Building a tiny house in your Dutch backyard
Building a tiny house or garden office is an exciting adventure, but it should not be filled with uncertainties. In this story we explain the process of building a garden house in The Netherlands)
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Your own garden office, guest house, or creative hobby space in the backyard?
More people are opting for their own space in the garden, and regulations are playing a part in this trend. Many of these building projects can actually be completed without the need for planning permission.
Before you start, it is important to be well informed about what can be built without permission in the Netherlands.
What can you build without planning permission? Whether you can build an outbuilding without planning permission depends on its function and the distance from the main building. The rules change at a distance of 4 metres from the main building.
Within 4 metres of the house, the outbuilding is considered an extension of the main building. It must then serve as a kitchen, bathroom, living room, or bedroom.
Beyond 4 metres from the house, the outbuilding must be ‘functionally subordinate’ to the main building. Possible functions include an office, garden house, guest house, or hobby room. These may include facilities such as a toilet, kitchen, or bathroom, as long as they match the function of the outbuilding.
Where can you build? Projects that don’t require planning permission are only allowed in the rear garden area of your plot, starting one metre behind the front facade. For detached or corner houses, this starts from the side facade parallel to the public area; for terraced houses, it is simply the backyard.
How much can you build? The amount you can build depends on the size of your rear garden area.
For a rear garden area up to 100 m², you can build up to 50% of the area.
For a rear garden area between 100 m² and 300 m², you can build 50 m² plus 20% of the area above 100 m².
For a rear garden area of 300 m² or more, you can build 90 m² plus 10% of the area above 300 m², with a maximum of 150 m².
How high can you build? The maximum allowed height of your structure varies depending on the distance from the main building.
Structures within 4 metres of the house can be up to 5 metres high, provided they are not higher than the main building and extend a maximum of 30 centimetres above the first storey.
Is the structure further than 4 metres away? Then the maximum height is 3 metres, or 5 metres with a pitched roof with a slope up to 55°.
Always check the specific building regulations in your area and don’t forget to apply for planning permission from your local council if needed.
Interested in your own garden office, guest house, or hobby room? Check out our Collection of designs.