Byggenæringen refser statsbudsjettet: – Spenner bein på næringen

The construction industry is criticizing the Norwegian government's proposed 2027 budget, which was announced on Wednesday. The government plans to cut funding for the housing bank by 2 billion kroner, relative to the total budget for 2026, according to NHO Construction Industry. NHO Construction Industry's managing director, Nina Solli, stated that this budget is putting pressure on the construction industry.

Employment in the industry has been reduced by over 20,000 work years and production has decreased by 85 billion kroner in the past three years. At the same time, 10 percent of workers in the industry are now permitted, and funding for railway modernization and energy efficiency has been cut, according to the industry organization.

With historically low home construction, the home ownership dream is becoming increasingly distant, especially for those without a family bank. Eiendomsmeglerforbund (NEF) is calling for stronger measures for home construction, rehabilitation, and energy efficiency, and suggests a targeted ROTRehabilitering, redeveloping, and retrofitting initiatives.

Without achieving at least 130,000 new homes by 2030, the construction industry faces significant challenges, according to Bygghåndverk Norge's managing director, Robert Steen. Norsk Eiendom agrees that the budget proposal does not provide better conditions for those building, owning, and managing buildings that house Norway's workforce.

The organizations are disappointed that the budget does not address low-cost building and maintenance costs, which would help achieve the home ownership goal by 2030 or accelerate the construction industry's transition, according to Norsk Eiendom's managing director, Tone Tellevik Dahl. The organizations also criticize the government's tax policies, which favor stock investments over home ownership, making it less attractive to invest in home construction and rental properties.