When planning to build a wooden house in Lithuania, it is crucial to know which building class it belongs to according to construction technical regulations (STR). This information affects not only the design but also obtaining a construction permit, fire safety requirements, approvals, and other procedures.
In this article, we will explain how building classification works, which classes are most commonly applied to wooden residential houses, and how the Arqiplan tool allows you to quickly and accurately determine all the important information about a specific plot.
What is building classification according to STR?
Building classification is the division of buildings into certain groups based on their purpose, complexity, and technical requirements. This classification is regulated in the document:
STR 1.01.03:2017 “Building Classification”
Classification is important for:
- Construction permit issuance procedures;
- Design requirements;
- Supervision and control of the construction process.
Classification of wooden houses
Most single-family and two-family residential houses, even if they are made of wood, are classified as:
- Building purpose: Residential buildings;
Building type: Simple (non-complex) or non-special buildings, depending on technical parameters (height, area, type of construction).
A wooden house can be:
| Parameter | Classification |
| Up to 80 m², up to 2 floors | Simple building |
| Over 80 m², up to 3 floors | Non-special building |
| More complex construction | Special building (less commonly applied) |
Important! The material (wood) itself does not determine the classification. Classification depends on size, construction, usage.
Why is this important for wooden buildings?
Wooden buildings have additional aspects that are important for classification:
- Fire safety requirements – fire resistance must be assessed (REI class);
- Structural safety – appropriate design is needed due to the behavior of wood;
- Sealing and energy efficiency assessment – especially important for A++ class.
That’s why classification helps determine which STRs need to be applied, whether a permit is required, or if the project needs to be coordinated with institutions.
How to quickly find out classification and regulations?
Checking all this manually can be challenging, as information is scattered among:
- Registry Center;
- STR documents;
- Territorial planning documents (general/detailed plan);
- Geoportal.lt, TPDRIS, KPD, etc.
💡 Solution: use a digital tool – Arqiplan
Arqiplan: quick plot analysis and classification
Arqiplan is a digital tool that allows you to, in just a few minutes:
- Enter a specific plot address or unique number;
- Receive automatic analysis of possible building parameters: building height, density, allowed purposes;
- See which STR applies, whether the building would be classified as simple, non-special, or special;
- Receive a PDF report that can be used for design or coordination with specialists.
Why is this especially useful when building a wooden house?
✅ You can assess in advance whether a construction permit will be needed;
✅ Clearly understand which regulations will apply to the material (wood);
✅ Avoid mistakes in choosing the wrong STR or classification level.
Example
You have a plot in the suburbs and plan to build a 120 m² two-story wooden house. Using Arqiplan you can:
- Check if the plot allows for residential building construction;
- Determine that the building is considered a non-special residential building;
- Find out if a construction permit is needed and which STRs to apply to the project;
- Get all this in one report without queues and manual document searches.
Summary
Building classification is not a formality but a crucial step in planning construction. For wooden houses, it is especially important due to specific material properties, fire safety requirements, and energy efficiency. Using Arqiplan you can quickly and accurately determine which regulations apply to your case and make decisions based on data, not guesses.
Planning to build a wooden house? Start with classification and plot analysis – find out what you can build today.