Construction terms/
Dictionary
DICTIONARY
Construktion terms/Dictionary
The construction aid is designed to facilitate your understanding of the construction process. We've compiled a comprehensive glossary of the most common construction terms to help you along the way. We are confident that this resource will help you feel safer and more informed during your construction journey.
A
Anläggning: A structure that is not classified as a building, such as sports fields and parks.
Anmälan: Notification to authorities about a planned construction activity that does not require a building permit but still needs to be reported.
Arbetsmiljö: The conditions and practices that ensure safety and health for workers on a construction site.
Arbetsplatsbesök: Visit to the construction site to inspect the work environment and how the work is being carried out.
Arkitektur: The art and science of designing buildings.
Attefallshus: A supplementary residential house, up to 25 square meters, that can be built without a building permit.
Attefallstillbyggnad: An extension of an existing house, up to 15 square meters, that can be built without a building permit.
Avgifter: Fees for building permits, notifications, demolition permits, preliminary decisions, map data for permit applications, and possible planning fees, according to a fixed tax rate.
Avvikelse från detaljplan: When a construction activity does not fully comply with the detailed plan's regulations.
Avvikelse från områdesbestämmelser: When a construction activity does not fully comply with area regulations.
B
Betong: A strong building material made of cement, sand, gravel, and water.
Betydande miljöpåverkan: Significant and long-term environmental impact.
Betydande olägenhet: A nuisance significant enough to affect people's health or well-being.
BIA (Biarea): Spaces not counted as living area, such as garages or storage rooms.
Blanketter: Digital forms available on respective municipality's website. Contact the building authorities to get the form sent to your home.
BOA (Boarea): The area in a home that is used as living space.
Boverket: The authority responsible for community planning, urban development, construction, and housing.
Boverkets byggregler: Regulations set by Boverket regarding construction and safety.
Brandklassning: Classification of building materials and structures based on their resistance to fire.
BRA (Bruksarea): The sum of all floors' usable area in a building.
Bruttoarea (BTA): The total area of all floors, measured at the outer edges of enclosing walls.
Budget: A detailed financial plan for a construction project.
Byggherre: The person or organization commissioning and financing a construction project.
Bygglov: A permit required for building new structures, extensions, or major modifications.
Bygglovsansökan: Application for permission to carry out a construction.
Bygglovsbefriad åtgärd: Actions that do not require a building permit but may still require notification.
Bygglovshandläggare: The person handling and assessing building permit applications.
Bygglovsavdelningen: The department responsible for processing building permit applications.
Byggnadshöjd: The height from ground level to the highest point of the building.
Byggnadsmaterial: Materials used in construction, such as wood, steel, and concrete.
Byggnadsarea (BYA): The area that a building occupies on the ground.
Byggnadsingenjör: An engineer specializing in the design and construction of buildings.
Byggnadsnämnd: A municipal committee that decides on building permits and other construction matters.
Byggnadsplan: A plan regulating the placement and design of a building within an area.
Byggnormer: Regulations and standards governing building design and construction.
Byggprocess: The steps from planning and design to completion of a construction project.
Byggsanktionsavgift: A fee imposed for violating building permit regulations.
C
CAD-ritning: Drawings created digitally on a computer instead of being drawn by hand. Vector-based software.
Certifierad sakkunnig: A person certified to carry out certain control tasks within the construction field.
D
Detaljplan: Regulates how land and water areas may be used and which buildings or structures may be allowed.
DWG: A format used for CAD drawings, popular software includes AutoCAD.
E
EKS: European construction standards regulating the load-bearing structures of buildings.
En- och tvåbostadshus: Buildings with one or two dwellings.
Enkelt avhjälpta hinder: Obstacles in the built environment that can be fixed without major interventions.
Entreprenör: A person or company responsible for carrying out construction work according to a contract.
F
Fasad: The outer wall of a building.
Fasadändring: Changes to the exterior appearance of a building.
Fasadritning: A drawing showing what the exterior of the house will look like when finished.
Fastighet: A unit of land registered in the property register.
Fastighetsbeteckning: A unique identification of a property within the municipality.
Fastighetsbildning: Changes to property boundaries through a cadastral procedure, managed by the Swedish Land Survey.
Fastighetsindelning: The societal infrastructure that enables trade in real estate and credit.
Friggebod: One or several small buildings on a residential property with a total area not exceeding 15 sqm.
Fundament: The part of the building that transfers the load to the ground, also called the foundation.
Färdigställandeskydd: Protection to ensure that a construction project is completed even if the contractor goes bankrupt.
Förbud mot användning av byggnadsverk: Prohibition of using a building that does not meet the required standards.
Förbud mot arbete eller åtgärd: Prohibition of starting or continuing work that violates building permits or planning regulations.
Förhandsbesked: A preliminary decision on whether a future construction project would be possible or not.
Förvanskningsförbud: Prohibition against altering a building in a way that reduces its cultural-historical value.
G
Gemensamhetsanläggning: Jointly owned and managed land or facility for several property owners.
Grannehörande: Neighbors' opportunity to express opinions on a building permit application.
Grannemedgivande: Consent from neighbors for an action that affects them.
Granskningsutlåtande: A summary of opinions from the review of a detailed plan.
Grävmaskin: Heavy equipment used for digging.
Gröna byggnader: Buildings designed and constructed with a focus on environmental sustainability.
Grund: The part of the building that transfers the load to the ground, also called the foundation.
H
Hammare: A tool used to drive nails.
Höjdredovisning (plushöjd, + höjd): Points on a plot map or site plan that indicate height based on the area's height system.
I
Interimistiskt slutbesked: Temporary final decision issued before all conditions for the final approval have been met.
J
Jäv: The situation where a person has a personal interest that may affect their objectivity in a decision-making process.
K
K-märkt: A term denoting buildings that are particularly valuable from a cultural-historical perspective.
Komplementbyggnad: A smaller building on the same property as the main building, such as a garage or storage shed.
Konstruktör/Konstruktionsingenjör: An engineer who focuses on the structural integrity of buildings.
Kvalitetskontroll: Processes that ensure that the construction work meets specified standards.
Konstruktionsritning: A drawing showing the detailed construction of a building.
Kontrollansvarig: A person responsible for ensuring that the construction project complies with laws and regulations.
Kontrollplan: A plan outlining which inspections will be carried out during the construction process.
Kran: A machine used for lifting and moving heavy materials.
L
Lantmäteriet: The authority responsible for land registration and geographic information.
Lovpliktig åtgärd: An action that requires a building permit.
Lägenhetsregister: A national register of Sweden’s apartments.
Lagfart: A certificate issued by the land registration authority that shows that a property owner has obtained a mortgage on their property for a certain amount.
Laga kraft: A decision that can no longer be appealed.
Lov för tillfällig åtgärd: A permit to temporarily change the use of a building or set up a temporary structure.
Lovföreläggande: A directive to apply for a building permit for an action that has been carried out without permission.
Lägeskontroll: A survey to verify that houses are built according to the staking and approved building permit.
Lämplighetsbedömning: An assessment of whether a property is suitable for its intended use.
M
Miljöbalken: Legislation regulating environmental protection.
Miljöpåverkan: The impact on the environment from a building or construction process.
Markanvisning: The allocation of land for construction projects through a municipal decision.
Marklov: Required for excavating or filling a plot that significantly changes the ground level.
Miljökonsekvensbeskrivning: A document that describes the environmental impact a project may cause and how it can be minimized.
Modell: A physical or digital representation of a building.
Modulbyggnad: The use of prefabricated modules assembled on-site.
Murning: The process of building with bricks, stones, or blocks.
Mur: A vertical, often load-bearing structure made of stones placed on top of each other.
N
Nybyggnadskarta: A map showing existing and planned buildings on a plot.
Nybyggnation: The construction of an entirely new building.
O
Omgivningsbuller: Noise from the surroundings that affects the living environment, such as traffic or industries.
Olovligt byggande: Construction without a building permit.
Områdesbestämmelser: Regulations governing land and water use in areas without a detailed plan.
Ombyggnad: Construction measures that significantly change a building's function or appearance.
Ovårdad fastighet: Properties that do not meet the required upkeep standards according to the Planning and Building Act.
OVK: Mandatory ventilation inspection to ensure good air quality in buildings.
P
Pantbrev: A certificate issued by the land registration authority indicating that a property owner has taken out a mortgage on their property for a certain amount.
Plan och byggförordning: A regulation supplementing the Planning and Building Act with detailed provisions.
Plan och bygglagen (PBL): The law containing provisions for land and water planning and construction.
Planbesked: A notice from the municipality regarding the plans applicable to a certain area.
Planbeskrivning: A description of the purpose and conditions for a detailed plan.
Planavgift: A fee the municipality can charge property owners in an area to cover the costs of detailed planning.
Planritning: A drawing that includes functions, dimensions, and building areas.
Post och Inrikes Tidningar: A publication where official announcements and notices are published.
Prefabricering: The manufacturing of building components at a location other than the construction site.
Primärkarta: Basic map information covering urban areas and some other parts of the municipality.
Q
Q-märkning: Cultural-historical classification of buildings with protected status.
R
Renovering: The process of improving or updating an existing building.
Ritning: A technical drawing of what a building or structure will look like.
Rivningslov: Permission to demolish a building.
Rivningsplan: A plan describing how the demolition of a building will be carried out.
Rumshöjd: The height in a room.
Råspont: Boards used as a subfloor for roofs and floors.
S
Samråd: A meeting between the developer, the responsible inspector, and the municipality to discuss the construction project. Common types include technical consultation and final consultation.
Sakägare: Persons affected or neighboring properties to the intended construction.
Samfällighet/gemensamhetsanläggning: Jointly owned and managed land or facility for several property owners.
Sammanhållen bebyggelse: Buildings located close enough to each other that they visually and functionally form a unit.
Sektionsritning: A cross-sectional drawing showing the interior of a building.
Servitut: The right of one property to use another property in a certain way.
Slutbesked: Notice that the construction project is completed and meets all requirements.
Slutbesiktning: An inspection of a completed building to verify that everything has been executed according to plan.
Situationsplan: A plot map showing the building's size and location, as well as the distances to the property boundaries.
Skiss: A simple drawing showing the basic idea of a design.
Sotare: A person who cleans and inspects chimneys.
Situationsplan: A drawing showing the location of a building on the plot.
Startbesked: A notice that allows construction work to begin.
Stadsbyggnadskontoret: The municipal unit responsible for urban planning and building permit management.
Stadsplan: A plan governing development and land use in cities.
Strandskydd: Protection to preserve public access to shores and protect sensitive nature.
Strandskyddsdispens: A permit to build within a protected shore area.
Slutbesked: Issued when construction and the control plan are completed and approved.
Slutsamråd: A meeting where the construction and the control plan are reviewed before the final approval is issued.
Snickeri: Carpentry work, including the construction of frames, doors, and windows.
Stål: A metal used to create strong structural components in buildings.
T
Tak: The top part of a building that protects against weather.
Takläggning: The work of installing or repairing a roof.
Taknock: A ridge beam running along the roof’s long side, supporting the roof and often allowing for higher ceiling height.
Taknockhöjd: The height from the ground level to the highest point of the roof.
Takstol: The truss that forms the roof structure and shape, often prefabricated or constructed with structural timber on-site.
Tekniska egenskapskrav: Requirements for the technical functions of buildings, such as safety, durability, and energy efficiency.
Tekniskt samråd: A consultation between the developer, the responsible inspector, and the building committee regarding the technical aspects of the construction project.
Tidsbegränsat bygglov: A building permit valid for a limited time.
Tidsplan: A detailed plan outlining when different phases of the construction project will be completed.
Tillbyggnad: An extension of an existing building.
Tjänsteutlåtande: A written opinion from a civil servant in a municipality or authority.
Trä: A natural material used in the construction of buildings.
U
Underlag: The material that forms the foundation for a construction.
Uppskattning: A rough estimate of the costs or time for a construction project.
Uteplats: An open area next to a house for outdoor activities.
Utformningskrav: Requirements for the design of buildings, such as aesthetic and functional aspects.
V
VA-ritning: A drawing showing water and sewage systems.
Villkorsbesked: Notice of the conditions that apply to a specific construction action.
Vind: The space under the roof that is not counted as living area.
Vite: A fine or other penalty that can be imposed for violating regulations.
Y
Yttervägg: The outer walls of a building that separate it from the surroundings.
Yttermått: The dimensions of the outer edges of the building.
Z
Zonindelning: The division of land into different use zones, such as residential or industrial zones.
Å
Åtgärd: A specific action or work carried out within a construction project.
Åtgärdsprogram: A plan for implementing specific actions to achieve certain goals in a construction project.
Ä
Ändring: Modification of an existing building or structure.
Ändring av detaljplan: The process of amending an existing detailed plan.
Ärende: A specific building permit application or other construction-related matter handled by authorities.
Ö
Öppenarea (OPA): Area not enclosed by walls, such as balconies or terraces.
Översiktsplan: A long-term plan for how land and water areas will be used in a municipality.
Överklagande: The process of challenging and trying to change a government decision.