Felt, EPDM, PVC, green
Flat Roofs In Amsterdam
Is there still a puddle on your roof the day after it rains?
New coverings, insulation and green roofs for houses, extensions and apartment blocks
Flat roofs in Amsterdam rarely fail because of the material. They fail because water sits on them. Large parts of the 19th-century ring and the 1920s-30s districts live under flat or part-flat roofs, and in Betondorp the city's own design guide calls flat roofs the dominant feature. We lay bitumen felt, EPDM rubber or PVC with a proper fall and edges high enough to do their job. If you or your VvE (owners' association) fancy a green roof, we'll also work out how much of it the city will pay for.
Get your flat roof looked at
- 1Tell us roughly how big the roof is
- 2We check the fall, edges, outlets and insulation
- 3You get a price for each option: felt, EPDM, PVC or green
- Free roof inspection
- Before and after photos
- Priced per m² or per metre
- One person to deal with
- English & Nederlands
What you get
A flat roof in Amsterdam that actually gets rid of the rain
Schiphol averages about 850 mm of rain a year. Every drop that lands on a flat roof has to leave through a couple of outlets. When it can't, it sits there, and standing water finds a seam sooner or later.
Falls to the Dutch standard
The industry guideline for flat roofing (Vakrichtlijn 2025) asks for a design fall of at least 16 mm per metre. If your roof is flatter than that, we build the fall into the insulation so water heads for the outlet instead of pooling.
Proper upstands and overflows
Edge upstands sit at least 120 mm above the covering, and where that isn't possible we fit emergency overflows. If leaves or a gull's nest block the main outlet, the water spills over the edge rather than into your front room.
Straight answers on materials
Felt, EPDM and PVC all have their place. We'll tell you which suits your roof and why, even when the answer is the cheapest one.
Insulation that meets the rules
Replace the insulation and the Dutch building code (the Bbl) requires at least what was there before, with a floor of Rc 2.1. We usually suggest going further. You won't get another go until the next new roof.
Green roofs, part-funded
Amsterdam's green roof subsidy (Subsidieregeling groen in Amsterdam) covers half the cost of a new green roof, up to €30 or €50 per m². We help you meet the conditions and get the roof's load capacity checked first.
Blocks of flats and VvEs
On a block in the Westelijke Tuinsteden or Zuidoost, the roof belongs to the VvE. We price the work to fit its long-term maintenance plan and agree the timing with the board and residents.
1
person to deal with, inspection to handover
m²
priced per square metre or metre of gutter, line by line
EN · NL
inspection and quote in your language
€0
for the roof inspection and photos
How it works
From tired flat roof to new covering
Most flat roofs take a few days. The big open area goes down quickly. The time goes into preparation and the edges.
- 01
Inspection
We measure the fall, note where water collects and, if needed, cut a small test hole to see whether the insulation is wet. Then you know whether the roof needs stripping or can be overlaid.
- 02
Options and prices
You get a price per material with the full build-up: insulation, fall, edges, outlets. For a VvE we add a short explanation the board can take to the members' meeting.
- 03
Permits and neighbours
If a skip or cherry picker has to go on the street, we apply to the gemeente (city council) for the street permit. With scaffolding, the neighbours should hear about it at least a week before work starts.
- 04
Stripping the old roof
We take the old layers off down to a dry, sound deck. On buildings from before 1994 we keep an eye out for asbestos. If anything looks suspect, we stop and have it tested.
- 05
Insulation and falls
New insulation boards, cut to falls where needed. Any decking that has gone soft gets replaced first.
- 06
Covering, edges and outlets
Felt in two layers, EPDM or PVC in as few sheets as we can manage. Upstands of at least 120 mm, new outlets and overflows, and lead or zinc back in place where the roof meets a wall.
- 07
Handover
We walk the roof with you, check after the first proper rain that nothing is ponding, and hand over photos of the build-up - including the bits now hidden under the covering.
- →
Where to start?
Step one is a roof inspection. It costs nothing and you're not signing up to anything.
Book an inspection →
Before and after
Photos of the damage, photos of the result
Most people never see their own roof up close, which leaves you relying on whatever the roofer tells you. That's exactly where this trade gets its reputation. So we take photos: of the damage before we start, of the base once it's exposed and of the finished work. Ten years from now you'll still know what's under that membrane.
The quote names the materials, the number of square metres or metres, and how we'll finish the details: upstands, lead, pipes through the roof. If it leaks afterwards where we worked, and our workmanship is the reason, we come back and fix it. If the cause is somewhere else, next door or in a part we never touched, we'll tell you straight and show you the pictures.
Photos
of the damage before and of the result after
Itemised
materials, quantities and finishing all set out in the quote
Worth checking
What to ask before you get a new flat roof
Ask about the fall, not just the material. Top-quality EPDM still leaks if it sits in a dip. The Dutch guideline tolerates a little water an hour after rain - a few puddles no deeper than 10 mm, covering no more than 5% of the roof. A pond that's still there the next morning means the fall is wrong, and another layer on top won't change that.
Ask what guarantee you get and who stands behind it. DAKMERK is the Dutch quality mark for flat roofs: it carries a ten-year watertightness guarantee backed by an independent guarantee fund. Whoever you hire, ask what happens to your guarantee if the company has gone in eight years' time.
Sort the insulation out while the roof is open. A flat roof comes off once every twenty to forty years at most. If insulation is replaced, the Bbl requires at least Rc 2.1, but treat that as a minimum. On homes more than two years old the labour for insulating is charged at 9% VAT rather than 21%, and owner-occupiers can claim the national ISDE grant. Our roof insulation page has the details.
Side by side
Felt, EPDM, PVC or green: flat roof options in Amsterdam
Four common choices side by side. Lifespans and prices are indicative, from comparison site Homedeal, and include VAT and fitting. The subsidy figures come from the gemeente Amsterdam.
| Bitumen felt (SBS/APP) | EPDM rubber | PVC | Green roof | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | 20-30 years | 30-40 years | 25-40 years | Depends on the covering underneath |
| Guide price per m² | €50-70 | €55-85 | €75-105 | Covering plus build-up; the city pays up to half |
| How it's laid | In layers, torched or bonded | Large sheets, few seams | Seams hot-air welded | Root barrier, drainage, substrate, plants |
| Strong point | Familiar and easy to patch | Long-lived and light | Light colour, neat welded seams | Holds rainwater and keeps the roof cooler |
| Watch out for | Shortest lifespan of the three | Detailing needs an experienced hand | Priciest of the three | The roof has to take the weight |
| Amsterdam subsidy | No | No | No | Up to €30 or €50/m², max €50,000 per roof |
Flat roof build-up
What sits under the top layer
A flat roof is more than one sheet of rubber or felt. From the bottom up: the timber deck or concrete slab, a vapour control layer, insulation (often cut to create the fall) and then the waterproof covering. Trouble in any one of those layers only shows itself when water appears indoors. That's why, if we're unsure, we cut a test hole before we quote.
- Design fall of at least 16 mm per metre
- Upstands at least 120 mm above the covering
- Overflows so backed-up water can never get inside
- Replacement insulation at Rc 2.1 or, better, more
"When we open up a flat roof in the city, the insulation is often wetter than the owner expected. A small leak at an edge can soak into the boards for years before anything shows on the ceiling."
Rough prices
How much does a flat roof cost in Amsterdam?
Homedeal puts bitumen felt at €50-70 per m², EPDM at €55-85 and PVC at €75-105, VAT and fitting included. Trustoo's starting prices are lower, from €45 per m² for felt. Add new insulation laid from the outside and Trustoo quotes €45-100 per m² for that part. The roofing itself carries 21% VAT, while insulation labour on homes over two years old is charged at 9%.
- €What's underneath: a dry deck can sometimes be overlaid, wet insulation has to come out.
- €Edges, outlets and pipes through the roof: a small roof full of details costs more per m² than a big empty one.
- €Access: in the centre and the 19th-century ring, materials often go up by cherry picker, which needs a street permit from the gemeente.
- €A green roof adds drainage, substrate and planting on top of the covering, though the city's subsidy can refund up to half.
- €Asbestos: old roofing on pre-1994 buildings can contain it, and then a certified firm has to remove it before we start.
Indicative from
€50/m²
Indicative price for bitumen felt according to Homedeal (2026), VAT and fitting included. Removing the old roof, insulation and edge details come on top. You get a fixed price after inspection.
Get your own priceQuestions
Flat roofs in Amsterdam: common questions
Do I need a permit to replace my flat roof?
Usually not, if the roof looks the same afterwards. It can be different for a listed building (rijksmonument), or if the roof changes visibly in a protected townscape such as the city centre, Plan Zuid or the garden villages in Noord. Run the Vergunningcheck on the Omgevingsloket portal or ask the gemeente Amsterdam. Questions about appearance go to the city's design review panel, the Commissie Ruimtelijke Kwaliteit.
How much subsidy is there for a green roof in Amsterdam?
Under the Subsidieregeling groen in Amsterdam, the city pays half the cost of a new green roof: up to €30 per m² if it holds 30-50 litres of water per m², and up to €50 per m² from 50 litres, capped at €50,000 per roof. The roof must be at least 30 m², on a building finished before 1 January 2017, with at least half of it planted with something other than sedum or moss. Owners, VvEs and leaseholders can apply; tenants can't. The budget is limited and the last application window closes on 31 December 2026.
What is Amsterdam's 60-litre rule?
For new builds and major renovations, where more than a quarter of the building's outer shell is replaced, a property in Amsterdam must be able to hold at least 60 litres of rainwater per m² of built area. The rule comes from the city's Hemelwaterverordening (rainwater bylaw), now part of the omgevingsplan (zoning plan). A green or blue roof is one way to comply. Simply re-covering the roof of an ordinary house usually doesn't trigger it, but we check case by case.
Felt, EPDM or PVC - which do you recommend?
It depends on the roof. Felt is affordable and easy to repair, but Homedeal gives it 20-30 years. EPDM lasts 30-40 years and is light, which helps on an old timber roof. PVC costs the most. If solar panels or a green roof might follow later, we factor that into the choice.
Can I put a green roof on my existing flat roof?
Sometimes. A green roof that stores water is heavy, especially when wet. A concrete roof can usually take more than a timber extension, but we always have a structural engineer run the numbers. The covering underneath must be root-resistant, so we often replace it in the same job.
Our VvE wants a new roof. How do you handle that?
We inspect the roof, take photos and write a quote the board can put to the members' meeting. Dutch law requires a VvE to save for major maintenance, either through a maintenance plan covering at least ten years or by setting aside at least 0.5% of the rebuild value each year. If our quote doesn't fit that plan, we can talk about phasing the work. In Zuidoost and Nieuw-West the city also runs sustainability grants for VvEs in selected neighbourhoods. Check with the gemeente whether your building qualifies.
Reviews
Customer reviews
No reviews here yet. Photos of every roof, though.
We're collecting reviews and will post them here as they come in, unedited and with permission. In the meantime, judge us on the work itself: every job comes with photos of the damage and of the finished result. Feel free to ask at the inspection what we've done near you.
Other roof work
More roofing work
Where we work
Flat roofs in and around Amsterdam
We work on flat roofs in Betondorp, the Westelijke Tuinsteden, Zuidoost, the 19th-century ring and the rest of the city, plus the towns around it from Amstelveen to Purmerend.
- Amsterdam-Zuidoost
- Amstelveen
- Diemen
- Duivendrecht
- Ouderkerk a/d Amstel
- Abcoude
- Weesp
- Almere
- Badhoevedorp
- Hoofddorp
- Zaandam
- Purmerend
Not sure about your flat roof?
Send a photo of the roof, or of that puddle that never quite drains. We'll come and have a look and give you an honest price for each material.