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Byggherre

The byggherre (owner-developer) is the party that orders and pays for a construction project, and usually also owns the property and the finished building. The byggherre can be a private individual, a company, an organisation or a public authority. The plan- og bygningsloven (Planning and Building Act) consistently uses the term tiltakshaver for this role.

The tiltakshaver applies for the necessary permits (rammetillatelse, igangsettingstillatelse, ferdigattest), notifies neighbours, engages the responsible firms and holds overall responsibility for the project being carried out in line with the law. The byggherre differs from the parties doing the work: a totalentreprenør (design and build contractor) takes on both design and execution, while the byggherre defines what is to be built.

On larger projects, the byggherreforskriften (client regulations) requires the byggherre to appoint coordinators for design and execution, to plan for safety, health and the working environment (SHA), and to make sure health and safety requirements are followed on site. These duties apply whether the byggherre has handed the work to a design and build contractor or manages the project itself. Direktoratet for byggkvalitet (DiBK), the Norwegian Building Authority, provides guidance for both private and professional owner-developers on the application process, responsibility roles and documentation, and the requirements in TEK17 govern what the building itself must satisfy.

From Placepoint's dictionary: Byggherre

More information: Lovdata: Plan- og bygningsloven, Lovdata: Byggherreforskriften, Direktoratet for byggkvalitet: Byggesak, Store norske leksikon: byggherre

English: Owner-developer (building owner / client).

Common questions we come across

What is a byggherre?

The byggherre (tiltakshaver) is the party that orders and pays for a construction project, most often the owner of the property. The byggherre is the legal party that applies for permission and holds overall responsibility.

What duties does a byggherre have?

As a byggherre, you are responsible for applying for the necessary permits, sending a nabovarsel (neighbour notification), coordinating the responsible firms and making sure the project is carried out in line with laws and regulations.

What is the difference between a byggherre and a totalentreprenør?

A totalentreprenør is a contractor that takes on both design and execution. The byggherre defines what is to be built, while the totalentreprenør decides how it is to be built.

What does the byggherreforskriften say?

The byggherreforskriften (FOR-2009-8-3-1028) governs the byggherre's duties relating to health, safety and the environment (HMS) on construction and civil engineering sites. Among other things, the byggherre must appoint a coordinator for health and safety.

Can a private individual be a byggherre?

The byggherre can be a private individual, a company, an organisation or a public authority. The point is that it is the party that orders and finances the building work.