Different types of residential buildings
Residential buildings are grouped by the shape of the building and how many dwelling units it holds. The distinction matters for developers, kommuner and banks: it governs what the zoning plan allows, which requirements in TEK17 apply, and how the home can be financed and mortgaged.
Statistisk sentralbyrå bases its building typology on the building codes in the matrikkel (NS 3457-3) and divides the housing stock into five main categories:
- Enebolig (codes 111-113): a free-standing home for one household.
- Tomannsbolig (121-124): two independent dwelling units in the same building, divided vertically or horizontally.
- Rekkehus, kjedehus and other small houses (131-136): a rekkehus (townhouse) shares at least two long exterior walls with a neighbour, a kjedehus (linked house) is joined by a garage or shed, and the category also covers four-unit houses and atrium houses.
- Boligblokk (141-146): normally three or more storeys with at least three dwelling units.
- Buildings for shared housing (151-159): student housing, care homes and institutions with a residential character.
The distinction has direct technical consequences. The lift requirement is triggered at three storeys or more. Accessibility requirements are stricter for a boligblokk. Fire class 2 (BKL 2) typically applies from four-unit houses upwards. Husbanken and the banks assess the housing type separately when calculating the permitted loan-to-value ratio and mortgage. In SSB's building stock register, detached houses make up about half of the country's housing stock, while apartments dominate in Oslo with over 70%.
For a developer, the mix of housing types in an area is an early signal: an area with mostly detached houses can take densification with townhouses or small blocks, while an area that already has block development points towards higher utilisation. Terraced-stepped houses, where the storeys are stepped so that each unit has an outdoor space or roof terrace in front of it, are a variant that suits sloping terrain well.
In Placepoint you can filter buildings by type in the property panel and the building panel, and produce a demographic analysis of an area to see the composition of the housing stock before you go further.
How this looks in Placepoint
In Placepoint you find this in the Property panel:
From Placepoint's dictionary: Different types of residential buildings
More information: Statistisk sentralbyrå: Boliger, Store norske leksikon: Enebolig
English: Residential building types (per NS 3457 building classification).
Common questions
Which types of residential building exist in Norway?
The most common housing types are enebolig, tomannsbolig, rekkehus, kjedehus, apartment buildings (block development) and terraced-stepped houses. The zoning plan states which types are allowed in a given area.
What is the difference between a rekkehus and a kjedehus?
A rekkehus is a home with shared walls between the units. A kjedehus is a home joined to the next one by a garage or shed, so that the living part itself is free-standing. Both are low-rise alternatives.
What does housing typology mean for a developer's choices?
Housing typology affects density, costs, target group and sale price. Apartment buildings give the highest density and the lowest build cost per m², while detached houses appeal to families with children and give a higher price per unit.
What is a terraced-stepped house?
A terraced-stepped house is a building type where the storeys are stepped, so that each dwelling unit gets an outdoor space or roof terrace in front of it. It suits sloping terrain well and gives good daylight conditions.
Does the housing type affect what the zoning plan allows?
Yes, zoning plans can state the permitted building type (for example, detached houses only, or a maximum of 3 storeys), utilisation rate, eaves height and ridge height. Placepoint shows the current zoning plan for a property.