Rules for holiday homes

What rules apply when you want to build a holiday home? Are you allowed to build near the water? And what determines how large the house can be?

There are many questions and the answers vary depending on where the plot is located and how it is regulated. Here we explain the most important rules for those planning a holiday home.

Area with a detailed development plan

First you need to find out whether your property is within an area covered by a detailed development plan.

If there is a detailed plan, it is the one that specifies what may be built – for example maximum building area, number of buildings and height restrictions.

A detailed plan can for example specify:

- Allowed building area, for example 120 sqm, 70+30 sqm or 20 % of the plot area

- Number of buildings on the plot

- Building height (measured from average ground level to the eave)

- Roof shape, pitch and materials

- Façade materials, color scheme or specific design requirements

The plan also includes a zoning map – it shows exactly where buildings may be placed. Land marked with dots means that building permits are not granted there. But friggebodar and Attefallshus may be built even on dotted land, because these rules override the detailed plan.

In some cases the detailed plan is outdated or unclear. Then dialogue between the architect and the case officer is required to find a solution that meets both the regulations and the client's wishes.

Shoreline protection – building a holiday home near the water

If your plot is near a lake or the sea, shoreline protection normally applies, which restricts construction within 100 meters of the shoreline. But if the property is within a detailed development plan area, the shoreline protection is replaced by the detailed plan's provisions.

On many lakefront plots the area closest to the water is marked as dotted land, which means that building permits cannot be granted there. However the Attefalls- och friggebodsreglerna also apply on dotted land – which means that in some cases it is possible to place a smaller building close to the shore, provided that other conditions are met.

Extended or reduced building permit requirement

The municipality can decide on so-called extended or reduced building permit requirements:

- Reduced building permit requirement means that certain measures may be carried out without a building permit.

- Extended building permit requirement means the opposite – that a building permit is required even for measures that are otherwise exempt, for example Attefallshus.

This will be specified in the detailed plan or the area regulations.

Building outside a detailed plan area

If your property is not covered by a detailed plan, the assessment is made individually by the municipality. This can give greater freedom, but also means that you cannot be certain what will be approved until the building permit has been considered.

Usually one main building is permitted per property, complemented by one or more ancillary buildings. These should be placed adjacent to the main building – which means in the same developed part of the plot.

As a guideline, the ancillary building should be smaller than the main building, often about half the size. For example, if the main building is 80 sqm, an ancillary house of about 40 sqm may be reasonable.

The main building may be fitted out as a residence with a kitchen and bathroom. Ancillary houses are usually not permitted to be fitted out as full-fledged dwellings, but bathrooms and simple kitchenettes are typically allowed.

What is a preliminary decision?

Some plot owners choose to apply for a preliminary decision to, with simple drawings, find out whether what they want is possible at all. After a positive preliminary decision for a certain size of house in a certain location, one can then apply for a building permit within two years.

Since a preliminary decision often takes as long as a building permit and still requires a building permit application afterwards, we generally proceed to apply for the building permit directly. Our architect then enters into a dialogue with the case officer, listens and makes any adjustments to find the best solution for our client.

Help with building permits and the planning process

Understanding detailed development plans, shoreline protection and building permit rules requires experience. Our architects and project managers work daily with building permit matters across the country.

We prepare drawings, handle applications and conduct the dialogue with the municipality – so that you get the best possible conditions to build your holiday home where you want it.