What does the law say?
Since the end of 2024, a clear guideline applies in most Flemish municipalities:
“An environmental permit is only required if the streetscape changes.”
In other words:
- Renovating the front façade? Yes, permit required
- Renovating the side or rear façade? No, usually no permit required
The logic behind this is simple: if the visible appearance of your home from the street changes, the municipality wants to assess this in advance. If it concerns a rear façade, where no one is affected, you can usually start your renovation without applying.
Note: this applies to most, but not all communes!
What about the building line, the thickness of your façade and the appearance?
Whether you need a permit also depends on the position of your façade in relation to the building line.
- Is your front façade located directly on the building line? Then your façade may only be extended forward with a limited thickness. Usually this is a maximum of 14 cm, although it can differ per commune. Do you want to insulate more thickly or work with brick slips? Luckily, there is a solution: demolishing the existing facing brick. That way, you gain space while still staying within the allowed limit.
- Do you have a front garden or driveway? Then your façade is not located on the building line and the rules are more flexible. In that case, communes usually don’t object to a thicker façade. However, they may judge that the appearance does not fit into the streetscape.
In short, there are two important questions:
Is there physically enough space for external wall insulation?
Does the new façade appearance fit with the rest of the street?
The appearance of the neighborhood sometimes determines the finish
In some neighborhoods, the appearance of the houses is protected. Think of streets where all façades are painted white brick. Render or sprayed cork is sometimes prohibited there. The classic solution? Insulate, finish with brick slips and paint them white.
💡 But there is a smarter and cheaper option: Cleys offers a brick-pattern finish at the same price as crepi. This way, you keep the same look, you can insulate more thickly and you save on material and installation. And: the result is often hardly distinguishable from real brick slips.
Attention: the City of Antwerp deviates
Do you live in postal code area 2000 in Antwerp? Then the rules are stricter. In the city center, all façade renovations are considered potentially impactful. That’s why the following applies:
- Permit required for front, side and rear façade. There may be exceptions, but if you live in this zone, it’s best to always submit an application to avoid problems or fines.
The good news? Cleys can handle the permit application completely for you!
Hoe verloopt een vergunningsaanvraag?
When your renovation requires a permit, some administration is involved. But no stress: Cleys takes care of everything for you, together with a dedicated architect.
Here’s what you can expect:
-
Intake
Together we review which works you want to carry out and whether a permit is required. The client can file the application themselves, or we take care of it through our architect. -
Architect
Our architect prepares all the necessary documents, takes photos and organizes the file. (Unless you choose to do this yourself) -
Submission to the municipality
You can officially submit an application via the digital environmental portal. If you prefer not to do it yourself, we can also handle it for you with the help of the architect. -
Receiving the yellow notice
Upon approval, you receive a yellow A3 form from the municipality. This must be displayed visibly on your façade or in the front garden. -
30-day objection period
Neighbors or nearby residents can file objections during this period. If no reactions are received, the permit becomes final. -
Start of the works
After the waiting period, we can start with the execution of your façade renovation.
How much does a permit application cost?
In principle, there are no municipal costs associated with a permit application. However, some cities or communes charge a small administrative fee, usually between €25 and €40.
The architect’s involvement is, however, a paid service if we handle this for you. That amount is discussed with you in advance, so you know exactly what to expect.
Why Cleys?
At Cleys, we believe that renovating should be worry-free. Permit regulations? Architects? Paperwork? We handle it all for you. Thanks to our experience throughout Flanders, we know the specific rules of each commune. So you don’t have to look anything up or submit anything yourself.
Our strengths:
- We check in advance whether your project requires a permit
- We involve a reliable architect
- We submit the complete file for you
- We keep you informed of every step
- We only start when everything is in order
👉 This way you are sure of a correct renovation, without surprises.
Not sure? Ask us!
Every house and every commune is different. So don’t wait until the last moment, but let us take a look. Together we make sure that your façade renovation runs smoothly, correctly and according to the rules.
