Building

Building supervision
The key objective of the Land Use and Building Act (MRL) is to organise the use and construction of areas in such a way that this provides the conditions for a favourable living environment and promotes sustainable development. The Act also aims to ensure that everyone has the right to participate in the preparation process, that planning is interactive and of high quality, that expertise is comprehensive and that there is open provision of information on the matters being processed (MRL, Section 1).
The duties of building supervision services are based on building supervision and advising as defined in the Land Use and Building Act (MRL) and Decree (MRA). These duties include:
- processing and monitoring building, action and demolition permits and notifications on actions
- continuous monitoring of the built environment
- statements and opinions on matters related to building plans, planning needs and exceptional permits in accordance with MRL
- processing financial assistance granted for the renovation of residential buildings, monitoring construction work and providing advice
- maintenance of the building and dwelling register
In addition to the Land Use and Building Act, construction is also steered by the city’s building ordinance.
Building and action permit
A building is a construction, structure or facility that is fixed or meant to stay permanently in place and that is intended for housing, work, storage or some other purpose. Due to its qualities, the building must be monitored by authorities for reasons related to safety, health, scenery, comfort, environmental considerations or other reasons related to the objectives of the Land Use and Building Act.
A building permit is required for:
- constructing a building
- repairs and alterations that are comparable to constructing a building
- extending a building or increasing its gross floor area
- if it is obvious that the work may affect the safety or health conditions of those using the building
- such repairs and alterations to the envelope or technical systems of a building that can significantly affect the building’s energy efficiency
- substantially altering the intended use of a building or part thereof
An action permit is required for:
- structures and installations for which the steering otherwise necessary in construction is not required in order to make a decision on the permit issue
- erecting or placing a structure or installation that is not considered a building if the action has an impact on natural conditions, the townscape or landscape or on the use of surrounding land areas
- altering the appearance of a building when the action does not require a building permit
- rearrangement of dwellings in a residential building
- altering the facade of a building and replacing a building component or technical system when doing so can significantly affect the building’s energy efficiency
Applying for a building and action permit:
Apply for the permit online via www.lupapiste.fi or on paper at the City of Kalajoki Building Supervision Office.
- Evidence of possession of the construction site (certificate of registered ownership, copy of the deed of sale or copy of the rental agreement)
- Choosing the lead engineer, qualifications of the engineer / qualifications of the responsible foreman
- Presenting the draft to the building inspector together with the lead engineer
You can submit the application and the required appendices electronically via the Lupapiste.fi service.
Permit applications and hearing forms are available at the Building Supervision Office.
The constructor can also authorise the lead engineer to take care of the permit application process.
Permits are issued by the building inspector or Environmental Committee.
Building supervision services are provided in Finnish, Swedish and English. The permit application and related forms are only available in Finnish.