Japanese bathroom renovation in Amsterdam
From a canal house in the Grachtengordel to a 1930s flat in Zuid or a new build on IJburg, we bring the Japanese bathroom into Amsterdam homes. Your project is planned by a Japanese engineer and built by Japanese technicians, with TOTO as our first choice for toilets, WASHLET seats and fittings.
- TOTO-first product selection
- Japanese engineers & technicians
- Period-building specialists
- Netherlands · Spain
Canal houses, Amsterdam School flats and new builds
Amsterdam housing ranges from 17th- and 18th-century canal houses in the Grachtengordel, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to the brick blocks of the Amsterdam School in Zuid and West and new-build apartments on IJburg and the Zuidas. Older buildings usually have timber joist floors and narrow, very steep stairs, and many canal houses still have a hoisting beam in the gable. For a Japanese bathroom that means two things. We calculate the weight of a filled tub on the joists before anything is ordered, and we plan how the tub gets inside: up the stairs, in sections, or through the window with the hoisting beam or a furniture lift. In new builds the focus shifts to floor build-up, ventilation and the position of the drain.
Permits and your VvE in Amsterdam
Renovating a bathroom inside an ordinary home, without structural changes, usually needs no permit. Monuments are different: changes to a national or municipal monument generally require an omgevingsvergunning, and in Amsterdam that can include the interior. The city recommends talking to its heritage specialists before you apply through the Omgevingsloket. Many canal houses are listed, so we check the status of your address early. In an apartment, the deed of division (splitsingsakte) and the rules of your VvE decide what needs approval; work on shared drains, supply pipes, load-bearing walls or floors usually does. We prepare the drawings and the request for your VvE and, where needed, the municipality, and confirm the exact requirements during the survey.
What we install in Amsterdam homes
Many projects start with a TOTO WASHLET. Amsterdam toilet rooms are often tiny and frequently have no socket, so our licensed electrician partner adds a grounded outlet before the seat goes on. In a canal house or a pre-war flat, a short, deep ofuro tub fits where a European bath would not, surrounded by a waterproof washing area with a floor drain. We check whether your combi boiler (cv-ketel) can fill the tub with enough hot water, or whether a larger water heater makes sense. A sauna cabin fits an attic or spare room; larger heaters may need a three-phase connection. Houses with a back garden or roof terrace can add a small Japanese garden, and a spare room can become a tatami room.
How a project in Amsterdam works
We start with a free online consultation in English, Dutch, Spanish or Japanese. A Japanese engineer then visits for a site survey: measurements, photos and checks of power, water, drainage, structure and access via stairs and windows. You receive drawings, a TOTO-first product selection and a fixed quote, and we prepare the documents for your VvE and the municipality where needed. During the build, Japanese engineers and technicians are on site every day, with one project manager as your contact. Indicative prices start at €1,450 for a WASHLET retrofit, €24,000 for a Japanese bathroom and €9,800 for a home sauna, incl. VAT. Besides Amsterdam we also work in Amstelveen, Diemen, Haarlem, Zaanstad and Almere.
Inspiration
FAQ
Questions from Amsterdam
Do I need my VvE's permission for a WASHLET in Amsterdam?
Swapping the seat on your own toilet rarely affects shared parts of the building, but your deed of division and VvE rules are decisive. If we also move the toilet or touch a shared drain, approval is usually needed. We check the rules with you before ordering anything.
Can a deep tub go into a canal house with timber floors?
Often, yes, after a structural check. We calculate the weight of the filled tub on the joists and, where needed, add reinforcement or choose a lighter or smaller tub. If the floor requires it, a structural engineer's calculation is part of the plan.
My building is a monument. Do I need a permit?
For a national or municipal monument, changes generally need an omgevingsvergunning, and in Amsterdam this can include interior work. We check the status of your address, consult the city's heritage team where useful and prepare the application through the Omgevingsloket.
How do you get a tub up a steep Amsterdam staircase?
We measure the stairs and windows during the survey. Depending on the tub, it comes in via the stairs, in sections, or through a window using the hoisting beam or a furniture lift. A hinoki tub can also be made to measure.
Free consultation
Free check from photos
Send a few photos and the city you live in. A Japanese engineer replies with what fits your home and an indicative price.
We also work in: Amstelveen · Diemen · Haarlem · Zaanstad · Almere · Ouder-Amstel
Where we work
Rotterdam · The Hague · Utrecht · Madrid · Barcelona · Valencia