Construction drawing costs in 2026
You want to renovate: an extension, a dormer, an outbuilding or perhaps something larger. You will need a construction drawing and in most cases also a building permit. But what does that actually cost? Many people focus on the construction costs themselves and are later surprised by the costs for drawings and permits. In this article we set everything out so you know exactly where you stand.
A construction drawing for an environmental permit costs from €595 at Tekenpunt, always as a fixed price with no retrospective billing. A complete set with 3D visualisation and aesthetics-review guidance starts at €1,495, the premium package for listed buildings or large projects at €2,495, and express delivery within 1 to 2 weeks costs from €495 extra. On top of this you pay municipal fees directly to the municipality; these vary per municipality. The standard permit procedure takes a maximum of 8 weeks.
What do the costs consist of?
The total cost of a construction drawing and permit consists of several components that you need to keep clearly separate. It helps to budget for them individually in advance so you are not caught off guard halfway through.
Drafting is the preparation of the drawings you need for the permit application: floor plans, elevation views, sections and a site plan. This is the basic work required for every permit-required renovation. The drawings must comply with the requirements of the Building Decree (Bbl) and the submission requirements your municipality sets via the Omgevingsloket.
Structural calculation is added if you remove load-bearing walls, create a large span or add an extension with a foundation or new roof structure. A structural engineer calculates whether the structure is safe and stable. Municipalities increasingly require this as a mandatory part of the permit application. At Tekenpunt, a KIWA-certified structural engineer is part of the permanent team, so that drawings and calculations are aligned. Read more about this on the page structural calculation.
3D visualisation is not mandatory for the permit, but helps you assess the design before the ground is broken. Especially with larger renovations, it prevents disappointments later on and makes it easier to make adjustments to the design rather than on site. See also 3D visualisation.
Aesthetic review plays a role in many municipalities. Since the Environment Act (in force from 1 January 2024), municipalities work with an environment plan that includes spatial quality requirements. Depending on your municipality and the nature of your renovation, an aesthetic review committee assesses whether your building plan fits the appearance of the neighbourhood. Tekenpunt guides you through this process as part of the complete packages and proactively aligns the design with your municipality's requirements.
Municipal fees are the charge that the municipality makes for processing your environmental permit application. These are costs that come on top of the drawing work and vary considerably from municipality to municipality. More on this in the section on permit fees below.
Tekenpunt pricing: fixed and transparent upfront
At Tekenpunt, you always work with a fixed price. You know in advance what you will pay and there is no recalculation afterwards. This is a deliberate choice: renovations easily go over budget on the construction costs themselves, and you do not want to also be surprised by a higher bill from your drafting agency. These are the packages:
- Construction drawing, from €595. The drawings you need for a simple permit application: floor plans, facade elevations and a site plan tailored to the Omgevingsloket. - Complete set with 3D and aesthetic review, from €1.495. In addition to the permit drawings you also receive a 3D visualization and guidance through the aesthetics review. Ideal if you want a good picture of the end result or if your municipality requires an aesthetics assessment. - Premium package for national monuments or large projects, from €2.495. For renovations with higher complexity: listed buildings, large extensions or projects requiring extensive coordination with the municipality. In a hurry? Express delivery is possible: +30% for delivery in 2 weeks (minimum €295) or +50% for delivery in 1 week (minimum €495), on top of the regular drawing work. In a hurry because the contractor is already waiting or the situation calls for speed? With express service you receive your drawings in 1 to 2 weeks, while the standard delivery time is 4 weeks. Tekenpunt has been operating since 2016 and has completed more than 800 projects. Nine out of ten applications pass the aesthetic review in one go, showing that the drawing work matches what municipalities expect. Want a tailored quote? Request it via quote requests.
What are permit fees and what do you pay for them?
Permit fees are the municipal charge for processing your building permit application. Every municipality sets these costs itself in a permit fee by-law, which means they can vary considerably between municipalities.
In practice, municipalities calculate permit fees as a percentage of the estimated construction cost or via fixed rates per type of intervention, sometimes combined in bands with increasing percentages. There is no national standard rate: the permit fee ordinance of one municipality can differ considerably from a neighbouring one. For the exact amount in your municipality, check the fee ordinance on the municipal website or enquire with the permits department.
When do you pay permit fees? Permit fees are charged at the point the municipality accepts your application for processing, so shortly after submission. You pay regardless of whether the permit is granted or refused, although in the event of refusal a (partial) refund is sometimes possible.
Permit fees are always a separate item on top of the drawing work. Tekenpunt does not charge permit fees: you pay these directly to the municipality. What Tekenpunt does provide: a complete and correct application so that the municipality does not have to send anything back, saving time and sometimes additional costs in the event of a resubmission.
What counts towards the construction sum? Municipalities generally use the contractor's cost estimate as the basis. In some cases you need a detailed budget as an attachment to the application. Your contractor or Tekenpunt can advise you on what is customary in your municipality.
The environmental permit under the Environment Act
Since 1 January 2024 the Environment Act has been in force. It replaces a large part of the former legislation, including the former Wabo (General Provisions of Environmental Law Act). At the same time, the Building Decree (Bbl) serves as the successor to the former Building Code (Bouwbesluit). It is therefore no longer relevant to refer to a 'Wabo permit' or to test against the 'Bouwbesluit': the correct terms are environmental permit and Bbl.
What changes for you as a renovator? At its core the steps are familiar: you submit an environmental permit application via the Omgevingsloket (omgevingsloket.nl), the municipality assesses it against the Bbl and the environment plan, and you receive a decision. What does change is that municipalities gain more scope to set their own rules on spatial quality and land use in their environment plan. This makes it even more important to know the specific requirements of your municipality.
Standard and extended procedure. The standard procedure for an environmental permit takes a maximum of 8 weeks, with a possible extension of 6 weeks if the municipality needs that time. The extended procedure, which applies to more complex interventions or situations where an environmental impact assessment is required, takes longer. Tekenpunt works with the standard procedure in the vast majority of cases.
Permit-free construction. Not every renovation requires an environmental permit. Some smaller structures are permit-free under the Bbl, provided they meet specific conditions such as location, height, and area. Unsure whether your renovation is permit-free? Tekenpunt looks into this at the quotation stage and gives you a clear answer.
What does a mistake in the construction drawing or a rejected application cost?
Good drawings are cheaper than they appear when you compare them with what can go wrong.
An incomplete or incorrect application is not accepted for processing or is refused by the municipality. You then pay permit fees again for a fresh application. Depending on the municipality, permit fees are partially refunded upon refusal, but this is not guaranteed and in any case costs weeks of delay in your schedule.
If the contractor has already started on the basis of drawings that do not correspond to what has been permitted, this can lead to enforcement action by the municipality. The municipality can impose a construction stop or subsequently refuse to grant an environmental permit for what has already been built. Additional work, remediation costs, and standstill are outside the scope of any drawing quote and can cost many times more than what you saved on the drawing work.
A drawing firm that works on a cost-plus basis can also surprise you: you start at an apparently low base price and pay per revision, per additional view, or per hour for communication with the municipality. At Tekenpunt, the price is the price. No hidden costs, no hourly invoices afterwards.
That makes the fixed price not only convenient for your budget, but also a safe choice for your planning.
When do you need which package?
To help you on your way, a general guideline:
Construction drawing only (from €595) is suitable for relatively simple works where the municipality imposes no additional requirements: a dormer, a storage room, a small extension in a municipality without strict aesthetic review policy. Also suitable if you already have a design and only need correct permit drawings. Complete set with 3D and aesthetics review (from €1.495) is wise if you are planning an extension or a serious renovation, if you want a good visual picture before construction starts or if your municipality requires an aesthetics assessment. The 3D visualization also helps you communicate the design to your contractor and family. Premium package (from €2.495) is suited to listed buildings, projects with particular structural challenges or large renovations where multiple parts of the building permit come together. Think of a house where, in addition to the construction activity, planning permission is also required. In a hurry? Express delivery is possible: +30% for delivery within 2 weeks (minimum €295) or +50% for delivery within 1 week (minimum €495), on top of the standard drawing work. Handy if a contractor is already booked or if you have a deadline for submitting the application. Not sure which package suits your situation? Request a no-obligation quote via quote requests and we'll go through it together.
Structural calculation: when is it mandatory and what does it cost?
A structural calculation is a technical calculation that demonstrates that a building structure is sufficiently strong and stable. Under the Building Decree (Bbl), structural safety requirements apply that every structure must meet. The municipality assesses this as part of the permit application.
When does the municipality require a calculation? This differs per situation and per municipality, but in practice it occurs with:
- removing load-bearing walls or columns;
- creating a large roof opening or new roof structure;
- constructing an extension with a new foundation;
- renovations to an existing building where the load distribution changes.
Some municipalities make the calculation mandatory as a matter of course for certain construction activities; others specifically request it when the drawing gives reason to do so.
The advantage of having a certified structural engineer in-house. Tekenpunt has a KIWA-certified structural engineer as a permanent member of the team. This means that the structural drawings and calculations are prepared by someone who knows what the submission requirements are and how drawings and calculations must align. This prevents misunderstandings and revisions after the fact.
More information can be found on the page structural calculation.
Aesthetic review and spatial quality: what does this mean for your application?
Aesthetic policy determines whether the appearance of your renovation fits the surroundings. Municipalities have this assessed by an aesthetic review committee or a spatial quality adviser. Under the Environment Act, municipalities work with an environment plan that sets the framework for spatial quality in their area.
Exempt from or subject to aesthetic review? Not every neighbourhood or type of renovation falls under aesthetic oversight. Some areas are exempt from aesthetic review, meaning the municipality does not assess the appearance of a building plan. In protected urban or village conservation areas, stricter criteria apply. Your municipality publishes the aesthetic review policy or assessment framework in the environment plan.
What does the aesthetic review committee assess? Typical assessment points are the facade composition, roof direction, material use, colour scheme and the relationship to adjacent properties. A dormer window that fits perfectly with the architectural style of the street has a much greater chance of approval than a design that deviates strongly.
How Tekenpunt approaches this. Tekenpunt proactively aligns the design with the aesthetic review criteria of your municipality. Nine out of ten applications pass the aesthetic review in one go. That is no coincidence: the drawings are deliberately tailored to the rules that apply to your location, so you do not need an extra round with the municipality.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Are the permit fees included in Tekenpunt's price?
No. You pay the municipal fees directly to your municipality; they are a separate cost on top of the drawing work. Fees vary per municipality and depend on the construction cost and the type of permit. Tekenpunt ensures a complete and correct application so you do not risk unnecessary delays or repeated fee charges.
Q02What does a construction drawing cost for a dormer or extension?
At Tekenpunt, a construction drawing starts from €595 for a simple application. If you also want a 3D visualisation and guidance through the aesthetic review, the complete package starts from €1,495. The exact price depends on the scope and complexity of your project. You can request a no-obligation quote via the quote page.
Q03What do I pay if the permit is rejected?
If your application is refused due to errors or incomplete drawings, you pay permit fees again on resubmission and incur delay. Municipalities sometimes partially refund permit fees upon refusal, but this is not guaranteed. Good drawings that align with the municipality's requirements significantly reduce this risk.
Q04Can I get a construction drawing faster if I am in a hurry?
Yes. If you're in a hurry, express delivery is possible: +30% for delivery in 2 weeks (minimum €295) or +50% for delivery in 1 week (minimum €495), on top of the regular drawing work. The standard delivery time is 4 weeks. More information can be found on the page express.
Q05Do I need an environmental permit for every renovation?
Not always. Some smaller structures are permit-free under the Building Decree (Bbl), provided they meet specific conditions regarding location, height, and area. Think of certain dormer windows at the rear or small outbuildings. Tekenpunt assesses at the quotation stage whether your plans require a permit and explains this clearly.
Q06Is a structural calculation always required?
Not always, but often for renovations in which the load-bearing structure is altered: removing load-bearing walls, adding an extension with a new foundation or creating large roof openings. Municipalities require this as a condition of the permit application. At Tekenpunt, a KIWA-certified structural engineer is part of the team, ensuring that the calculation and the drawings align.
Q07How long does an environmental permit procedure take?
The standard procedure takes a maximum of 8 weeks, with a possible extension of 6 weeks if the municipality needs more time. The extended procedure, for more complex projects, takes longer. Permit-free structures do not need to be submitted to the municipality. In addition to the permit timeline, also factor in the time required to produce the drawings: at Tekenpunt that is 4 weeks as standard, or 1 to 2 weeks for rush orders.
Q08What is the difference between the complete package and the premium package?
The complete package (from €1.495) includes the permit drawings, a 3D visualisation and guidance through the aesthetic review. This is the most popular option for extensions and serious renovations. The premium package (from €2.495) is intended for more complex situations: listed buildings, large extensions or projects that require extensive coordination with the municipality or additional technical documents. If in doubt, a quote consultation will help determine the right package.
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