called a bouwkundige keuring. One of our building surveyors goes through the house from the roof down to the crawl space, which takes 1 to 1.5 hours. Within 2 working days you get a report with photos, a condition score and a repair estimate for every defect. A building survey costs € 499 including VAT for a home up to 800 m³.

We are Premiumkeur Haarlem, an independent firm of building surveyors at Tempeliersstraat 63. Clients give us 4.9 stars from 704 Google reviews and 104 Trustpilot reviews; read them on our profile on Trustpilot. Call us on 023-2340040, or +31 23 234 0040 from a foreign phone.

Want the full background first? Our English knowledge base for Haarlem covers the purchase contract, foundations, damp, roofs and the VvE, with 35 cases from our own reports. Our general English page is Building inspection Haarlem, and we film a lot of what we find: Premiumkeur on YouTube.

How a Dutch survey compares with RICS Level 2 and Level 3

In England and Wales, RICS works with three levels of home survey. Level 2 used to be called the HomeBuyer Report. Level 3 is the full building survey, which many people still call a structural survey. Those levels belong to the UK system. Here the standard pre-purchase survey is the bouwkundige keuring, and the document you receive is the bouwkundig rapport (survey report). If you want a rough comparison, it sits somewhere between Level 2 and Level 3. American colleagues of yours would call it a home inspection.

Some things are the same. It is a visual, non-destructive survey: we look, measure and take photos, but we don’t lift floorboards or open up walls.

Other things are different. Every defect gets a condition score under NEN 2767 and NTA 8060, and a cost estimate including VAT. The costs are split into three columns: needed now, within five years, and improvements. You won’t find “obtain quotes from a contractor” on every page. And on an older house we can measure the floors and the facade during the same visit, so the familiar line “evidence of movement, refer to a structural engineer” becomes a set of readings in millimetres.

What our building surveyor looks at

Facades, cracks and tilt

We look for leaning facades, brick courses (bed joints) that run out of line, cracks above windows and doors, doors that stick and floors that slope. A clear difference in height with the house next door is also a sign.

A crack is not automatically a foundation problem. Shrinkage, a missing lintel or an extension that has settled on its own can all crack a wall. Only measurements show whether the foundation is behind it.

Floors, beam ends and the crawl space

Many Haarlem houses from around 1900 to 1940 have a timber ground floor above a crawl space. If the space is poorly ventilated or the groundwater is high, the ends of the joists that sit in the outside wall get wet, and that is where rot starts.

We go into the crawl space ourselves and check the joists and floorboards for wood rot, dry rot (huiszwam) and woodworm. We measure the moisture content of the timber with calibrated meters; dry wood is at around 12 per cent. If the crawl space is lower than 20 cm we use a robot with a camera. If there is standing water or suspected asbestos, we don’t go in.

Roof structure and flat roofs

We go onto the roof when it is safe. Besides the tiles and the roofing we look at the structure underneath: rafters, purlins, sagging and signs of old leaks in the loft. Flat roofs on rear extensions are a regular source of trouble in this region, with bitumen at the end of its life and outlets that are too small. For a roof that needs a closer look on its own, see Roof inspection Haarlem.

What we can’t see

Anything we cannot see or reach is named in the report, with the reason. An asbestos survey is not part of a building survey. When we see material that may contain asbestos we report it, and you should have it tested by a specialist firm before you sign.

Buyers often send us a list before the visit. One wrote: “We would like extra attention to wooden window frames, roof/roof terrace, crawl space, older double glazing, CV boiler, electrical installation, and expected maintenance/renovation costs.” That works well. The survey covers the whole house to NEN 2767, with an indication of repair and maintenance costs, and each point on your list gets extra attention. On site we can also give rough figures for things you plan to replace anyway, like a kitchen or a bathroom.

Haarlem ground: shallow foundations and timber piles

Amsterdam is known for timber piles. Haarlem is more mixed. Many listed buildings in the old centre stand on shallow foundations (op staal), so the brickwork rests on the sand without piles. Elsewhere houses do stand on timber piles, and in some places there are layers of clay and peat under the sand.

In the Rozenprieel, in a bend of the Spaarne, the peat settles unevenly and timber piles have been affected too. According to NH Nieuws, the repair of 300 to 500 homes there was under way in 2019, supervised by the KCAF on behalf of the municipality.

The ground subsidence we mention in our Haarlem reports is usually small, around 0.1 to 0.2 mm a year. That has a practical meaning for you: a house can lean and still have stopped moving years ago. Only measuring over a few years tells the difference.

In the coastal towns of Zandvoort and IJmuiden we pay extra attention to facades, window frames and roofs, because they take a lot of wind and rain.

Measuring tilt instead of guessing

Our advice is simple: for any house built before 1970, have the foundation looked at before you buy. The year of construction says something about the type of foundation, but nothing about its condition. There are four steps, and most buyers only need the first.

• Foundation quick scan, phase 0: we measure the bed joints of the facade and level the floors with a laser during the building survey. Together with the survey it costs from € 898. More on the foundation quick scan phase 0 (in Dutch).
• Phase 1: a wider investigation above ground, € 699 to € 1,499. Archive research costs extra. See foundation investigation phase 1 and 2 (in Dutch).
• Phase 2: the foundation is dug out and examined close up. From € 3,000, excluding the excavation.
• Monitoring bolts (meetbouten): 8 to 10 bolts in the facades for € 1,179. After 2 to 3 years of readings you know how fast the building is sinking.

A tilt is a snapshot. If a building sinks evenly by less than 1 to 2 mm a year, further investigation is usually not needed. Above 2 mm a year, phase 1 or phase 2 follows. Foundation repair, if it comes to that, costs from € 2,500 per m², from € 3,500 per m² with a cellar, plus finishing work from € 3,000 per m².

Inspecting lead flashing during a building inspection

Extensions and alterations: where the structure often goes wrong

An extension at the back often has a different, shallower foundation than the main house. It then settles on its own, and the cracks appear exactly at the join. In one of our reports the main building had tilted 1 in 647 and the extension 1 in 156. So we assess an extension as a separate building.

Older alterations deserve the same attention. We regularly find walls that have been broken through without proper support, beams resting on timber blocks instead of brick piers, and retrofit floor insulation that has blocked the vents of the crawl space. None of that is visible from the living room.

Using a flat roof as a terrace is another one. Whether that is allowed depends on a permit and on a structural calculation, and a missing balustrade is a safety issue from day one. Ask the estate agent for the drawings and the permit of any extension, dormer or roof terrace.

From our files: four structural surveys in Haarlem

These cases come from our own reports. Addresses and names are left out, and amounts are the estimates in the report at the price level of that year.

Listed terraced house, presumably from 1610, Haarlem, September 2026

Situation: A buyer had a building survey done before purchase. The house has a VvE, and the report describes the building as a listed monument.

• The building visibly leans forward, with diagonal and vertical cracks that come back after repair, and window frames that are out of true.
• The bed joint measurement on the later part of the facade gave about 7 mm of height difference, which says nothing about the original building.
• Ground subsidence is about 0.2 mm a year (end of 2017 to end of 2022), yet the foundation risk was assessed as high.
• The roof structure sags visibly. Immediate costs came to € 2,950 (2026 price level), including € 850 for the roof window junction and € 1,200 for the stair balustrade; the cost of repairing the frames could not yet be given.

Advice in the report: a phase 2 foundation investigation before signing the purchase agreement. Without it, fit monitoring bolts and measure every year, usually for at least five years. A structural engineer can assess the sagging roof.

What this shows: low ground subsidence does not rule out a high foundation risk in a very old building.

Ground floor with a shopfront in a building from 1885, Haarlem, December 2025

Situation: A building survey with a foundation quick scan (phase 0). The building has a VvE.

• According to the bed joint measurement the main building has subsided severely forwards and to the left, and the extension the other way, backwards. The largest differences fall in the category “structural, large”.
• The side facade has a very large, repaired crack that runs down below ground level, and the rear facade bulges.
• The cellar is not watertight and its joists are completely affected by wood rot: € 3,500 now and € 20,000 for improvements (2025 price level).

Advice in the report: further structural and possibly destructive investigation of the cracks and of the lintel above the shopfront before the purchase agreement, plus a phase 2 foundation investigation or monitoring bolts with about five years of readings.

What this shows: when the main building and the extension move in opposite directions, the subsoil is the likely cause. On a shallow foundation, long-term measuring gives the most reliable picture.

Former commercial building from 1881, now a home, Haarlem, July 2025

Situation: Three storeys, no VvE. The buyer booked a building survey with a foundation quick scan (phase 0).

• The main building had subsided at most 17 mm, a rotation of 1 in 647, within the permissible margins.
• The rear extension had subsided 32 mm, about 1 in 156, with vertical cracks that widen from bottom to top.
• Under 80 cm to 1.70 m of sand lie layers of clay and peat. The foundation scored reasonable for the main building and moderate for the extension.

Advice in the report: monitoring bolts in the facades, measured every year for at least five years, possibly followed by phase 2. With a shallow foundation, monitoring is the only way. Ask for the building drawings, proof of how the extension was founded and the permit.

What this shows: two parts of the same property can behave very differently, so an extension needs its own assessment.

End-of-terrace house from 1890, Haarlem, October 2023

Situation: Three storeys, empty, no VvE. The client wanted an independent look at the structure before a complete renovation, with some measurements.

• A sample of the original floor joists at the front showed wood rot, caused by leaks and damp coming in through the roof and facade.
• Not all floor joists were level, and the concrete ground floor had subsided according to the levelling survey.
• The rear facade did not appear to be anchored to the roof structure, and the roof structure was not structurally sound: the wall plate on the left had been placed inwards.

Advice in the report: have a structural engineer assess and calculate the floor joists, the rear facade and the roof structure, repair the wood rot, check all beam ends and anchors from scaffolding, and renew the foundation during the renovation.

What this shows: in an old building with earlier alterations, tilt can go hand in hand with structural defects. Before a renovation, the structure comes first.

Two cases from Kennemerland

We survey just as often outside Haarlem, in Heemstede, Bloemendaal, Zandvoort, Velsen, Beverwijk, Heemskerk, Castricum, Santpoort and Bennebroek.

End-of-terrace house from 1927, Velsen-Noord, May 2026

Situation: Three storeys with a timber ground floor, no VvE. A building survey without foundation investigation.

• More than 26 per cent moisture was measured in the timber floor, where below 12 per cent counts as dry. Repairing the crawl space was estimated at € 15,000 (2026 price level).
• Because of retrofit insulation the vents of the crawl space no longer worked, and insulation material was spilling in.
• Load-bearing walls in the crawl space had been broken through without proper support, and a supporting beam (onderslag) rested on timber instead of brick piers.
• Immediate repair costs came to € 33,525, plus € 15,000 for improvements (2026 price level).

Advice in the report: have a contractor and a structural engineer repair the structure, add extra ventilation ducts and get quotes before signing the purchase agreement.

What this shows: insulating a floor afterwards can block the ventilation underneath it, and the timber pays the price.

Terraced house from 1960, Bennebroek, May 2026

Situation: Three storeys, no VvE. The client asked us to look at cracks around the bay window, after which we carried out a quick scan of the exterior only.

• The balcony slab above the bay window is 30 mm out of level from rear left to front right, and 14 mm along the left-hand side.
• At the rear balcony and the neighbours’ balcony the outer edge sits 14 to 29 mm higher than the wall side, so the bay window balcony may have dropped by as much as 60 mm, as an indication.
• The facades themselves were barely out of level: 15 mm over at least 7000 mm (1:466) on the side facade, all in the category “negligible”.

Advice in the report: open up the brickwork and have a structural engineer establish the cause, the structural safety and the solution. Monitoring bolts can follow the settlement.

What this shows: cracks around a bay window or balcony can point to a local structural defect even when the facades are almost straight.

Foundation survey at a listed building

What 263 of our reports from the region show

We counted 263 of our own reports from Haarlem and the rest of Kennemerland, from 2018 up to and including October 2026. 68 per cent of the buildings with a known year of construction were built before 1940. In the 156 building surveys among them, these were the most common findings:

• leaks or signs of leaks: 64 per cent
• cracks: 58 per cent
• wood rot: 47 per cent
• subsidence or tilt: 25 per cent
• rising damp: 21 per cent, about twice our average across all reports (11 per cent)
• suspected asbestos: 17 per cent

In 101 surveys from 2024 to 2026 with a cost overview, the median of the immediate costs was about € 10,700. For houses built before 1906 it was € 21,600. In 44 reports with a bed joint measurement or floor levelling, the median of the largest height difference was 30 mm, and in 32 per cent it was 50 mm or more.

These are jobs that came to us, not a sample of all houses in the region, and the numbers are small. Treat them as an indication of what an older Haarlem house tends to need.

What we check during a building survey

Fred Tokkie runs through the parts of a house we look at during a building survey. (video in Dutch)

Four stars and an honest reason

Strongly recommended should you for instance want to purchase an ‘old’ house. They’ll compile a … list of problems, providing you with a much more powerful bargaining position. If I hadn’t hired them, I’d probably still be stuck renting. … Not all issues were found though, some of which I believe could/should have been discovered during the inspection, which is why I opt for 4 instead of 5 stars. Still an absolute recommendation

Review on Google, October 2026, 4 stars

Choose your own building surveyor, not one from the agent’s network

Because the Dutch system is new to you, it is natural to follow your agent’s suggestions. Expats often lean on the estate agent for everything: the surveyor, the mortgage adviser, even the notary. Keep in mind that the agent is paid when the sale goes through. That is true for the selling agent and usually for your own buying agent as well.

A surveyor who gets a lot of work through estate agents has an interest in keeping that relationship good. That does not mean a recommended surveyor does poor work, but you can’t check it from the outside. You are free to bring your own surveyor, also when the agent or mortgage adviser names a “partner”.

Before you book anyone, ask these questions:

• Do you receive work or fees from estate agents or mortgage advisers?
• Will you go into the crawl space and onto the roof where it is safe?
• Do you assess the foundation, and do you measure floors and bed joints?
• Can you confirm your independence in writing?

Also read the general terms and conditions. Some surveys are described as a general check, or exclude the roof, the crawl space or the foundation. For the record, Premiumkeur does not work with estate agents or mortgage advisers, does not pay or receive referral fees, does not recommend repair firms and does not survey for sellers.

Chimney inspection in Haarlem

Who carries out your structural survey

Always one of our own inspectors, trained in building inspection and foundation inspection. Premiumkeur is NHG-recognised (accepted for the Dutch National Mortgage Guarantee), NEN 2767 certified and works to NTA 8060.

The firm was set up by Fred Tokkie. He was a contractor from 1983 to 2009 and has inspected houses since 2009. That background shows in the reports: the repair estimates come from someone who has priced and done the work.

Our statement of independence is short. We have no business ties with estate agents, mortgage advisers, valuers or notaries, and we only work for buyers and owners.

Language: the surveyor explains everything on site in English, so come along and ask questions. The standard report is in Dutch; we can translate it into English for € 100 extra.

Time to understand our concerns

Probably the best people for technical inspection. They are friendly, transparent and honest in all things. I utilised their service. Mo did the inspection. He is a great man. Took time to understand our concerns and spent good amount of time to observe and inspect. Definitely recommend.

Review on Google, October 2026, 5 stars

Why the survey has to come before you sign

There is no exchange and completion as you know it. Once you agree a price, the selling agent draws up the purchase agreement (koopovereenkomst). When both sides have signed, the deal stands. There’s no conveyancing solicitor in the British sense either: the transfer goes through a civil-law notary (notaris), who handles the legal side and does not look at the building.

• Building inspection condition (bouwkundig voorbehoud, a type of ontbindende voorwaarde): the purchase only goes ahead if repair costs stay below an agreed amount. That threshold is often around € 5,000 and it is not mandatory. The condition usually runs for only a few weeks.
• Cooling-off period (bedenktijd): three days after you receive the signed purchase agreement (Article 7:2 of the Dutch Civil Code).
• Duty to investigate (onderzoeksplicht): the seller must tell you about defects he knows about, but anything a reasonable survey would have found is usually at your own cost.
• Age clause (ouderdomsclausule): the home is old and may have defects that come with its age. Combined with the duty to investigate, that leaves little room for a claim later.

So make your offer subject to a building survey and call us straight after the verbal agreement. We can often come within 1 working day.

Inspecting the sewer pipes

A valuation or a foundation label is not a survey

Your lender wants a valuation report (taxatierapport) from a registered valuer. That report is about the value of the house, not about rotten joists or a leaning facade.

Since 1 April 2026 every valuation report includes a foundation label (funderingslabel) from A to E. The valuer sets it on the basis of visible signs and online data, and for class D or E advises further investigation. It is a risk indication. It does not measure this particular house.

Because we are NHG-recognised, you can use our report for your mortgage lender. Ask your adviser how that works for your loan.

Buying a flat: the structure belongs to the VvE

With a flat you buy part of a building. The roof, the facades and the foundation are usually shared through the owners’ association, the VvE (Vereniging van Eigenaars). If the foundation needs repair, the VvE pays and every owner contributes in proportion.

Ask for the minutes of recent meetings, the long-term maintenance plan (MJOP), the reserve fund and the annual accounts. That is part of your duty to investigate. The deed of division with its drawing comes from the Kadaster. Banks often ask for the MJOP or the accounts too.

No MJOP? We draw them up; for a small VvE of up to 5 flats it costs € 899. Read about our long-term maintenance plans (in Dutch).

A house that shares a party wall with the neighbours has a similar issue: foundation repair usually needs their permission and they pay part of the cost. The municipality of Haarlem takes part in the national Fonds Duurzaam Funderingsherstel, which can help owners finance a repair.

How a house is surveyed

How a house is inspected step by step during a building survey. (video in Dutch)

Step by step on site

Had a building inspection carried out. Daan knows what he is talking about and during the inspection he also explains step by step what he is looking at. Recommended.

Review on Google, August 2026, 5 stars (translated from Dutch)

Inspection of a flat roof

What a building survey costs in Haarlem

All prices include VAT, as at October 2026. They are the same as in Amsterdam.

• Building survey: € 499 for a home up to 800 m³, plus € 0.50 per extra m³
• Building survey with foundation quick scan (phase 0): from € 898
• Foundation investigation phase 1: € 699 to € 1,499
• Foundation investigation phase 2: from € 3,000, excluding excavation
• Monitoring bolts (8 to 10): € 1,179
• Crawl space inspection: from € 499 (see crawl space inspection (in Dutch))
• Damp investigation: from € 499; in a cellar € 699
• Second opinion or dispute with a contractor: from € 599
• English translation of the report: € 100

The full list is on our page services and rates (in Dutch).

Second opinions, structural engineers and baseline surveys

Did the seller hand you a report and you have doubts about it? We carry out a second opinion (contra-expertise) from € 599. We also write expert reports in disputes with contractors, from the same price.

Some questions can’t be answered by looking. When a beam, a wall or a roof needs to be calculated, the report says so and advises a structural engineer (constructeur), as in several of the cases above. You then know what to ask for before you sign, not after.

Planning building work, or are the neighbours about to start? A baseline survey (in Dutch) (nulmeting, € 499) records the condition beforehand, so you can show later whether a crack was already there.

Buying a listed building in the centre? Many of them stand on shallow foundations and have their own rules for repairs. Our knowledge base on monuments in Haarlem (in Dutch) explains them.

A clear list of what needs doing

Skilled check with fast delivery of the report. Friendly service and a clear explanation of what needs to be done to the house. Definitely recommended!

Review on Google, September 2026, 5 stars (translated from Dutch)

Technical inspection of a roof

Booking your pre-purchase survey

Send us the address, the year of construction if you know it, whether it is a house or a flat, and the date by which you need the report. For a flat, ask the agent for the VvE documents straight away. On the day, make sure we can reach the roof hatch and the crawl space hatch.

Come along if you can. You’ll hear the main findings before we leave the house, including any damp or mould and what is probably causing it. You can call 023-2340040 or book through our contact page (in Dutch).

Learn more before you buy

Most Dutch websites about buying a house are only in Dutch, so we wrote a lot in English for expats in Haarlem. Pick what fits your situation:

• Building inspection Haarlem: knowledge base (linked at the top of this page): the whole buying process in Haarlem and Kennemerland, with 35 cases from our reports.
• English reviews: what clients from abroad wrote about our surveys, including the critical ones.
• Foundation inspection Haarlem: the foundation investigation itself, from the quick scan to digging down to the piles.
• House survey Haarlem: the same survey from the point of view of a first-time buyer, with more on the house as a whole.
• Home inspection Haarlem: written in American English, for buyers who know the US process.
• Buying a house in Haarlem: our central guide for expats, from making an offer to collecting the keys.
• New build inspection Haarlem: what to check when you buy a new-build home in the region.

Questions from our inbox

These are real questions that reach Premiumkeur by email, from homeowners, buyers and owners’ associations. We’ve left out names and details, and shortened some of them. Questions sent in Dutch have been translated.

Does the report include repair costs?

“Whether the report includes an estimate of repair costs (if any issues are found)”

Buyer of an apartment with a roof terrace in Haarlem

What we do. Yes. The report gives an indication of repair and maintenance costs for what we find. If you’re worried about settlement, a foundation risk assessment can be added: floor-level and masonry-joint measurements that show whether the house has moved.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Dutch building survey the same as a RICS Level 3 survey?

Close, but not the same. Both are visual and non-destructive. A Dutch survey gives every defect a condition score under NEN 2767 and a cost estimate including VAT. On older houses we add a foundation quick scan on the same visit if you book it.

What does a building survey in Haarlem cost?

€ 499 including VAT for a home up to 800 m³, plus € 0.50 per extra m³. With a foundation quick scan (phase 0) it costs from € 898.

Does the building survey include the foundation?

We look at the visible signs in every survey. Measuring the bed joints and floors is the foundation quick scan, which you can add for a combined price from € 898. We advise it for any house built before 1970.

Why should expats choose their own building surveyor?

The estate agent is paid when the sale goes through, and a surveyor who gets work through agents has an interest in that relationship. You can’t check that from the outside, so pick your own surveyor and ask who else they work for.

How long do I have to pull out if the survey finds structural problems?

Only as long as your contract allows. A building inspection condition runs until a fixed date, usually a few weeks. On top of that there is the cooling-off period of 3 days after you receive the signed purchase agreement.

Do you go onto the roof and into the crawl space?

Yes, when it is safe. We go into the crawl space ourselves and use a robot with a camera when it is lower than 20 cm. Both are included in the price.

Is a crack in the wall always a foundation problem?

No. Shrinkage, a missing lintel or a settled extension can also cause cracks. Measurements show whether the foundation is involved, and monitoring bolts show over 2 to 5 years whether the building is still moving.

Is the report in English?

The standard report is in Dutch. We can translate it into English for € 100 extra, and the surveyor explains the findings on site in English.

Do you survey outside Haarlem?

Yes, throughout Kennemerland, including Heemstede, Bloemendaal, Zandvoort, Velsen, IJmuiden, Beverwijk, Heemskerk and Castricum.

Does the survey cover asbestos?

No. We report material that may contain asbestos, but testing it is a separate job for a specialist firm. Have that done before you sign.

Contact details Premiumkeur Haarlem

Premiumkeur Haarlem
Tempeliersstraat 63
2012 EC Haarlem
Phone: 023-2340040 (+31 23 234 0040)
Email: premiumkeur@gmail.com

Premiumkeur B.V., Heiligeweg 30, 1012 XR Amsterdam
Chamber of Commerce (KvK): 81106130

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