Self-building (zelfbouw) is common in the Netherlands, and prefab homes fit neatly into the Dutch mortgage system. You buy a plot, sign with a manufacturer, get an environmental permit (omgevingsvergunning), and the lender finances land and house together, with the build budget held in a bouwdepot. The CasitaLand directory lists 20 Dutch manufacturers with 39 models, many of them compact homes and tiny houses.
This guide explains how the bouwdepot works and what you can pay from it, how much you can borrow, NHG in 2026, plot costs and permits, and the options for tiny houses.
How the Bouwdepot Works
With a self-build mortgage, the full loan is paid out at the notary appointment. The part for the land goes to the seller; the part for the build goes into a bouwdepot, a construction account held by the lender. As the manufacturer and contractors send invoices, you submit them and the lender pays them from the depot.
- Interest: depending on the lender, you pay interest only on what has been drawn, or on the full loan while receiving interest on the unspent balance. The depot interest is usually lower than your mortgage rate, so the difference is a real cost.
- Duration: for new builds the depot usually runs for up to 24 months, sometimes with an extension on request.
- End of the depot: money left over is used to pay down the mortgage.
What Can You Pay From a Bouwdepot?
The general rule: anything permanently attached to the house (nagelvast) can be paid from the depot. Anything you could take with you cannot.
| Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| The house itself: construction, delivery and assembly | Furniture |
| Installations: electrics, plumbing, heat pump, solar panels | Curtains and loose fittings |
| A fitted kitchen and built-in appliances | Moving costs |
| Paving, fencing and other fixed garden work | Your own labour |
Lenders set their own limits per claim and check invoices before paying, so ask your lender for its bouwdepot rules before you sign with a manufacturer.
A bouwdepot pays invoices, which suits a prefab manufacturer's payment schedule. Check that the contract states when each invoice is due and what happens to your payments if the manufacturer cannot deliver.
Dutch prefab manufacturers in the directory
How Much Can You Borrow?
Dutch rules set two limits:
- Income: the maximum loan follows national lending standards based on your income and existing debts.
- Value: up to 100% of the market value of the finished home, set by a valuation (taxatie) based on the plot, the plans and the contract.
Energy-efficient homes can support a higher loan, which works in favour of well-insulated prefab homes with heat pumps and solar panels. Purchase costs such as notary fees, the valuation and advice fees normally come from savings.
NHG in 2026
The Nationale Hypotheek Garantie protects you and the lender if you cannot repay after, for example, job loss or divorce. Lenders reward it with a lower interest rate. In 2026:
| Item | 2026 |
|---|---|
| NHG limit | €470,000 |
| With energy-saving measures | €498,200 |
| One-off cost | 0.4% of the loan, paid at the notary |
| New build and self-build | Allowed, with the build budget in a bouwdepot |
On a €400,000 mortgage, NHG costs €1,600. The lower interest rate usually recovers that quickly.
Bouwdepot Interest: Two Models
| Interest on drawn amount only | Interest on full loan, depot earns interest | |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay | Mortgage interest only on the money already paid out | Mortgage interest on the full loan from day one |
| What you receive | Nothing on the unspent balance | Depot interest on the unspent balance, usually lower than the mortgage rate |
| Net effect | Cheapest while the depot is full | The rate difference is a cost for as long as money sits in the depot |
For a prefab home, most of the depot is paid out at delivery and assembly, so money can sit in the depot for months while you wait for the permit and the factory slot. Compare lenders on this point, not just on the headline mortgage rate.
NHG or Not?
If your loan is under the NHG limit, NHG is usually worth it: the 0.4% fee is paid once, and the lower interest rate saves more over the fixed-rate period. Above the limit, NHG is not available and lenders price the loan on its size relative to the home's value. Energy-saving measures raise the NHG limit to €498,200, which suits efficient prefab homes.
Compare Dutch prefab and tiny house manufacturers
Check the price, what is included and the delivery time before you ask for a valuation.
See prefab homes in the Netherlands →Plot Costs and Permits
- Buying the plot: building plots sold by a municipality or developer usually include 21% VAT; plots bought from a private seller carry transfer tax instead.
- Permit: you need an omgevingsvergunning under the Environment and Planning Act (Omgevingswet), in force since 1 January 2024. Many municipalities set design rules for self-build plots.
- Connections: water, power and sewer connections are often excluded from the manufacturer's price.
Financing a Tiny House
Tiny houses are popular in the Netherlands, but financing them is harder. Mortgage lenders want a permanent dwelling on land you own, with a permit, that they can value and resell. Many tiny houses stand on rented plots, in temporary projects or on wheels, so they fall outside mortgage rules and are paid with savings or a personal loan.
If you own the plot and the tiny house has a permanent permit, some lenders will consider a mortgage. Speak to an independent mortgage adviser before you commit to a model.
Worked Example: A Prefab Home on a Self-Build Plot
An illustration with round numbers. The valuation of the finished home sets the maximum loan.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Self-build plot from the municipality, VAT included | €150,000 |
| Prefab house, delivered and assembled | €210,000 |
| Foundation, connections, site work | €30,000 |
| Notary, valuation, advice, NHG (0.4%) | €8,000 |
| Total project | €398,000 |
If the finished home is valued at €390,000 or more, the loan could cover the €390,000 of plot and build, within the NHG limit, with €240,000 placed in the bouwdepot for the house and site work. The €8,000 of costs would come from savings.
Timeline From Plot to Keys
- Orientation with a mortgage adviser: maximum loan and NHG.
- Plot option from the municipality or a private seller.
- Design and contract with the manufacturer, checked against the plot's design rules.
- Omgevingsvergunning application.
- Valuation and mortgage offer, then the notary: plot paid, bouwdepot opened.
- Foundation, delivery and assembly, each invoice paid from the depot.
Documents Your Lender Will Ask For
- Plot purchase agreement and the municipality's plot passport (kavelpaspoort) if there is one.
- Manufacturer contract with price, specification and payment schedule.
- A construction budget (bouwbegroting) covering everything paid from the depot.
- The omgevingsvergunning, or proof of the application.
- Valuation report, employer's statement and income documents.
Common Mistakes
- Letting the bouwdepot expire because the permit or delivery slips.
- Paying the manufacturer from savings first and hoping to claim it back from the depot.
- Buying a plot before checking the municipality's design rules for self-build.
- Assuming a tiny house can be mortgaged before speaking to a lender.
Lending rules change from one country to the next. Read the guide for the country where you will build:
Frequently Asked Questions
A construction account held by the lender. The build budget sits there and is paid to the manufacturer and contractors as their invoices come in. Depending on the lender, you pay interest only on what you have drawn, or on the full loan while earning interest on the unspent balance.
You can pay anything permanently attached to the house (nagelvast): construction, installations, a fitted kitchen, paving and fencing. Furniture and curtains are not allowed. For new builds the depot usually runs for up to 24 months.
You often pay interest on the full loan from day one, the depot interest is usually lower than the mortgage rate, and the depot has a time limit. Unspent money is used to pay down the loan at the end.
The Nationale Hypotheek Garantie covers mortgages up to €470,000 in 2026, or €498,200 when the loan includes energy-saving measures. The one-off cost is 0.4% of the loan.
It is difficult. Lenders want a permanent home on land you own, with a permit. Many tiny houses stand on rented plots or are movable, so they are financed with savings or a personal loan.
Yes, many lenders offer one for renovations or an extension, as an increase of your existing mortgage. For a new prefab home on a new plot, the bouwdepot is part of the new mortgage.
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