What is vrije vloeroppervlakte?
Vrije vloeroppervlakte (literally “free floor area”) covered all floor area with a clear height of at least 2.3 m (dwellings) or 2.1 m (other buildings) in Dutch building regulations. Lower parts, such as the zone under a sloping roof, did not count. The term was dropped with the Dutch Bouwbesluit 2003. Since then the regulations simply refer to floor area and state the required height separately where needed.
Where you still see it
- In old Dutch drawings, permits and valuations: existing homes from that period sometimes still list the vrije vloeroppervlakte.
- In everyday speech: people often mean the “usable” part of an attic or room where you can stand upright.
Note: a figure from an old document is not directly comparable to the usable floor area (gebruiksoppervlakte) now shown in listings or valuation reports.
How is it measured now?
In the Netherlands, floor areas are measured according to NEN 2580. This standard defines, among others, gross floor area (bvo) and usable floor area (gbo). For usable floor area, parts lower than 1.5 m are excluded. Other countries use their own rules, so figures are not directly transferable.
Tips
- Compare like with like. Always check which standard and which definition was used for a floor area.
- Measure an attic yourself by marking the line where the clear height is 1.5 m; under NEN 2580 only the part inside that line counts as usable floor area.
- Converting an attic into a habitable room? Check the clear height and other requirements against current regulations, not against old terms.
Related terms
- Gross floor area
- Usable floor area
Want to learn more about construction terms? Visit our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.