Primærrom

Primærrom, literally “primary rooms,” is a term used in Norwegian residential real estate to describe the usable living space of a dwelling. The concept was introduced in the 1990s to provide a standardized way of comparing apartments and houses based on the rooms that are habitually occupied for everyday activities such as sleeping, cooking, and living. Primærrom excludes spaces that are not directly usable for living, such as balconies, terraces, garages, cellars, stairwells, technical rooms, and unheated attics.

The calculation of primærrom follows the guidelines set out in the Norwegian building regulations (TEK10 and its successor TEK17). Only rooms with a floor height of at least 2.2 metres are counted, and interior walls are subtracted from the gross area. Kitchen, bathroom, toilet, hallway, and entryway are included if they meet the height requirement, while utility rooms and storage spaces are omitted. The resulting figure is expressed in square metres (m²) and is commonly used in property listings, appraisal reports, and rental contracts.

Primærrom differs from total floor area (bruttoareal), which encompasses every enclosed space within the building envelope, irrespective of its function or height. By focusing on primary rooms, the metric aims to reflect the portion of a property that directly contributes to occupants’ quality of life. Critics argue that the exclusion of balconies and other semi‑outdoor areas can underestimate the functional size of modern apartments that rely on such spaces for living. Nevertheless, primærrom remains the standard benchmark for residential size in Norway’s housing market.