Leaks and storm damage
Roof Leak Repair In Amsterdam
Is there a brown patch spreading across your ceiling?
Leak tracing, emergency storm repairs and lasting fixes on tiled roofs, flat roofs and flashings
Roof leak repair in Amsterdam is mostly detective work. Water rarely comes in directly above the stain. It runs along boards, rafters and insulation first, sometimes for a metre or two, and only then drips. So we find the source before anyone reaches for a tube of sealant. If a storm has left the roof open, we make it watertight first and come back for the proper repair. You get photos of what we found, which your insurer will ask for anyway.
Report a leak
- 1Send a couple of photos of the stain and, if you can, the roof
- 2We call back and book an inspection or emergency repair
- 3Once we've found the cause, you get a fixed price for the fix
- Free roof inspection
- Before and after photos
- Priced per m² or per metre
- One person to deal with
- English & Nederlands
Why us
Fixing a roof leak in Amsterdam properly, not just quickly
The Dutch weather service KNMI records an average of just over 15 days a year at Schiphol with Force 7 winds or stronger, and 24 days with at least 10 mm of rain. A small defect can sit quietly for years. Then one of those days turns up.
Source first, sealant later
A stain shows where the water ended up, not where it got in. We follow the trail back to the roof - a cracked tile, lifted lead, a split in the felt around an outlet - and fix that.
Emergency make-safe
If a storm has opened up your roof, you shouldn't be waiting on a quote. We tarp or patch it so the damage stops spreading, then book the permanent repair.
Evidence your insurer can use
You get before-and-after photos and a short note on what caused the leak. Much easier than trying to describe a roof you've never stood on.
Any roof, any material
Tiled roofs in Noord and Zuid, flat roofs on extensions and blocks of flats, zinc gutters, lead around chimneys. Leaks aren't fussy about materials, so neither are we.
Flats and owners' associations
In an apartment the roof usually belongs to the VvE (owners' association). We deal with the board or managing agent, report to whoever is paying and keep the flat with the dripping ceiling in the loop.
In English, start to finish
Not keen on explaining a roof problem in Dutch? No need. We'll talk it through in English, and the quote and report can be in English too.
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
From phone call to dry ceiling
How we deal with a roof leak
No two leaks are alike, but the order of work never changes. Limit the damage, find the cause, then repair.
- 01
Photos and a call
Ring us or use the form, and attach photos of the stain and, if possible, the roof from the street. That usually tells us how urgent it is and what to bring.
- 02
Emergency repair if needed
If it's pouring in or tiles are missing, we make the roof watertight first. A tarp, a few tiles slotted back, a temporary strip on a flat roof. Not pretty. Dry.
- 03
Tracing the leak
On a dry day we go up on the roof and look from the inside as well - loft, rafters, the underside of the boards - following the water until we find where it gets in.
- 04
Naming the cause
A tile nudged out of place by the wind is a different problem from lead that has split after forty years. We tell you what's going on and whether the rest of the roof is heading the same way.
- 05
Fixed quote
You get a fixed price for the repair, with photos. If the roof is worn out and patching it would be money down the drain, the quote says so.
- 06
The repair
We replace what's broken and redo the detail around it: new tiles or ridge tiles, new lead, a fresh section of membrane round the outlet. Sealant goes where sealant belongs, and nowhere else.
- 07
Checking after the next downpour
After the first proper rain, take a look at the ceiling. If it isn't dry, we come back.
- →
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
Before you call anyone out for a leak
Ask how they plan to find it. Anyone who quotes for a new roof over the phone hasn't seen your roof. A decent roofer looks first, from above and below, and talks money afterwards. Price comparison site Slimster reckons tracing a roof leak takes around two hours.
Ring your insurer before any major repair, but don't hold off on the emergency make-safe. Univé counts damage as storm damage from Force 7 upwards, as measured by KNMI, and some insurers only pay out from Force 9, so check the small print. Wear and tear is generally excluded. A gutter that has been overflowing for years isn't storm damage, and a loss adjuster will spot that a mile off.
Don't go up there yourself, least of all in a gale. Dutch workplace safety law treats a possible fall of 2.5 metres as serious enough to need protection, and most Amsterdam roofs are well above that. If the building dates from before 1994, ask whether the roofer checks for asbestos. Corrugated sheets on sheds and extensions from that era can contain it, and only a lab can tell you for certain.
Side by side
Roof leaks in Amsterdam: four ways to deal with them
Broadly, you can fix it properly, patch it, replace the roof, or wait. The first is usually the right call. Not always.
| Proper repair now | Temporary patch | New roof | Wait and see | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| When it makes sense | The roof is otherwise sound and the leak is in one place | Straight after a storm, until the repair is booked | The roof is worn out or leaking in several places | Never, with an active leak |
| Guide cost | Small repair €200-500 (Homedeal) | Low, but the real repair still comes later | Felt €50-70/m², clay tiles €100-170/m² (Homedeal) | Nothing now; wet insulation and rot later |
| How long it lasts | As long as the rest of the roof | Weeks to months | Decades, depending on material | Until the next downpour |
| Insurance | Storm damage often covered, minus the excess | Report it to your insurer and keep the invoice | Old age isn't an insured risk | Neglect is usually excluded |
| Risk of further damage | Low | Moderate, worse if another storm hits | Low | High |
| Typical case | Slipped tiles, split lead, a leaking outlet | Missing tiles after a big blow | A flat roof well past its lifespan | Nobody, really |
Flashings and joints
Where roofs actually leak
A tiled roof or a stretch of flat membrane rarely leaks in the middle. Water gets in at the transitions - where the roof meets a chimney or wall, around a dormer or roof window, along the ridge. That's where you find lead, zinc and upstands that have been expanding and contracting for decades. When we hunt for a leak, that's where we start.
- Lead against chimneys and walls, checked for splits and lifted edges
- Joints around dormers and roof windows
- Ridge and hip tiles that can work loose in strong wind
- Outlets and overflows on flat roofs
"With a good share of the leaks we're called out to after stormy weather, the storm only delivered the final push. The gutter was already full or the lead already cracked. The wind just made it obvious."
Rough prices
What does roof leak repair cost in Amsterdam?
It depends on what we find. Homedeal gives €200-500 for a small roof repair and €60-90 an hour for roofers in the Randstad (the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-The Hague conurbation), VAT included. Comparison sites put leak tracing at roughly €150-300. Roofing work carries 21% VAT. After the inspection you get a fixed price from us, so nobody is watching the clock.
- €Access: a flat roof with a hatch is a very different job from a ridge five storeys up.
- €Kit on the street: a cherry picker, scaffold or skip on Amsterdam public space needs an objectvergunning (street permit), applied for at least 7 working days ahead. Short jobs can sometimes get by with a simple notification.
- €How long it has been leaking: replacing soaked insulation and rotten boards costs more than resetting a tile.
- €Materials: concrete tiles are easy to match, old clay tiles or ridge tiles on a pre-war roof sometimes aren't.
- €An emergency repair is a separate visit on top of the permanent fix, so it adds to the total.
Indicative from
€200/job
Guide price for a small roof repair according to Homedeal (2026), VAT included. Leak tracing, scaffolding or a cherry picker may come on top. Your fixed price follows the inspection.
Get your own priceQuestions
Roof leak repair in Amsterdam: your questions
What should I do if my roof leaks during a storm?
Put buckets down, move anything valuable out of the way and take photos. Don't go on the roof. Call us for an emergency repair and report the damage to your insurer. During Storm Eunice on 18 February 2022, and summer storm Poly on 5 July 2023, KNMI issued a code red for Noord-Holland. On days like that safety comes first, ours included, and we seal the roof as soon as the weather allows.
Will my insurance pay for the repair?
For genuine storm damage, often yes, minus the excess. Univé, for example, counts storm damage from Force 7 and has a €250 excess. Damage from wear or neglected maintenance usually isn't covered. If your tiles land on the neighbour's car, that's a matter for your liability insurance, not your buildings policy. We supply photos and a short description of the cause.
I live in a flat. Who arranges the repair?
The roof is almost always shared property of the VvE (owners' association), and its buildings insurance usually covers damage to it. Damage to your own belongings goes on your contents insurance. Tell the board or managing agent. We can inspect on the VvE's behalf and report back to the board.
Do I need a permit for a roof repair?
As a rule, not for ordinary repairs with matching materials - swapping tiles like for like counts as maintenance. Listed buildings (rijksmonumenten) are different: re-covering a whole roof slope or switching materials needs a permit. If in doubt, run the Vergunningcheck on the national Omgevingsloket portal or ask the gemeente Amsterdam. Scaffolding or a lift on the street needs a permit or notification from the gemeente as well.
The leak seems to move around. How do you find it?
By working through it methodically, from inside and out. We check the roof structure for damp and staining, then the joints, lead and outlets up top. Sometimes it isn't the roof at all - an overflowing gutter, or condensation from a badly ventilated bathroom. If so, we'll tell you, and you won't be paying a roofer for work you don't need.
How quickly can you come out?
It depends on the weather and how many calls come in at once. After a big storm, half the street rings at the same moment. Send photos straight away so we can see what's most urgent. An open roof goes ahead of a stain that's been there since spring.
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.
Where we work
Leak repairs across Amsterdam and nearby
From our base in Zuidoost we cover every part of the city, from the centre to Nieuw-West and Noord, plus towns such as Diemen, Amstelveen, Weesp and Almere.
- Amsterdam-Zuidoost
- Amstelveen
- Diemen
- Duivendrecht
- Ouderkerk a/d Amstel
- Abcoude
- Weesp
- Almere
- Badhoevedorp
- Hoofddorp
- Zaandam
- Purmerend
Leaking right now? Send us a photo
The sooner the water stops, the smaller the bill. Call or send a photo of the leak and we'll tell you what's needed.