Glossary of terms

Construction, architecture and spatial planning

This glossary covers the key terms from construction, architecture and spatial planning that appear in the Academy series. Terms are listed alphabetically by their English headword, with the Croatian term in brackets where it is the one you will meet in Croatia.

Above-ground floor area ratio (kisn, koeficijent iskoristivosti nadzemno)

The ratio of the gross building area of the above-ground floors of all buildings on the building plot to the plot area (Ordinance on Spatial Plans, NN 152/23, Art. 4). Above-ground floors are the semi-basement, ground floor, upper floor, set-back floor and attic; the basement is not counted. The plan sets it where needed, alongside the mandatory kis (Art. 12), often to allow a larger basement without enlarging the visible part of the house. See: kig, kis and kisn: the difference, with an example.

Access to a traffic area (pristup na prometnu površinu)

A building plot must have access to a traffic area (prometna površina) in line with the spatial plan (Spatial Planning Act, NN 155/25, Art. 19), and for a new building the permit is issued only once that connection is secured (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 73). If access crosses someone else’s land, an easement (služnost) entered in the land register is normally needed; access that only exists in practice is not enough.

Chapter: 2.3, 2.5, 5.2

Accessibility

A house design that stays accessible even when steps can no longer be taken for granted. It includes features such as a step-free entrance, sufficiently wide hallways and the option of adding a lift later.

Chapter: 3.5

Age-friendly house

A building designed to stay suitable to live in at later stages of life, when mobility can no longer be taken for granted. It includes accessible entrances, sufficiently wide hallways and the possibility of later adaptations.

Chapter: 3.5

Architect (arhitekt)

The professional who designs the house, checks it against the spatial plan, coordinates the other disciplines and prepares the design documentation. Where several designers are involved, the architect is usually the lead designer (glavni projektant), responsible for the completeness and consistency of the designs (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 20). The contractor and the supervising engineer are responsible for the construction itself.

Chapter: 5.1, 5.2

As-built survey (geodetska snimka izvedenog stanja)

A geodetic record of the finished building and the building plot with the coordinates of its corner points, attached to the use permit application and used to record the building in the cadastre and the land register (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 95). It comes with a statement by a licensed surveying engineer that the building sits on the plot in line with the permit. A separate as-built design is not required for the use permit of a family house.

Chapter: 2.6, 5.2

Attic storey (potkrovlje, Pk)

The floor directly beneath a pitched or curved roof, whose knee wall is no higher than 1.2 m above the top of the floor structure (Ordinance on Spatial Plans, NN 152/2023); in everyday speech it is often called a mansard. Parts of the attic with a clear height under 2.0 m are not included in the GBP (NN 93/17). The spatial plan often also sets the roof pitch and the ridge height.

Chapter: 2.4

Balcony, loggia and terrace

Open parts of a building: a balcony is open on at least two sides, a loggia on one, and a terrace is an open outdoor area next to or on top of the building (Ordinance on Spatial Plans, NN 152/2023). Covered or not, they do not count towards the GBP (NN 93/17), and balconies are also excluded from the land under the building (kig). For the municipal infrastructure contribution, covered loggias and terraces count only up to a height of 1 m, while balconies and uncovered terraces do not count at all.

Basement (podrum, Po)

A floor that is fully buried or buried more than 50% in the finally landscaped terrain; a less buried floor is a semi-basement (S) (Ordinance on Spatial Plans, NN 152/2023). If at least 75% of a basement is below ground, it counts in the GBP with a coefficient of 0.25 when it serves as a garage or 0.50 when it is an ancillary space (NN 93/17). It is often used for a garage, technical rooms or storage and makes building considerably more expensive.

Chapter: 2.4, 3.5, 5.3

Bathroom

A room with a washbasin, WC, shower or bath. It must be properly laid out, watertight and spacious enough for comfortable everyday use.

Chapter: 3.1, 3.2

Bedroom

A room for sleeping and rest. It should be away from the noisy zones of the house, provide quiet, darkness and a suitable temperature, and have sensible access to a bathroom.

Chapter: 3.1, 3.2

Below-ground floor area ratio (kisp, koeficijent iskoristivosti podzemno)

The ratio of the gross building area of the below-ground floors (basements) of all buildings on the building plot to the plot area (Ordinance on Spatial Plans, NN 152/23, Art. 4). The plan sets it where needed, alongside the mandatory kis (Art. 12). A basement buried at least 75% counts in the GBP with a coefficient of 0.25 (garage) or 0.50 (ancillary space) under NN 93/17, so the kisp is lower than the ratio of the actual basement area. See: Basement (podrum, Po).

Bill of quantities (troškovnik)

A list of all works and materials with quantities and unit prices, sorted by type of work (preparatory, earthworks, concrete, masonry, installation, finishing). It is usually part of the main or detailed design and the basis for contractors' quotes, which are then compared item by item.

Budget

A structured financial plan for the build, divided into essential works, optional upgrades and a reserve for unforeseen costs. A realistic budget is a precondition for a successful and less stressful project.

Chapter: 4.1, 4.4

Building Act (Zakon o gradnji, NN 155/25)

The law governing the design, construction, use and removal of buildings; it came into force on 1 January 2026 and replaced the Building Act NN 153/13 and amendments (Art. 161 to 162). For a family house the most important parts are the category of less complex building (up to two flats and 400 m² GBP), the building permit on the basis of a conceptual design, the main design after the permit, supervision only for mechanical resistance and stability, and a simpler technical inspection. Procedures started before 1 January 2026 are completed under the old law (Art. 129), and permits issued under it are valid for six years from becoming final (Art. 139). The obligation to prepare designs in a BIM environment applies from 2031 and 2035 respectively and does not cover less complex buildings (Art. 30, 162).

Building height

The spatial plan most often limits the height of a house with two measures (Ordinance on Spatial Plans, NN 152/2023): the facade height, from the lowest level of the finally landscaped terrain beside the facade to the top edge of the floor structure of the top floor or the top of the attic knee wall, and the overall height, up to the highest point of the building. The finally landscaped terrain may be at most 1.5 m above the natural terrain.

Building permit documentation (dokumentacija za građevinsku dozvolu)

The material submitted electronically through the eDozvola system. It covers the conceptual design (idejni projekt; the main design (glavni projekt) for larger buildings), proof of legal interest, and the connection conditions and special conditions from public bodies and network operators.

Chapter: 2.6, 5.2

Building permit (građevinska dozvola)

The administrative act that allows you to build; building without it is unlawful. From 1 January 2026 (Building Act, NN 155/25), for a less complex building (manje složena zgrada), such as a family house with at most two flats and up to 400 m² GBP, the application is accompanied by a conceptual design (idejni projekt) and proof of legal interest (Art. 62), and the location conditions are set in the permit itself, with no separate location permit. For larger buildings a main design (glavni projekt) is attached. The application is submitted electronically (eDozvola). The permit lapses if building has not started within six years of it becoming final (Art. 79). Procedures started before 1 January 2026 are completed under the previous Building Act (NN 153/13 and amendments) (Art. 129). See: Conceptual design (idejni projekt), Notice of commencement (prijava početka građenja).

Chapter: 2.6, 5.2, 5.7

Building plot (građevna čestica)

A parcel of land, as a rule one cadastral parcel, whose shape, size and position comply with the spatial plan and which has access to a traffic area in line with the plan (Spatial Planning Act, NN 155/25, Art. 19). For a family house it normally lies within the building area, and its area is the denominator of the kig, kis, kisn and kisp ratios.

Chapter: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

Building register (katastar zgrada)

The common name for the record of buildings in the real estate cadastre. After the use permit becomes enforceable, the building authority sends the permit and the survey of the as-built state to the cadastral office, and the investor can also request the building to be recorded themselves (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 106). The court enters the building in the land register ex officio (Art. 107).

Chapter: 2.6, 5.2

Building services (installations)

The internal systems of the house: electrical installations, water supply, wastewater drainage, heating and ventilation. They must be well coordinated with each other and designed at the same time as the architectural drawings.

Chapter: 3.4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.5

Children's bedroom

A room for a child that must allow safe sleeping, studying and storage. The design has to take into account changing needs through the different stages of childhood and adolescence.

Chapter: 3.2

Concept design (idejno rješenje)

The first serious phase of a project, in which the basic room layout, dimensions, shape of the house and its orientation are defined. It is the starting point for the conceptual design (idejni projekt), on the basis of which the building permit is requested.

Chapter: 2.6, 5.1, 5.7

Conceptual design (idejni projekt)

A set of mutually coordinated drawings and documents giving the basic design, functional and technical solutions for a building and showing its position on the plot (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 33). It is prepared by an authorised architect and authorised engineers of other disciplines. From 1 January 2026 the building permit for a less complex building (manje složena zgrada), such as a family house with at most two flats and up to 400 m² GBP, is issued on the basis of the conceptual design (Art. 62), and it becomes an integral part of the permit. Until a new ordinance is adopted its content is set by the Ordinance on the mandatory content of the conceptual design (NN 92/24) (Art. 156). At the technical inspection the finished building is compared with the permit and the conceptual design. See: Main design (glavni projekt).

Condominium registration (etažiranje)

Entering the separate parts of a building (flats, business premises, garages) in the land register as independent properties, on the basis of a condominium survey report. For a house with two flats, it means each flat can be sold, inherited or mortgaged separately.

Connection fees

Payments to network operators (for electricity, water, drainage and gas) for connecting the house to public infrastructure. They are separate from the municipal infrastructure contribution and are paid directly to the operator.

Chapter: 4.1, 4.2

Construction phases

The planned sequence of steps from site preparation to finishing works. Each phase has its own logic, conditions and checks, and must be done before the next one can start.

Chapter: 5.3

Construction schedule (terminski plan)

A detailed list of deadlines for the individual construction phases and key milestones. It must be updated regularly and agreed among everyone involved: the architect, the contractor and the supervising engineer.

Chapter: 5.4, 5.7

Contingency reserve

The part of the budget set aside for costs that arise despite careful planning. The usual professional recommendation is at least 10 to 15% of the construction value. It is not a luxury but an essential safeguard for a realistic budget.

Chapter: 4.3, 5.7

Contractor (izvođač)

The company or group of companies that physically builds the house and is responsible for the quality of the work. It must be chosen carefully on the basis of references and clearly defined in the contract.

Chapter: 5.3, 5.6

Cultural heritage area

A protected area with buildings or landscape of special cultural importance. Building inside such an area or in its immediate vicinity requires special conditions from the competent conservation department.

Chapter: 2.4

Designer (projektant)

The professional or team of professionals who prepare the project documentation. The chief designer is usually an authorised architect who coordinates the work of the structural engineer and the services designers.

Chapter: 5.2

Detailed design (izvedbeni projekt)

The design that develops the main design to the level needed for the build itself: details, diagrams, reinforcement plans and the like. It is mandatory for all buildings except less complex buildings (manje složene zgrade) and structures built without a building permit (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 39, para. 3), so it is not a legal requirement for a family house, but it is often prepared to get an accurate bill of quantities for contractors' quotes.

Detailed urban development plan (UPU)

A more detailed spatial plan for part of a building area (a settlement or zone) that develops the PPUO/PPUG: streets, municipal infrastructure and building conditions in individual zones. Where a UPU is required but has not yet been adopted, a building permit for a new building cannot be issued (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 73), except for reconstruction and replacement buildings.

Documentation

The complete set of plans, studies and supporting documents needed for design, obtaining permits and carrying out the works. For a family house it covers the concept design (idejno rješenje), the conceptual design (idejni projekt) for the building permit, the main design (glavni projekt) attached to the notice of the start of construction and, if commissioned, the detailed design (izvedbeni projekt).

Chapter: 2.6, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2

Drainage

The system that drains rainwater and groundwater from the site and the surroundings of the building. Doing it properly is key to protecting the foundations and the grounds of the house from damp.

Chapter: 4.2, 4.4, 4.5

Earthworks

The first phase of construction, covering topsoil stripping, excavation for the foundations and basement, preparing the ground and backfilling. This is where the real geological conditions come to light, and they can change costs considerably.

Chapter: 5.3

Easement (služnost)

A legal basis for using someone else’s land, for example for access across a neighbouring plot or for routing a utility line. Once agreed, it is entered in the land register, because that is how it is shown in the building permit procedure; a verbal agreement is not enough.

Chapter: 2.3, 2.5

Entrance zone

A transitional space from the outside world into the home, meant for leaving shoes, coats and everyday items. Its size and layout strongly affect day-to-day comfort.

Chapter: 3.1, 3.2, 3.4

External storage

A place to store bicycles, garden tools, seasonal equipment and waste bins. Well-planned external storage keeps the terrace tidy and the entrance clear.

Chapter: 3.4

External works (vanjsko uređenje)

The driveway, parking, paths, terrace, fences and retaining walls. Often an underestimated budget item, yet essential to the functionality and completeness of the home.

Chapter: 4.1, 4.4, 5.3

Facade

The visible outer shell of the house that protects it from the weather. The type of facade, the quality of workmanship and the thermal insulation beneath it strongly affect the building's energy efficiency, durability and upkeep.

Chapter: 4.1, 5.3

Finishing works

The final phase of construction, including floor coverings, tiling, internal doors, ceilings and plastering. This is where budgets are most often exceeded, because investors tend to choose more expensive materials at this stage.

Chapter: 4.1, 4.4, 5.3

Flood zone

An area exposed to the risk of flooding. Building there requires special conditions, such as minimum ground floor levels, watertight basement walls and other protective measures.

Chapter: 2.3, 2.4

Floor area ratio (kis, koeficijent iskoristivosti)

The ratio of the gross building area (GBP) of all buildings on the building plot, including below-ground floors, to the area of the building plot (Ordinance on Spatial Plans, NN 152/23, Art. 4). For building within the building area the spatial plan must set a maximum kig, a maximum kis and a maximum GBP, and where needed a separate kisn (above ground) and kisp (below ground) (Art. 12). It limits the total size of the house. See: kig, kis and kisn: the difference, with an example.

Chapter: 2.1, 2.4

Floor plan (tlocrt)

A drawing of a horizontal section through the house showing the layout of rooms, walls and open zones. It is the most important part of the project documentation and the basis for all further decisions.

Chapter: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3

Foundations

The basic load-bearing structure of the house, which transfers the whole weight of the building to the ground. The type of foundation depends on the geological conditions. Making the foundations is one of the first critical phases on site.

Chapter: 5.3

Gross building area (GBP, građevinska bruto površina)

The sum of the areas of all floors of a building (Po, S, P, K, Pk), measured at floor level to the outer dimensions of the perimeter walls including finishes (Spatial Planning Act, NN 155/25, Art. 19). The method of calculation is set by the Ordinance on the calculation of the gross building area (NN 93/17), which stays in force until a new ordinance is adopted (Art. 248). Open parts of a building (balconies, loggias, terraces, canopies), thermal insulation added to improve energy efficiency and parts of a floor with a clear height under 2.0 m are not included. Floors at least 75% below ground count with a coefficient of 0.25 (garage) or 0.50 (ancillary space). The GBP is the measure for the limit of a less complex building (400 m²) and the numerator of the floor area ratio (kis). For Croatian plots LynxCraft states the build cost per m² of GBP.

Gross developed area (BRP)

An older name, still widely used, for the total gross area of a building. Under the rules before 2017 (ordinance NN 90/10 and amendments), balconies, loggias and terraces were added with reduction coefficients. Since 23 September 2017 the gross building area (GBP) under NN 93/17 applies, and open parts are not included in it. This is why a BRP figure in an older offer or plan is not always the same as the GBP of the same house. Laws and spatial plans now use only the GBP. See: Gross building area (GBP, građevinska bruto površina).

Ground floor level (kota prizemlja)

The height of the ground floor above the terrain, or the absolute level of the ground floor. In flood zones and other protected areas it is often prescribed and must be above a set value.

Chapter: 2.3, 2.4

Hallway

Space for moving between the different parts of the house. Long, dark hallways with no clear purpose mean valuable square metres with no real function.

Chapter: 3.1, 3.2

Heating

The system that heats the living spaces. The choice of heating (heat pump, gas, wood biomass or district heating) strongly affects investment cost, running costs and carbon footprint.

Chapter: 4.1, 4.5

House adaptability

An architectural solution that allows rooms to change use or the house to be extended without major structural work. An adaptable house responds more easily to changed circumstances in life.

Chapter: 3.5

House number (kućni broj)

The official designation of a building. The decision on the house number for a built building may be issued by the cadastral office (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 106). It is needed to register your residence and to receive post and official correspondence.

Chapter: 2.6, 5.2

House orientation

The direction the house faces in relation to the points of the compass, the sun and the winds. It has a decisive effect on natural light, heat gain in winter and overheating in summer.

Chapter: 3.3, 5.1

Investor (investitor)

The legal or natural person in whose name the building is built (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 18), most often the plot owner. They make the key decisions, engage the designer, the contractor and the supervising engineer by written contract, provide for professional supervision and bear the financial responsibility for the build.

Chapter: 5.6

kig, kis and kisn: the difference, with an example

These three ratios from the spatial plan measure different things (Ordinance on Spatial Plans, NN 152/23, Art. 4): kig measures the footprint (land under the building ÷ plot), kis the total GBP of all floors ÷ plot, and kisn only the GBP of the above-ground floors (semi-basement, ground floor, upper floor, set-back floor, attic) ÷ plot; kisp is the below-ground part (basement). Example: a 600 m² plot, a house with a 120 m² footprint with a ground floor and one upper floor (120 m² GBP each) and an ancillary basement of 120 m² buried more than 75%, which counts in the GBP at 0.50, so 60 m². Then kig = 120 ÷ 600 = 0.20; kisn = 240 ÷ 600 = 0.40; kisp = 60 ÷ 600 = 0.10; kis = 300 ÷ 600 = 0.50. If the plan allows a kig of 0.30 and a kisn of 0.50, this house meets both; with 300 m² GBP in total it is also below the limit for a less complex building (400 m²).

Land under the building (zemljište pod građevinom)

The vertical projection onto the building plot of all the enclosed parts of a building and of open and covered structural parts, without balconies; a ground-floor terrace counts if it is a structural part of a below-ground floor (Ordinance on Spatial Plans, NN 152/2023). The site coverage ratio (kig) is calculated from it.

Land use designation (namjena površina)

The officially designated use of land in the spatial plan: building area (građevinsko područje), agricultural, forest or other land. It is the basic condition for building: a residential building goes inside a building area, and outside it only by exception, where the plan provides for it (Spatial Planning Act, NN 155/25, Art. 48).

Chapter: 2.1, 2.3

Laundry room (praonica)

A service room for washing, drying and folding laundry. Its place in the house should follow the logic of the daily routine and allow natural drying and an easy flow of laundry.

Chapter: 3.4

Less complex building (manje složena zgrada)

A category from the Building Act (NN 155/25), applied from 1 January 2026: a residential building with at most two flats and a gross building area not exceeding 400 m², and an agricultural building of up to 600 m² GBP (Art. 3, para. 1, point 32). The GBP of an ancillary building is not added to the GBP of the house (Ministry opinion of 31 August 2026). For it, the building permit is issued on the basis of a conceptual design (Art. 62), the main design is prepared after the permit and attached to the notice of commencement (Art. 89), a detailed design and BIM are not mandatory (Art. 39, Art. 30), professional supervision covers only mechanical resistance and stability (Art. 26), and the technical inspection checks only the location conditions (Art. 97). It must be finished on the outside within five years of the notice of commencement (Art. 80). Houses of the same size with a permit under the earlier law are also treated as less complex buildings (Art. 137). Most family houses fall into this category.

Living space (boravišni prostor)

An open or partly open combination of kitchen, dining area and living room. Its size, layout and orientation strongly affect quality of life and how the house feels.

Chapter: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3

Local self-government unit (JLS)

A municipality (općina) or town (grad). The JLS adopts the municipal or city spatial plan (PPUO/PPUG) and the detailed urban development plan (UPU), charges the municipal infrastructure contribution and the utility charge, and sets the zones used to calculate them.

Location information (lokacijska informacija)

A document with the implementation provisions from the spatial plans in force at all levels for a given piece of land (Spatial Planning Act, NN 155/25, Art. 37). It can be produced electronically from the spatial planning information system; where a new-generation spatial plan has not yet been adopted, the administrative body issues it on request within 15 days, for at most five cadastral parcels. You cannot start building or prepare a design on the basis of it, but it is a good first official look at the rules for a plot.

Chapter: 2.1

Location permit (lokacijska dozvola)

The administrative act that sets the location conditions for a development. Under the Spatial Planning Act (NN 155/25), from 1 January 2026, it is issued only for the developments the law lists (Art. 154), for example phased construction, complex buildings and developments, building involving expropriation, developments on maritime domain and power plants, or when the applicant requests it. For a family house it is not a separate step: the location conditions are set in the building permit. A location permit issued before 1 January 2026 is valid for four years from becoming final (Art. 243). It is not the same as location information.

Main design (glavni projekt)

A set of mutually coordinated designs that give the technical solution for the building and show it meets the basic requirements (mechanical resistance and stability, fire safety, energy saving and others), with architectural, structural, electrical and mechanical parts (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 34). For multi-flat and other buildings it is submitted with the building permit application. For a less complex building (manje složena zgrada) it is, from 1 January 2026, prepared after the permit in line with the location conditions set out in the permit: the investor attaches it electronically to the notice of commencement (Art. 89, para. 4) and it must be kept on site (Art. 93). See: Conceptual design (idejni projekt), Less complex building (manje složena zgrada).

Municipal infrastructure contribution (komunalni doprinos)

A one-off payment to the municipality or town (JLS) towards building municipal infrastructure (Municipal Services Act, NN 68/18). It is calculated per m³ of building volume multiplied by the unit value for the zone the plot is in; balconies and uncovered terraces are not included in the volume (Ordinance NN 15/19). The contribution decision is issued after the building permit becomes final, and it is paid as a one-off (the municipality or town may allow instalments by decision). It is separate from the fees for connection to the networks. See also: Connection fees.

Chapter: 4.1, 4.2

Municipal or city spatial plan (PPUO/PPUG)

The basic spatial plan of a municipality or town: it sets the building areas, land use and building conditions, such as kig, kis, number of storeys, height, setbacks and the minimum size of a building plot. If a detailed urban development plan (UPU) applies to the area, the more detailed rules are read from it. Under the Spatial Planning Act (NN 155/25), plans adopted under earlier laws are amended only as new-generation plans and cease to be valid within seven years of 1 January 2026 (Art. 238). See: New-generation spatial plan (prostorni plan nove generacije).

Natural ventilation

Airing the house by opening windows, without mechanical ventilation. It needs openings on at least two sides of the house for cross-ventilation, and a well-designed floor plan.

Chapter: 3.3

Net usable area (NKP, neto korisna površina)

The sum of the floor areas inside the finished (plastered) walls, excluding the area taken up by external and internal walls. It is not a legal measure for the permit or the spatial plan (there the GBP applies). In the property market and valuations, ancillary areas (balconies, loggias, terraces, storage rooms) are added with reduction coefficients; LynxCraft shows the NKP of the house without them. It is usually 15 to 25% smaller than the GBP. See: Usable area (korisna površina), Residential floor area (stambena površina).

New-generation spatial plan (prostorni plan nove generacije)

A spatial plan prepared and adopted in the electronic ePlanovi system (Spatial Planning Act, NN 155/25, Art. 19). From 1 January 2026 amendments to existing plans (PPUO/PPUG, GUP, UPU) can be adopted only as new-generation plans, and plans adopted under earlier laws cease to be valid within seven years (Art. 238). Where such a plan has been adopted, location information is obtained directly from the information system (Art. 37).

Notice of commencement (prijava početka građenja)

An electronic notification to the building authority and the building inspectorate at least five days before works start (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 89). The contractor and the supervising engineer are named; for a less complex building (manje složena zgrada) the main design, signed with a qualified electronic signature, is attached. From the day of the notice the investor is deemed to have started building (Art. 79) and the five-year period for finishing a less complex building begins (Art. 80). Anyone who builds before the permit is issued pays a special fee, 4,000 euros for a less complex building (Art. 72).

Number of storeys (katnost)

The maximum permitted number and type of floors of a building, written with the marks Po (basement), S (semi-basement), P (ground floor), 1, 2 and so on (upper floors), Uk (set-back floor) and Pk (attic), for example Po+P+1+Pk. It is set by the spatial plan and, together with building height, is the key limit on the shape and size of the house.

Chapter: 2.1, 2.4, 3.2

Plan implementation provisions (odredbe za provođenje plana)

The concrete building rules for a given area contained in a spatial plan (PPUO/PPUG or UPU): permitted types of building, number of storeys, height, setbacks, the kig and kis ratios and design requirements. They are read together with the graphic part of the plan.

Chapter: 2.1, 2.4

Professional construction supervision (stručni nadzor građenja)

Supervision carried out by the supervising engineer, checking that the build follows the permit, the design and the regulations; the investor must arrange it (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 18). For a less complex building (manje složena zgrada), from 1 January 2026 it covers only mechanical resistance and stability: the supervising engineer inspects the construction phases and approves the continuation of works (Art. 26). A private individual with a master's degree in architecture, civil engineering, electrical engineering or mechanical engineering and a passed professional exam may design and supervise their own house once every five years, within their field (Art. 18, para. 5). Wider monitoring of quality and costs can be agreed separately.

Chapter: 4.2, 5.5

Project timeline

A carefully planned sequence of events from the start of building to its completion. It must be realistic, include reserves for possible delays and be updated regularly.

Chapter: 5.7

Protective corridor (zaštitni pojas)

A protected zone alongside roads, railways, watercourses, power lines, gas pipelines and other infrastructure. Special restrictions on building, planting and other works apply within it.

Chapter: 2.3, 2.4, 2.5

Residential floor area (stambena površina)

A narrower concept than usable area: the area of the rooms used for living (rooms, kitchen, bathroom, hallway and the like), without ancillary spaces such as a basement, garage, storage room or loft. In a house with a basement and garage, the residential floor area is considerably smaller than the usable area and the GBP, so a contract or advert should state clearly which area is being quoted.

Right to build (pravo građenja)

A property right that gives its holder the right to have a building on someone else's land, for a fixed period and usually for a fee (Ownership and Other Property Rights Act). It is entered in the land register and, like ownership, it is proof of legal interest for the building permit.

Roof

The most important part of the building envelope, which protects the house from precipitation and affects its energy balance. The shape, pitch and covering of the roof are often prescribed in spatial planning documents.

Chapter: 4.1, 5.3

Semi-basement (suteren, S)

A floor buried up to 50% of its volume in the finally landscaped terrain (Ordinance on Spatial Plans, NN 152/23, Art. 4). Unlike a basement, a semi-basement is an above-ground floor: it counts towards kisn and the number of storeys, so on a sloping plot it can change the permitted number of storeys of the house. See: Basement (podrum, Po), Number of storeys (katnost).

Setback (odmak)

The mandatory distance between a building and the plot boundary, a neighbouring building or a protective corridor. Setbacks reduce the real building footprint and are set in the spatial planning documents.

Chapter: 2.1, 2.4, 3.2

Setting out (iskolčenje)

Precise geometric marking of the building on the ground by land survey. It is carried out after the building permit is obtained and is a precondition for starting the earthworks.

Chapter: 5.2, 5.3

Simple structures (building without a building permit)

Structures and works that may be built without a building permit, on the basis of a main design, a standard design or no design, as set out by ordinance (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 85). Until a new ordinance is adopted, the Ordinance on simple and other structures and works (NN 112/17 and amendments, latest NN 155/23) applies (Art. 157): for example small ancillary buildings, swimming pools, fences and retaining walls up to the prescribed dimensions. Even these must not contravene the spatial plan. A family house is not a simple structure.

Site coverage ratio (kig, koeficijent izgrađenosti)

The ratio of the land under buildings to the area of the building plot (Ordinance on Spatial Plans, NN 152/23, Art. 4). The land under a building is the vertical projection onto the plot of the enclosed parts of the building and of open and covered structural parts, without balconies; a ground-floor terrace counts if it is a structural part of a below-ground floor. It does not depend on the number of floors but on the footprint. Together with the setbacks from the boundaries it determines how much of the plot the house may take up. See: kig, kis and kisn: the difference, with an example.

Chapter: 2.1, 2.4

Spatial Planning Act (Zakon o prostornom uređenju, NN 155/25)

The law governing spatial plans and the acts for carrying out developments; it came into force on 1 January 2026 and replaced the Spatial Planning Act NN 153/13 and amendments (Art. 249 to 250). The location permit is kept only for the developments the law lists (Art. 154), location information is issued electronically or within 15 days (Art. 37), and the new-generation spatial plan is introduced in the ePlanovi system; old plans cease to be valid within seven years (Art. 238). Until new ordinances are adopted, the Ordinance on Spatial Plans (NN 152/23), with the terms kig, kis, kisn and kisp, and the Ordinance on the calculation of the GBP (NN 93/17) remain in force (Art. 248). Procedures for issuing acts started before 1 January 2026 are completed under the old law (Art. 242).

Special conditions and connection conditions (posebni uvjeti i uvjeti priključenja)

Conditions from public bodies and network operators that the designer obtains electronically through eDozvola before the building permit application (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 47). For a less complex building (manje složena zgrada) these are the connection conditions (electricity, water, drainage, traffic area) and the special conditions of the conservation authority if the building is a cultural asset or in a protected area. The body must set them within 30 days; if it does not respond, they are deemed issued (Art. 48). They are valid for two years, and conditions set before 1 January 2026 may be used until 1 January 2028 at the latest (Art. 142).

Storage room (spremište)

A service room for storing food, seasonal equipment, cleaning products and small items. Inadequate storage means things spill into the living spaces and spoil their quality.

Chapter: 3.1, 3.2, 3.4

Structure

The load-bearing structure of the house, which carries all loads to the foundations and on into the ground. It may be timber, masonry or reinforced concrete. The choice affects the cost, performance and durability of the building.

Chapter: 4.1, 5.3

Sun protection

Architectural elements and devices for shading, such as overhangs, louvres and shutters, that protect the interior from summer overheating. They must be planned together with the size and orientation of the windows.

Chapter: 3.3, 4.5

Supervising engineer (nadzorni inženjer)

An authorised architect or engineer who carries out professional construction supervision on the investor's behalf and checks whether the build follows the permit, the design and the regulations (Building Act, NN 155/25). They must be independent of the contractor.

Chapter: 2.6, 5.5

Supplier

A company or individual who supplies building materials, windows, doors, technical equipment and other elements needed for construction. Supplier delays are a common cause of longer build times.

Chapter: 5.4

Technical inspection (tehnički pregled)

The inspection of a completed building that the building authority carries out before the use permit, within 30 or 15 days of a proper application (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 97 to 98). For a less complex building (manje složena zgrada) only the investor is invited, and the check is whether the building has been built in line with the location conditions in the permit and the conceptual design: use, maximum external dimensions of the above-ground and below-ground parts, shape and size of the plot and the position of the building on it. A deviation of external dimensions of up to 0.30 m is allowed, except from the mandatory building line and the minimum distance from the boundary (Art. 81).

Technical room

A room for the heating system, manifolds, boilers, filtration and other technical equipment. It must be large enough, accessible for maintenance and logically placed in the design of the house.

Chapter: 3.1, 3.4, 5.3

Terrain and topography

The physical characteristics of the plot: slope, geological make-up of the ground and the presence of groundwater. All of this directly affects the type of foundations, the cost of foundation work and the complexity of the external works.

Chapter: 2.3, 5.3

Thermal insulation

Insulation and other measures that reduce heat loss through the building envelope. Skimping on thermal insulation lowers the initial cost but raises heating costs in the long run.

Chapter: 4.5, 5.1

Usable area (korisna površina)

The area of space inside the walls that serves the purpose of the building. The utility charge is paid on it, and for this calculation the usable area is determined under the Decree on the conditions and criteria for determining protected rent (NN 40/97), to which the Municipal Services Act refers (Art. 99). Net usable area (NKP) in designs and adverts measures a similar area, but the rules are not exactly the same.

Use permit (uporabna dozvola)

The administrative act issued after the technical inspection of a completed building; the building may be used only once it has one (Building Act, NN 155/25, Art. 94). The building authority carries out the technical inspection within 30 or 15 days of a proper application (Art. 98) and issues the permit within eight days of the inspection (Art. 102). For a less complex building (manje složena zgrada) only the investor is invited to the inspection, and only compliance with the location conditions in the permit and the conceptual design is checked (use, external dimensions, plot shape and position of the building), not the basic requirements (Art. 94, 97). The application is accompanied, among other things, by the supervising engineer's final report, a survey of the as-built state and an energy certificate (Art. 95). The obligation to pay the utility charge also begins with the use permit.

Chapter: 2.6, 5.2, 5.7

Utility charge (komunalna naknada)

An annual payment to the municipality or town for maintaining municipal infrastructure, charged per m² of usable area of residential, business and garage space (Municipal Services Act, NN 68/18). The amount depends on the point value, the zone and the use of the space, and the obligation begins with the use permit or the start of use. It is not the same as the one-off municipal infrastructure contribution.

Utility connections (priključci)

The technical lines and physical connections to municipal infrastructure: water supply, sewerage, electricity, gas and telecommunications. Actually building them is often more demanding and more expensive than expected.

Chapter: 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.4

VAT on construction (PDV)

Value added tax on the works and materials for building a house is charged at the standard rate of 25% (VAT Act). The sale of a new building before first occupation, or within two years of it, is subject to VAT; a later sale is exempt from VAT and subject to real estate transfer tax. Always compare contractors' quotes on the same basis, with or without VAT.

Water contribution (vodni doprinos)

A one-off payment to Hrvatske vode that used to be paid when building a house, alongside the municipal infrastructure contribution. It was abolished by amendments to the Water Management Financing Act that came into force on 1 July 2024. The municipal infrastructure contribution is still paid. If an offer or an older source still mentions it, ask for clarification; for permits issued before the abolition, check the position with Hrvatske vode.