Understanding the price of a Belgian new-build
The price of a Belgian new-build always consists of five blocks: land cost, works cost (shell, second fix, equipment, finishes), developer or contractor margin, financial costs (interim interest, guarantees, insurance) and taxation (21% VAT, registration duties on the land share, notary fees). These five blocks vary strongly from region to region — a new-build apartment in Brussels does not arbitrate like a turnkey house in Luxembourg Province.
According to official Statbel statistics on property prices, the following indicative ranges are observed in 2026 for new-build in French-speaking Belgium:
- EPC A new-build apartment, 70-90 m², Brussels: €4,200 to €5,600 incl. VAT/m²
- EPC A new-build apartment, 70-90 m², Liège or Namur: €3,100 to €3,900 incl. VAT/m²
- EPC A turnkey house, 150-180 m², Walloon Brabant: €1,800 to €2,400 excl. VAT/m² construction (land excluded)
- EPC A turnkey house, 150-180 m², Hainaut or Liège: €1,500 to €2,000 excl. VAT/m²
The land cost is added to these amounts: €200 to €800/m² in Wallonia depending on municipality, €600 to €1,500/m² in Brussels periphery, €800 to €2,500/m² in city centre.
21% VAT on new construction
21% VAT is the dominant taxation of Belgian new-build property. It replaces registration duty (12.5% in Wallonia/Brussels, 12% in Flanders) that applies to older property.
Scope. 21% VAT applies to:
- Sale of a new-build home by a taxable person (developer), as long as it has not been occupied more than 2 years
- New construction works carried out by a contractor
- Heavy renovations equivalent to new construction (rebuild of the shell)
Calculation. On a €320,000 excl. VAT apartment, VAT amounts to €67,200, i.e. an incl. VAT price of €387,200. This is the calculation base for your contribution and your mortgage.
Land exception in turnkey. When you buy land then have it built (turnkey), the land remains subject to registration duty (12.5% in Wallonia/Brussels), while the construction is subject to 21% VAT. You therefore pay both taxes on two distinct bases.
To dig deeper: 21% construction VAT, New-build VAT.
6% VAT: for whom, under what conditions?
6% VAT exists alongside 21% VAT, but it primarily targets renovation and certain temporary regimes.
Permanent regime — Renovation of homes > 10 years. Cumulative conditions:
- Property for private residential use
- Home over 10 years old at invoicing
- Invoiced by a registered contractor with the VAT administration
This regime does not concern new construction proper — it was created to support renovation of the existing stock.
Temporary demolition-reconstruction regime. From 2021 to 2024, a 6% VAT regime applied to demolition of an old property followed by reconstruction in certain Belgian cities, under strict conditions (personal occupation, area limited to 200 m²). This regime was restricted in 2025 and replaced by targeted measures. Check with your notary the conditions in force on your purchase date.
Detailed cluster: 6% VAT conditions.
Notary fees and mortgage guarantee
On top of the excl. VAT price and VAT, two cost items are systematically added to your new-build purchase budget.
Notary fees. For a new-build sale deed, the notary’s fees are set by Royal Decree and calculated as a degressive percentage of the sale price — you can obtain an exact estimate via the official Notaire.be purchase cost calculators:
- Base fees: about 0.8 to 1.4% of the price
- Fiscal distribution rights and administrative fees: 0.3 to 0.6%
- Average total: between 1% and 2% of the sale price
For a €350,000 incl. VAT apartment, notary fees revolve around €4,200 to €6,500.
Mortgage guarantee. When you borrow with a mortgage, the bank requires real security: mortgage registration (fees set at about 1.3 to 1.5% of the loan amount, plus notary fees on the guarantee) or mortgage mandate (about 0.5 to 0.8% but with risk for the bank, hence sometimes higher interest rate).
For a €280,000 loan, mortgage registration costs about €4,200 to €5,800 in initial fees.
Cluster: New-build notary fees and New-build apartment purchase fees.
“A new-build buyer must budget between 5 and 8% of additional costs on top of the excl. VAT price: VAT itself is already included in the advertised price, but notary fees, mortgage guarantee and file fees are added.”
Notaire.be, practical guide 2026
Regional bonuses and incentives
Energy bonuses and regional tax incentives can significantly reduce the total cost of a new-build purchase. Each region has its own scheme.
Wallonia. The scheme was restructured in 2024-2025 around EPC and updated scales are published on the official Walloon Region energy and renovation bonus portal:
- EPC A+ bonus: up to €4,500 for very low energy new-builds
- Q-ZEN / passive bonus: strict conditions, amount tied to performance
- Photovoltaic panels bonus: flat rate per kWc installed
- Chèque Habitat: annual tax reduction up to €1,520 for 25 years for first-time buyers
- Zero-rate loans Société wallonne du Crédit social: for modest incomes
Brussels. RENOLUTION programme and acquisition bonuses, whose eligibility and steps are detailed on the Bruxelles Environnement Bonuses & Incentives portal:
- Low-energy new-build acquisition bonus under income conditions
- RENOLUTION bonuses for heavy renovation
- Registration duty reduction under income and personal occupation conditions
Flanders. Regional schemes: Vlaamse Woonlening, Mijn VerbouwLening for renovation, EPC bonuses.
See our clusters Brussels construction bonus and Wallonia new-build bonus.
Impact of EPC on price and resale value
Since EPC mention has been mandatory in listings (Wallonia since 2010, Brussels since 2011, Flanders since 2008) and requirements were tightened in 2024, EPC has become a major determinant of Belgian property prices.
EPC A+ premium. A new-build EPC A+ apartment sells on average 8 to 12% more per m² than an equivalent EPC C, at comparable location. The build premium (4 to 8% additional costs) is thus offset by the resale premium.
Discount on mediocre EPC. For new-build, rarely an issue (EPC A or B mandatory). For comparable older property, a 10 to 20% discount weighs on EPC E or F in certain tight zones (Brussels mainly).
Energy costs. An EPC A typically consumes 30 to 60 kWh/m²/year, against 150 to 250 kWh/m²/year for an EPC E. Over 25 years, the saving represents several tens of thousands of euros.
Regional price comparison: Brussels, Wallonia, Flanders
Brussels-Capital. Tight market, scarce land. New-build 80 m² apartment: €340,000 to €480,000 incl. VAT depending on municipality (Watermael-Boitsfort, Ixelles, Uccle at top range; Anderlecht, Molenbeek at bottom).
Walloon Brabant. Premium market, strong demand from Brussels executives. 180 m² turnkey house: €480,000 to €720,000 incl. VAT (Waterloo, Lasne, Rixensart at top; Genappe, Perwez at bottom).
Liège Province. More accessible market. New-build 150 m² house: €310,000 to €460,000 incl. VAT (Liège, Herstal, Seraing in median zone; small rural municipalities at bottom).
Namur Province. Intermediate market. 160 m² house: €320,000 to €480,000 incl. VAT.
Hainaut. The most accessible in Wallonia. 150 m² house: €240,000 to €380,000 incl. VAT (Mons, Tournai, Charleroi in median zone).
Luxembourg Province. Specific market, Luxembourgish influence on the Arlon area. 160 m² house: €280,000 to €460,000 incl. VAT (Arlon, Bastogne at top).
Tax strategy: optimising your purchase
Some optimisation paths, to validate with your notary and a tax advisor:
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Buy as a couple rather than solo: double Chèque Habitat possible in Wallonia under conditions, doubled thresholds.
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Check eligibility for regional bonuses from the compromise phase. Some bonuses require prior steps (energy audit, project submission).
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Compare mandate vs mortgage registration: the mandate costs less but the bank may raise the rate. Calculation to make case by case.
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Monitor temporary schemes (6% VAT demolition-reconstruction, one-off bonuses). They can represent several tens of thousands of euros in savings.
Conclusion
The taxation of Belgian new-build property is dense but coherent: 21% VAT replacing registration duty, modest notary fees, incompressible mortgage guarantee, potential regional bonuses. The key is to reason in total cost (excl. VAT + VAT + costs + guarantees minus bonuses) rather than advertised price.
For buyers committing to 25 years and several hundred thousand euros, support by a specialised notary and an independent construction expert is not a luxury — it is the assurance of not getting the calculation, contract or warranties wrong.