Construction site

What is a construction site under the Building Act?

A construction site (stavenisko) is the space that the decision on building intent sets for placing the building and its site facilities, and for carrying out the building works. Under the Building Act, the site covers the building plot and, to the extent the decision sets, other plots or parts of them. It also covers the land under all structures of an approved set of buildings (act 25/2025 Z. z., § 6 ods. 1).

This page describes the Building Act in the text in force from 1 November 2025 to 31 December 2026. The act applies from 1 April 2025, alongside the Spatial Planning Act 200/2022 Z. z. It does not describe the rules of the 1976 act. Amendment 243/2026 Z. z. applies from 1 January 2027, so check the text again before relying on this page after that date.

Which parts of the site does the building intent set?

The decision on building intent fixes the extent of the site, so the two have to be read together. The site can be larger than the building plot when the decision includes neighbouring land for the works.

Temporary site facilities (zariadenie staveniska) sit inside the site. The act defines them as temporary structures used to run the site. They serve mainly to store building products, to place machinery and uncontaminated soil linked to the construction, and for workshops, accommodation and personal hygiene (§ 6 ods. 2). See temporary site facilities.

What must a construction site have before the works start?

The act lists conditions that every construction site must meet (§ 6 ods. 3). The table below summarises them.

Requirement	What the act says	Section
Security	Protection against entry by outsiders where life or health could be at risk, including by fencing or enclosure	§ 6 ods. 3 písm. a
Marking	Marked as a construction site, with the basic data on the building and the participants in construction	§ 6 ods. 3 písm. b
Access	An entrance and exit to a public or access road, kept clean, for deliveries and emergency vehicles	§ 6 ods. 3 písm. c
Storage and movement	Safe storage of products and machinery, and safe movement of the people doing the works	§ 6 ods. 3 písm. d and e
Waste	Waste removal or disposal arranged	§ 6 ods. 3 písm. f

The building office may waive some of these technical requirements in the decision on building intent. This applies to a site outside the built-up area, the site of a linear structure and a large site of another civil structure (§ 6 ods. 4). Verified project documents and the construction diary must be on site for the whole construction (§ 6 ods. 5).

Who is responsible for fencing and access?

The builder (stavebník) hands the site over before the works start. The site manager (stavbyvedúci) then runs the site. Under § 38 ods. 1 the site manager has to make sure the site is protected from entry by outsiders, mainly by fencing or enclosure, and has a lockable entrance for persons. The lockable entrance does not have to be provided for a linear structure. The site manager is also responsible for the site marking, the minimum safety and health requirements, access for vehicles, and the water and electricity supply, among other duties.

Party	Duty for the site	Section
Builder	Hands over the verified project, the final decision on building intent and the land for setting up the site, before the works start	§ 30 ods. 3 písm. b
Contractor	Ensures water and electricity where the works need them, the equipment for the works and for the people working, and clears the site after the works end	§ 32 ods. 2 písm. c, d and m
Site manager	Fencing or enclosure, lockable entrance, site marking, safety minimums, vehicle access, water and electricity	§ 38 ods. 1
Site manager	Keeps the construction diary from the first day the site is set up until the building is handed over	§ 39 ods. 1

The site manager's role is described in more detail on the site manager page.

How does the construction site relate to site handover?

The builder hands the site over before the works start, and the act names what must be handed over. Under § 30 ods. 3 písm. b the builder hands the contractor three things before the works start: the verified project, the final decision on building intent and the land to set up the site. The act sets no form for the handover itself, so the contract between the parties decides how it is done. See site handover.

The construction diary records the progress of the works from the takeover of the site (§ 10 ods. 2). The site manager keeps it available for entries and checks from the first day of site setup (§ 39 ods. 1). The two provisions name different starting points.

How is a construction site different from the start of construction?

The construction site is a space, while the start of construction is a legal event. Setting up the site does not start the construction. Under § 41 the start of construction means starting the works directly linked to building the structure. Preparatory works are not counted. The act names fencing the site and setting it up as examples of preparatory works. Equipping the site, access to it, water and electricity supply, clearing vegetation, stripping the humus layer of agricultural soil, removing waste and marking the construction are also preparatory.

Term	Meaning	Section
Construction site (stavenisko)	The space set by the building intent for the building, its site facilities and the works	§ 6 ods. 1
Temporary site facilities (zariadenie staveniska)	Temporary structures for running the site	§ 6 ods. 2
Preparatory works	Fencing, site setup and equipment, access, water and electricity, clearing vegetation, humus stripping, waste removal, marking	§ 41
Start of construction (začatie stavby)	Starting the works directly linked to building the structure	§ 41

The difference matters for the notice to the building office. Before the works start, the builder notifies the start of the approved works and names the contractor (§ 30 ods. 3 písm. a). Because fencing is not the start of construction (§ 41), setting up the site does not by itself start that duty.