Since 2024, something fundamental has changed in the world of construction in the Netherlands. Not immediately visible from the outside, but very noticeable if you're building a house, planning an extension, or applying for a permit.

The change is called the Wet kwaliteitsborging voor het bouwen (Wkb). And while it was introduced to improve building quality, in 2025 it still mostly leads to one thing: confusion.

So what exactly is the Wkb?

Before 2024, Dutch municipalities checked whether your building plans complied with technical regulations, before you started construction. But under the Wkb, that’s no longer always the case. For new buildings in so-called gevolgklasse 1 (for example single-family homes or small business units), the aannemer (contractor) now has to prove that the work complies with building regulations. That proof comes through an independent third party: the kwaliteitsborger.

This kwaliteitsborger supervises the technical quality during construction and must submit a final declaration before the building is put into use. No declaration? No opening.

Why this change?

The Wkb is meant to reduce building defects, and make accountability clearer. Instead of legal fights afterwards over cracks or leaks, there’s now more control during construction.

It also strengthens the legal position of clients. Dutch civil law has changed too: a contractor is now liable for hidden defects, even if they weren’t visible at the time of handover.

Sounds reasonable. But how does it work in practice?

That’s where things get messy. Because:

• When do you need to submit a bouwmelding?

• What exactly goes into an as-built dossier?

• How do you know if your project even falls under the Wkb?

• And what if you’re building vergunningsvrij?

For many people, it feels like a maze of new terms, rules, and responsibilities. All while most builders and clients just want one thing: clarity.

That’s where Struck comes in

At Struck, we make complex building regulations easy to understand. No legal jargon, just clear answers to practical questions like:

What’s allowed here? What’s required here? And what does that mean for me?

Our AI-powered tools help guide you through the Wkb process, step by step:

• Vergunningsvrij check

• AI voor technische regelgeving

• AI voor ruimtelijke ordening

• AI voor eigen documenten
  
  
  

Complex law. Simple insight.

The Wkb is here, and it’s not going anywhere.
But that doesn’t mean you have to get lost in the paperwork.

With Struck, you get clarity at every stage of your building process.
From first idea to final oplevering.

See how Struck simplifies your Wkb project.