Published 2026-11-03 · Updated 2026-11-03 · Alpha Services Benelux

General contractor or coordinating the tradespeople yourself: which is smarter in Belgium (2026)?

Short answer: A general contractor usually costs more: Belgian sources quote a coordination margin of roughly 10 to 30%, depending on the source. In return you get one contract, one point of contact and one party answerable for its subcontractors. Coordinating yourself is often cheaper with two or three trades and few overlaps, but scheduling, follow-up and any disputes then land on you.

Prices in this article are indicative Belgian market ranges, not Alpha Services Benelux's price list. Your fixed price is in the quote.

How much extra does a general contractor cost?

Expect a premium of roughly 10 to 30% on the tradespeople's work, though sources disagree. The margin covers planning, follow-up, risk and overheads. Bouwplannen points out that there is no fixed percentage: coordination is often built into one global price or the unit prices.

Note that Trustup and Batirama are not independent of each other: the Batirama article is an advertorial (publi-information) sourced from TrustUp, so both figures are commercially coloured.

A worked example makes it concrete. Say the tradespeople invoice 30,000 euro in total (excl. VAT):

Batirama notes the visible gap can shrink noticeably once you count your own coordination time, delays and disputes, but gives no figure for that.

Liability: who pays for mistakes?

Ten-year liability applies in both set-ups, but with a general contractor you face one counterparty instead of several. It covers serious defects that endanger the stability or solidity of the building, up to 10 years after acceptance (usually from final acceptance). It is a matter of public policy: a contract cannot exclude or limit it (FEGC).

• What counts: for example foundation problems, large cracks or water coming through the roof (Renoffice). Cosmetic defects are excluded, and per Renoffice so are small jobs such as tiling or painting.
• General contractor: your contract is with them, and they answer for their subcontractors' work. You have no direct claim against those subcontractors (FEGC).
• Separate tradespeople: each is liable for their own part. A defect at the interface between two trades often turns into an argument over who is responsible (Batirama).

You must start proceedings on the merits within the 10 years; according to the FEGC, a registered letter, summary proceedings or expert-appointment proceedings are not enough. The FEGC also states that the period can be neither suspended nor interrupted.

Insurance: not always mandatory

Since 1 July 2018 contractors must insure their ten-year liability, but only when three conditions apply together: it concerns a dwelling, the work affects the closed rough structure (foundations, outer walls, roof structure) and an architect is required (as a rule for works that need a permit) (Federale Verzekering). The certificate must be given to the client and the architect before work starts. For smaller renovations without an architect this mandatory insurance does not exist, so ask the contractor yourself what cover they hold.

Hidden defects and warranties after handover

Even for less serious hidden defects the contractor can stay liable for a long time, but only if fault is proven, and a contract can shorten the period. Without a deviating clause, the contractor can be liable for minor hidden defects for up to 10 years after completion of the work (FEGC). The contract can shorten this, but according to the FEGC not below 2 years in a contract with a consumer. A 1-year limit, which Renoffice gives as a general example, is below that consumer minimum. So check the clause in your quote or the general terms.

With a general contractor, a bankruptcy can also bring the whole site to a halt (Batirama). Check financial soundness and never pay more deposit than the work done justifies.

Delays and site safety: who is responsible?

With a general contractor they carry the scheduling risk; with separate tradespeople you do. If the plumber slips, the tiler slips, then the painter. Batirama describes this domino effect and the time you spend on follow-up.

Also consider safety coordination. As soon as two or more contractors work on site, at the same time or one after another, a safety coordinator is mandatory (Royal Decree of 25 January 2001), including for a private client (Prevent, Bouwunie). That also applies when your general contractor uses subcontractors. According to Bouwunie, from 500 m² the client appoints the coordinator; below 500 m² the project management (bouwdirectie) does, usually the architect, or the main contractor if there is no architect. Have your architect confirm this.

Tip: ask for a schedule with start and end dates in the quote, and agree what happens if the contractor causes a delay, for example compensation or a revised plan.

When is each option cheaper or more sensible?

Coordinating yourself suits a limited job with two or three specialists; a general contractor pays off when many work items depend on each other. Bouwplannen and Batirama reach the same conclusion. What drives the choice:

• Number of trades and overlaps: a new floor or a fuse box needs little coordination. A bathroom where demolition, plumbing, electrics, tiling and painting interlock needs far more. Batirama puts the tipping point at four or five trades.
• Your available time: coordinating is a second job of questions, appointments and deliveries. Put a cost on it.
• Your technical knowledge: can you judge a quote and follow up a site, or do you need help?
• Dispute risk: the more interfaces, the more likely the question "who is responsible?"

VAT 6% or 21%: does the set-up matter?

No: the 6% rate depends on the dwelling and its use, not on the set-up. According to the FPS Finance, it applies to renovation of a dwelling older than 10 years that is mainly used as a private home after the works. The work must be invoiced to the end consumer (for example the owner or tenant) and, since 2022, the contractor must state on the invoice the elements that justify the rate.

Materials you buy yourself stay at 21% (Test-Aankoop). If the contractor supplies and installs the materials and invoices them with the work, the whole can fall under 6%. That matters when you coordinate yourself: ask each tradesperson to invoice labour and materials. For the exact conditions, see fin.belgium.be.

How to contract properly and avoid surprises

In both set-ups, insist on a detailed written quote and settle in advance who does what. With a general contractor, ask whether coordination is a separate surcharge or included in the unit prices, so you do not pay for it twice. Also beware: some companies call themselves general contractor without actually carrying out the coordination.

1. Ask for the insurance certificate where it is mandatory, before work starts.
2. Put the schedule in the contract, with start, end and the consequences of delay.
3. Specify who uses subcontractors and who appoints the safety coordinator.
4. Agree the acceptance procedure: written acceptance, snag list, length of the warranties.
5. Tie payments to progress, not dates, and pay the final instalment only after acceptance.
6. Compare quotes on the same basis: same scope, same materials, same VAT treatment. See also our renovation page.

Alpha Services Benelux is a contractor that carries out the work with its own team, active since 2014. After a site visit you receive a fixed written quote. For a first idea of what is involved, see interior renovation. The prices in this article are market indications, not a price list.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a general contractor in Belgium?

No, you can hire tradespeople directly. Some rules still apply: a safety coordinator as soon as two or more contractors work on site, and mandatory ten-year liability insurance for dwellings where an architect is required for work on the closed rough structure.

How much does a general contractor charge for coordination?

It depends on the source: Trustup quotes 10-15%, Batirama (advertorial sourced from Trustup) and Heylen Vastgoed 15-25%, Interieurkabinet 20-30%. Bouwplannen says there is no fixed percentage. Ask in the quote whether coordination is a separate surcharge.

Who is liable if I coordinate the trades myself?

Each tradesperson answers for their own work. A defect at the interface between two trades more easily leads to a dispute over responsibility. Ten-year liability for serious defects still applies, but you have to pursue the right party.

What is the warranty on hidden defects?

Without a deviating clause, the contractor can be liable for minor hidden defects for up to 10 years, but only if fault is proven. A contract can shorten this, according to the FEGC not below 2 years with a consumer. A 1-year clause is below that minimum, so check the clause in your quote.

When is coordinating myself cheaper?

Usually for a limited job with two or three specialists and few interfaces. Count your own time, the delay risk and the safety coordinator. From four or five trades, Batirama says a general contractor often makes more sense.

Sources

1. Nieuwe wet Tienjarige Aansprakelijkheid — Federale Verzekering
2. Responsabilité décennale (FAQ) — FEGC (Fédération des Entrepreneurs Généraux de la Construction)
3. De tienjarige aansprakelijkheid bij een renovatieproject — Renoffice
4. Rénovation en Belgique : artisan ou entreprise générale ? — Batirama (publi-information, source : TrustUp)
5. Comment choisir un entrepreneur fiable pour ses travaux en 2026 — Trustup
6. Wat kost een woningrenovatie in Vlaanderen? (2026) — Heylen Vastgoed
7. Renovatiewerkzaamheden: wie voert ze uit en wat kost het? — Interieurkabinet
8. Algemene aannemer: wat doet hij en wanneer kies je hem? — Bouwplannen
9. Tijdelijke of mobiele bouwplaatsen — FOD WASO (BESWIC)
10. Tijdelijke of mobiele bouwplaatsen: veiligheidscoördinatie — Prevent
11. Wie moet de veiligheidscoördinator aanstellen? — Bouwunie
12. Building and renovating - VAT rate for renovation (6 %) — FOD Financiën
13. Wanneer en hoe krijg je verminderd btw-tarief van 6% voor werken aan je woning? — Test-Aankoop