6% VAT on tiles in Brussels: what stores don't tell you!

Are you renovating your bathroom or kitchen in Brussels and counting on the 6% VAT rate to lower the bill? Good news: it is entirely possible. Bad news: most private individuals lose this advantage without even realizing it, simply because they buy their tiles on one hand and hire a tiler on the other.

At Akdeniz Deco, we regularly see customers arrive at the showroom with a well-thought-out project, a budget calculated on the basis of 6% VAT... and no one has explained to them that the way they organize the purchase can increase the bill by 15 VAT points. On a project with €5,000 worth of materials, that represents a difference of up to €750. We explain everything to you, without administrative jargon.

The basic rule: 6% instead of 21%, but under certain conditions

In Belgium, the standard VAT rate is 21%. For renovation work, a reduced rate of 6% may apply — a far from negligible saving on a tiling, parquet, or sanitary project.

To benefit from it, your home must meet three cumulative conditions:

1. Be more than 10 years old, calculated from the date of first occupation.
2. Be used primarily as a private residence (more than 50%), whether you are the owner, tenant, or usufructuary.
3. The work must aim at the renovation, transformation, or repair of the home — not new construction or simple cleaning.

If your Brussels home was first inhabited before 2016, you already meet the first condition. For the rest, it is almost always the case for a classic bathroom or kitchen renovation.

The trap no one explains to you: who buys the tiles?

This is where it gets complicated, and it is the point most misunderstood by private individuals. The rule is simple, but its consequences are less so:

The 6% VAT only applies if the contractor (the tiler) buys AND invoices the materials. If you buy your tiles yourself in a store, you automatically pay 21% VAT on them — even if the installation itself is invoiced at 6%.

In concrete terms, two very different scenarios:

Scenario A — you buy the tiles, an independent tiler installs them → Tiles: 21% VAT → Installation (labor): 6% VAT → Result: you pay the full rate on all the material.

Scenario B — the tiler buys the tiles in your name and invoices them themselves → Tiles + installation: 6% VAT on the whole → Result: maximum savings.

The difference between the two scenarios, on a €5,000 pre-tax tile budget, represents about €750 (21% – 6% = 15 VAT points). It is far from an administrative detail.

How to organize yourself so as not to lose the advantage

If you want to benefit from 6% VAT on your entire project, there is a simple way to organize it:

• Ask your tiler or contractor to buy the tiles directly, rather than buying them yourself and then "just" asking them to lay them. The material must appear on their invoice, not yours.
• Choose your tiles in the showroom, but have the order placed in the contractor's name if they agree to handle this part. Many tilers accept this arrangement without difficulty — you just need to plan it before ordering, not after.
• Check that the final invoice explicitly mentions the elements justifying the reduced rate: age of the property, residential use, nature of the work. Since July 2022, this is a legal obligation for the contractor.
• Keep a written record in case of doubt: you have a period of one month after receiving the invoice to contest an incorrectly applied VAT rate.

If you prefer to choose your tiles yourself in a store — which remains the easiest way to compare colors, formats, and finishes in a showroom — talk to your tiler before placing the order. In some cases, they can take over the order already selected in the showroom under their own billing name.

What is covered (and what is not)

For a renovation project at Akdeniz Deco, here is what falls under the 6% VAT, under the conditions above:

A concrete example

Let's take a typical bathroom renovation in Schaerbeek, in a 1965 house (thus well eligible in terms of age):

• Floor + wall tiles: €2,800 excluding VAT
• Sanitary fixtures (wall-hung toilet, cabinet, shower): €1,900 excluding VAT
• Full installation: €2,200 excluding VAT

If everything is invoiced by the contractor (materials + installation): 6% VAT on the whole (€6,900) = €414 of VAT. If the private individual buys the tiles and sanitary fixtures themselves: 21% VAT on €4,700 (materials) + 6% on €2,200 (installation) = €987 + €132 = €1,119 of VAT.

Difference: €705, just on the organization of the invoicing. Enough to finance a good part of the skirting boards or finishing accessories.

Our advice at Akdeniz Deco

Our role as a specialized store is to help you choose the right material at the right price — but we also encourage you to clarify this point before placing the order, not after receiving the invoice. If you are already working with a tiler or contractor, simply ask them if they can include the purchase of the tiles in their invoicing. If you do not have a tiler yet, we can direct you to professionals accustomed to working with our showroom.

For the rest — choice of materials, formats, finishes, samples — our team will assist you in our Schaerbeek showroom, from Monday to Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

FAQ

Does the 6% VAT apply if I buy my tiles myself at Akdeniz Deco? On the purchase of tiles alone in the store, the applied VAT is 21%, as with any purchase of materials by a private individual. The 6% rate concerns the contractor's invoice who buys and installs the materials for you, as part of an eligible renovation.

My Brussels apartment is 8 years old, can I still benefit from the reduced rate? No, the 10-year age condition is strict and is calculated from the first occupation of the property. You will have to wait until this period has passed.

Will the 6% rate change in 2026? Discussions have taken place about a possible move to 9%, but to date, the reduced rate of 6% remains in effect for renovations meeting the legal conditions. Check with the SPF Finances or your accountant for the most up-to-date situation at the time of your work.

This article is provided for informational purposes and does not replace personalized tax advice. For any question specific to your situation, consult the SPF Finances or an accountant.