You need a building permit when building a new building or expansions and making essential changes and repairs.
Applications for a building permit must be submitted to the municipal building supervisory authority, which also provides advice in the matter.
The application for the building permit may be submitted by the titleholder of the building site (the owner, the person authorised by the owner, or the person controlling the building site on the basis of a lease or other agreement).
In most cases, neighbours must be notified when an application for a building permit is submitted. 'Neighbour' refers to owners and titleholders of adjacent or opposite properties or other areas. The fact that the application has been submitted must at the same time be publicised on the building site by suitable means. The notification is not required when the project is of minor nature, or the impact of the project is not relevant to the neighbours' interests. The need to hear the neighbours is determined by the building supervisory authority.
In the municipality of Pirkkala, you can apply for building permits electronically through the Lupapiste.fi service. The service brings together the municipal authority, builder, planner and other parties involved in the construction, which will keep all parties involved in the project aware of its progress throughout the permit process.
The building inspector issues building permits and the architect in charge of permits issues action permits.
The permit is granted if all requirements for the permit have been met. If the project deviates from the provisions and regulations, a permit for an exception to the restrictions may be required before the building permission is granted.
If the entrepreneur has established itself in another country in the European Economic Area and temporarily offers services in Finland, the same permits are required as from entrepreneurs established in Finland.
The estimated processing time for a building permit is approximately two months.
If the construction work has not been started within three years or completed within five years, the permit will expire. Other permits or official approvals will expire if the related action is not carried out within three years. The time period begins when the permit or approval becomes legally valid.
A building permit or other official approval is required for the construction of residential buildings and other construction that exceeds certain limits. A building permit is also required for extending a building or for substantial repair and alteration work or for work aimed at altering the intended use of a building. Provisions on these matters are contained in the Building Act. A municipality may also, in its building code, determine which measures require a building permit and an action permit.
In addition to provisions on the permits and the preconditions for granting a permit, the Building Act also contains provisions on the documents used in permit applications, designers’ competence requirements, the construction work and the persons responsible for the construction project.