There is an analysis of condition reports from assessment engineers after the Disposal Act was amended two years ago, which reveals the enormous need for upgrades totaling NOK 31 billion. If you have a bathroom that was built in the early 2000s, which is more than 20 years old, then it is now time to check whether there is moisture damage or whether the drain is intact, claims the industry organization Norsk takst. Daniel Ø. Helgesen, managing director. in Norwegian Tariff. Photo: Bjørn Atle Gildestad / news – Of course, the quality of bathrooms varies slightly, but when it’s 20 years old you should think about it and plan for replacement and improvement, says Daniel Ø. Helgesen, managing director of Norsk takst. Worst in wet rooms The most serious degrees of condition are discovered in wet rooms and kitchens. The improvement needs in wet rooms are usually the most expensive. Helgesen understands that people think 20 years is a short lifespan for a bathroom. – But these are structures that are exposed to heavy loads, and they therefore have a limited lifespan. And the consequences are big if there were to be leaks, and then it’s good to have a plan, says Helgesen. But it is not just the bathroom that is at risk. Both roofs and rooms below ground are exposed. And the roof engineers drill holes more often to uncover moisture or other damage. – Where we see that in 36 per cent of the cases we find deviations such as dampness or errors in construction in the basement. This is information that goes out to the house buyers, who in turn can make good choices, says Helgesen. Never more “sold as is” If you only look at the need for improvements where condition level three has been measured, which implies large and serious deviations and the need for quick measures, the valuation engineers give their findings a price tag of around 22.5 billion. The calculations are based on a review of 165,000 condition reports carried out after the change in the law. The law says that you cannot get rid of a house or flat with the cliché “sold as is”. Thus, the seller must be open about errors and omissions. I think the backlog will increase. Only homes that have been reviewed by the rate engineers are included in the overview. If these represent a cross-section of the standard otherwise, the total sums will be even higher. Moisture meters reveal whether the ceiling, wall or floor is dry or whether there is moisture. And Helgesen does not think the backlog in maintenance of Norwegian homes will decrease over the years. – Now we are at the point where the economy is a bit tight. People may have other things to take care of than upgrading their home. So it is worrying that there is an increasing backlog of maintenance when other things are prioritized, he says. – Too much money for cosmetic changes Morten Andreas Meyer is general secretary of Huseierne. He believes that the standard of Norwegian housing is “very high”. At the same time, he emphasizes that it is always profitable to carry out ongoing maintenance of the home. – It reduces the ongoing operating costs, and it reduces the stress should damage occur. Morten Andreas Meyer is general secretary of Huseierne. Photo: Moment Studio – Is the standard too bad, or is the demand too high? – The standard of Norwegian housing is high, and we spend around NOK 100 billion annually on refurbishing the housing. But perhaps we spend too much money on things that are supposed to look nice. We are keen to follow the latest interior design trends, but we should spend more of that money on rehabilitating what is really important. Dreyer mentions “boring things that don’t look very good”, such as the bathroom, the roof and the drainage. – It would make sense to move the money around a bit and rather spend it on this, rather than on cosmetic changes.
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Norwegian housing needs upgrading for 31 billion – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
