Start with the municipality’s approved drawings and decisions. A floor plan in the sales particulars does not necessarily show what was approved. Compare the records with today’s layout and use, and list the differences before drawing conclusions.
Find records that belong together
Look for approved floor plans, permits, amendments and completion documents. Check which floor and building case each document concerns. An older plan may have been replaced by a later approval. A submitted sketch is not necessarily an approved drawing.
Trondheim municipality says its building-case archive is available digitally. When requesting records, provide the address or property identifiers and describe the documents needed. Ask specifically for drawings and decisions concerning the alteration you are examining, rather than simply requesting “papers about the house”.
Compare room by room
Write down how the room is labelled on the approved drawing and how it is used today. Distinguish the room name, physical layout and actual use. Identify the drawings being compared so a professional can repeat the check.
DiBK explains that using a room differently from its approved use can require a change-of-use application. Storage converted to a bedroom is a typical example. A room being fitted out or used for many years does not by itself answer the approval question. Rental accommodation can raise further questions beyond the label of one room.
Ask the municipality a precise question
Prepare a short enquiry with the relevant drawing, a description of current use and the point needing clarification. Ask, for example, whether a later decision exists or which documents are needed to consider a proposed change. This is more useful than a general question about whether the entire home is legal.
If an application is needed, establish the applicable requirements and professional roles. Application requirements, physical condition and the possibility of approval are different questions. A technical assessment may therefore be needed even when the archive is complete.
Before buying, selling or altering
The same review helps in several situations. Before buying it supports specific questions. Before selling it makes it easier to explain what is documented. When planning alterations it provides a starting point for an application.
Budsjekk can help find records, describe differences and organise the next work. For local sources and support, see Trondheim and Trøndelag.
What to check
- Request approved drawings and decisions for the relevant alteration.
- Compare the room layout and current use with the drawings.
- Ask whether a later permit explains the differences.
- Find out what the municipality needs if an application is required.