Answers before
you build.
Practical explanation of the care and family home in the garden: which rules apply, what it costs, how a Silva is made and what it is like to live in one. Calmly explained, without promises we cannot keep.
Where do you start?
Most people arrive here with one question: is it allowed, what does it cost, or how does it feel? Start with that question. If you want to know whether a home in your garden is allowed, read the rules first and do the location check for your address; it gives a first impression within a minute, and we verify the outcome with your municipality free of charge. If it is about the budget, start with the costs and then open the configurator. And if you are unsure whether a printed house suits you, come and see it in Everdingen first.
We write these pieces ourselves, with sources where rules are concerned. If something changes, we update them; the date at the top of each article shows when that last happened.
Rules & permits
Whether a Silva can stand on your property permit-free depends on its position on the plot, its size and, in the case of informal care, the care relationship. The Dutch housing governance act (Wet versterking regie volkshuisvesting) has applied since 1 July 2026; the permit-free family home is expected to follow on 1 January 2027 through a separate decree. These pieces explain what is already possible, what is expected and how to have your address checked before you order anything.
Costs & financing
What a Silva costs depends on your configuration; in the configurator you request a price indication. Here you read what is and what is not included in the price of the home, which items to allow for on top of that, from a foundation on screw piles to the utility connections, and which questions to ask every supplier. That way you compare total prices instead of from-prices, and you know in advance what to expect, after the build too, from maintenance to the WOZ property valuation.
Material & construction
Silva prints layer by layer with Silco7, our wood-fibre biocomposite, and places homes on screw piles, without digging or pouring concrete. How the printing works, why we choose wood fibre instead of concrete, how a home goes from final order to occupancy in fifteen weeks and why we make no climate claims we cannot substantiate: you can read it in these articles. Without jargon, but precise.
Living & use
The same printed shell is a care home, guest residence, independent home, holiday home or workspace, and can move with you as your life changes. The rules, the sizes and the questions to ask beforehand differ per type of home. See what is possible for each model, or come and see the lived-in Embrace in Everdingen to feel what it is like to live close by, without moving in together. A visit is always personal and by appointment.