How long does the paperwork take before building a house?

What paperwork is needed before building a house can start?

A set of documents and decisions must be completed before the construction of a house can begin. Learn about the most important steps:

• Selection and development of the construction project - You can go for a ready-made house project with adaptation or opt for an individual study. This is the first document that paves the way for further formalities. Remember that it should consist, among other things, of an architectural and construction design, but also of an engineering design.
• Obtaining building conditions - required when there is no local development plan for the plot. It usually takes between 2 and 4 months to establish planning conditions.
• Extract from the local spatial development plan - If a LSDP exists, such a document is sufficient. It will give you information on the permitted development, the height of the building or the roof angle.
• Map for design purposes - necessary for the preparation of the plot development project. It is carried out by an authorised surveyor.
• Technical conditions for connections - concern water, sewerage, electricity or gas, depending on the location of the plot. At PGE, for example, the waiting time for electricity connection conditions is up to 21 days.
• Submission of building permit application or notification of construction - is the formal moment when officials analyse the documentation and assess the compliance of the investment with the regulations.
• Administrative decision and its validity - The office has a maximum of 65 days to issue the building permit, and then you have to add 14 days for it to become legally valid. Only then can you think about starting construction work.

What does the duration of the paperwork depend on?

How long the formalities take before a house is built depends on the conditions of the plot, the completeness of the documentation, the speed of decisions on your side and the work of the authorities. The timeline also includes agreements with operators of technical infrastructure networks, maps for design purposes and the possible need to exclude land from agricultural production.

The better prepared the paperwork is, the quicker you will get to the stage involved in starting construction.

1. Does the plot have a master plan or does it require a zoning permit? - a plot of land with a local development plan speeds up the start - an extract is usually sufficient. Lack of a plan means an application for development conditions and an additional wait of about 2-4 months.
2. Form of construction project - A ready-made house project with adaptation is usually the quickest solution. A bespoke design requires more time, but provides a complete fit for the plot and expectations.
3. Response times of authorities - Theoretically, the office has 65 days to issue a building permit, and then you have to wait another 14 days for it to become final. In practice, it happens that decisions come quicker - provided that the documentation is complete and does not need to be amended. If a document is missing, the office may ask you to submit it, in which case the whole process starts again.
4. Speed of decisions on the part of the investor - The developer himself can also lengthen or shorten the process. The sooner you decide on the layout of the rooms, technology or materials, the smoother the whole procedure will go.

Once the permit has been obtained, there follows a stage of formalities related to the start of construction: the appointment and notification of the manager to the district building inspector, the acceptance and maintenance of the construction log and the preparation of a set of documents related to the construction of the house. Good planning from the start makes it easier to coordinate the construction work later on.

Realistic duration of pre-construction formalities

How long does the paperwork actually take before building a house? It depends on the situation of the plot, the documents and your decision-making.

• The MPZP and fast action option - approximately 2-3 months,
• Option requiring development conditions - usually 4-6 months,
• Extreme variant (amendments to documents, slow pace of offices, longer wait for decisions) - even 8 months and more.

Only after these stages are completed can you think about starting the construction of the house. At this stage comes the obligation to appoint a construction manager, report it to the building supervision and prepare the necessary documents. However, the builder does not have to do everything himself - some of the formalities are the responsibility of specialists, and a good team will guide you through them step by step.

At DD Project you have our support

The process of preparing to build a house can take up a lot of time and it is easy to get lost in it. That's why at DD Projekt we guide you step by step and take over most of the responsibilities:

• advise you on choosing a plot of land or analyse the one you already own,
• we prepare a construction project - either individual or an adaptation of a ready-made one,
• we complete maps for design purposes, extracts and technical conditions for connections,
• we support you in obtaining the permit and make sure that all formalities are completed on time,
• we indicate where to start building a house and what documents you will need when you start.

We ensure that all documentation is consistent and that deadlines are met so that the whole process runs without unnecessary delays.

If the need arises to establish a road easement or to take land out of agricultural production - we will suggest how best to do this.

You don't need to know the regulations or procedures involved in building a house - that's what we're for.

Contact us and find out how much easier the journey from dream to finished home can be.