Visitors Walk Again Over the Binnenhof in Summer 2031

In 2023, the then Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning announced that the renovation would be completed at the earliest by the end of 2028. It was already indicated that various risks were involved and that an updated schedule would be prepared in 2025. Now that most contracts with contractors have been signed and designs have been finalized, this is a realistic schedule.

The Binnenhof is the oldest government center in the world still in use and has been the heart of Dutch democracy for 800 years.

“The renovation is an enormously complex operation,” says Minister Mona Keijzer of Housing and Spatial Planning, responsible for the Government Buildings Agency that is carrying out the renovation. “Within an area of over 90,000 m², there are thousands of rooms, attics, and cellars. We knew that around this time we would have more certainty about the schedule. Now it is clear what needs to be built and how. More than 1,000 craftsmen will ensure over the coming years that we complete the renovation as quickly as possible.”

The work on the Binnenhof has become much larger than initially thought, and the condition of the buildings turned out to be much worse. The complexity of the construction, limited space for construction logistics, and availability of specialized personnel make accelerating the work difficult. To speed up the work, an additional work area has been set up on the Hofvijver. Work on roofs and facades has also been brought forward and is partly completed.

Four different contractors are working together to renovate a complex consisting of 20 different monuments and 65 buildings, with only three difficult-to-access and too small construction sites. The Binnenhof consists of more than 4,000 rooms, cellars, halls, and corridors, all different. Most are monumental. They are renovated by specialists who are hard to find. For example, a large part of all lead roofers in the Netherlands are working on the Binnenhof.

Due to the longer duration and rising prices for materials and wages, the total renovation costs are increasing. The renovation is very labor-intensive. About 70% of the total costs are determined by labor costs. Last year, labor costs in the construction sector rose by over 10%. This directly impacts the budget. Based on current information, forecasts amount to at least €2.7 billion, price level January 1, 2026. In 2024, the renovation budget was set at approximately €2 billion.

The Counts Halls, including the Ridderzaal, are in poor condition. There is moisture and leakage in multiple places, woodworms in load-bearing beams, and major concerns about fire safety. Without measures, the oldest part of the Binnenhof will deteriorate further, resulting in more work and costs. The Government Buildings Agency is therefore starting to prepare the permit process for the renovation. This is separate from possible decision-making about renovating the Counts Halls. This will take place during the regular decision-making moment, the first of which is the Spring Memorandum 2026.

In 2020, the renovation of the Counts Halls was removed from the project for financial reasons. If the cabinet decides to add the Counts Halls back to the project, it saves time and money if the permit process is already underway. This way, the renovation could still be carried out within the Binnenhof renovation schedule. If the renovation of the Counts Halls lasts beyond summer 2031 or starts later, it would lead to extra costs and inconvenience.