The most common questions

A demolition permit is required in a zoning area if the building is not a minor building. Otherwise, a demolition notification is required prior to demolition.

Only the holders of the building site (owners, tenants) or their representatives by proxy may apply for a permit. If there are several owners of the building site, they must all be parties to the application and their electronic authorisations must be approved. The same applies to partners in estates. In the case of a building society or company applying for a permit, the contact person is the person with the right of signature.

You may only start building once the permit has become legally binding. The building control office must be notified of the start of the construction. The easiest way to do this is via Lupapiste, but it can also be done by e-mail or telephone. However, no notification is required if a start-up meeting has been held before the construction work begins.

If you want to start construction work before the expiry of the appeal period for the building permit decision, you will need to apply for a right to start work, which is subject to a fee, together with the building permit.

The construction work may not begin until an application for a responsible foreman and, if the project so requires, a specialist foreman, has been submitted to the building control authority.

Construction work is deemed to have commenced when the pouring of the foundation of the building or the installation of the building elements forming part of the foundation has begun. In the case of renovation and alteration work on a building, construction work has begun when the demolition or construction of structures or parts of structures has begun. If the demolition of structures is necessary for design purposes, demolition work may be carried out before the start of the repair and alteration work.

Before the start of construction work, the following shall be allowed

• excavation
• excavation
• felling of trees
• other similar preparatory works in accordance with the provisions of the landscape work permit.

Such preparatory measures must be notified to the building control authority.

The piling of the foundations of the building may be carried out in accordance with the piling plan submitted to the building control authority before the start of construction work. The piling work shall be notified to the building control authority. However, piling work carried out before the start of construction work must be carried out by a foreman or specialist foreman approved by the building control authority.

The building permit is valid for five years. Work under the building permit must start within three years of the date of the building permit.

The validity of the permit may be extended by up to two years for the start of work, provided that the legal conditions for the construction or other operation are still in place. For the completion of the work, the time limits may be extended by a maximum of three years at a time.

The extension must be applied for during the period of validity of the permit.

For a low-intensity project, there is no formal qualification requirement for the designer. For a minor project, the applicant may act as designer and draw the permit drawings himself, if he has the necessary skills. The drawings must be appropriate, i.e. archival and to scale.

For a less demanding project, the designer is required to have the appropriate training for the design task and, where appropriate, a certain amount of design experience.

The level of complexity of design tasks is determined by the architectural, functional and technical requirements, the intended use of the building and premises, the health and energy performance of the building and the physical characteristics of the building, the size of the building, building protection and loads and fire loads, the design, calculation and dimensioning methods, the complexity of the load-bearing structures and the requirements arising from the environment and the building site, the life cycle and carbon footprint of the building materials.

Application for planning permission

The principal designer must be the principal designer for a construction project requiring a building permit (with the exception of an energy well). The principal designer must ensure the integrity and quality of the design.

The qualification requirements for the supervisors in charge are determined, among other things, by the size and complexity of the project. For a small construction project, it is sufficient for the foreman to have sufficient skills for the task in question. For standard projects and above, the supervisor must already have the appropriate training and experience.

An air-source heat pump may be installed without a building permit. The positioning and colouring of the outdoor unit should take into account the aesthetic impact on the environment.

It is good practice to ask a neighbour for permission or an opinion if you are building close to a neighbour's boundary, even if no permission is needed. The building control authority will assess the need to consult the neighbour when issuing a building permit. In such cases, the consultation will be carried out in writing.

You cannot live permanently in a holiday home. A building permit (change of use) is required to convert a holiday home into a permanent dwelling. A derogation permit is required if the project is contrary to the plan or building regulations.

The building right is determined by the valid status plan, general plan or building regulations. The building right refers to the total floor area of buildings that may be built on a building site. The building rights used on a plot are calculated by adding up the floor areas of the existing buildings. Please note that buildings (less than 15 m²) and shelters do not take up building rights.

If you have any questions about building rights, you can contact us (via Permit Point) or the general e-mail or telephone number of the Building Control.

The building control archives the main drawings and the structural and HVAC plans related to the permits. Old drawings can be obtained from Lupapiste Shop. The material in the shop is gradually being added to and if you cannot find what you need, you can submit a request for material directly to the building control department via the service. If necessary, you can also request documents by e-mail at rakennusvalvonta@varkaus.fi.

The zoning regulations can be found on the City of Varkaus map service. Select the right map from the top left menu and click on the regulations in the 'Formulae with regulations' section, then click on the desired section of the map and click on 'Formula regulations'. The general plan regulations can also be found here. For more detailed general plans, please contact the zoning department.

City of Varkaus Map Service

You may cut down damaged or environmentally hazardous trees from your yard without permission. Trees less than 10 cm in diameter may also be felled by the plot owner/holder. The diameter is measured at the top of the tree.

For more detailed instructions on felling trees, please refer to the Tree Felling Guide.

Building permits are subject to a fee. The permit fees include all inspections required by the permit conditions. The permit fees are set out in the Building Control Authority's Tariff.

Tariff of the Building Control Authority 2025