Miljonprogrammet

What it is

Miljonprogrammet (“the Million Programme”) is the name for the big building period of 1965-1974, when just over a million homes (1,005,578) were built to clear the housing shortage and overcrowding. That came to almost a fifth of Sweden’s entire housing stock. Roughly a third were tall apartment blocks, a third lower apartment blocks and a third detached houses and terraced homes, so a miljonprogram building can look very different from one to the next.

Why it matters to you as a buyer

Age is not the same as poor condition. These buildings often have a solid concrete frame that lasts well, and an individual flat or house can be well looked after. What varies are the parts that wear out: pipes (stammar), bathrooms, electrics, ventilation, windows, balconies and facade. How much needs doing depends on past maintenance and the building method used, not on the year alone.

Because these homes are now around 50-60 years old, much of the installed systems tend to be nearing the end of their lifespan. For a bostadsrätt (a flat owned as a share in a housing co-operative), it is worth reading the annual report and the maintenance plan: has the stambyte (the replacement of the building’s water and drainage pipes) been done or planned, and how healthy are the BRF’s (the co-op’s) finances? For a house it is more about knowing what has already been replaced and what is still pending.

What to check

• Radon and blåbetong: blåbetong (a lightweight aerated concrete) was made 1929-1975 and gives off more radon than other materials. The indoor reference level is 200 Bq/m3. A radon measurement gives you a clear answer, and blåbetong can be traced with a gamma measurement.
• Asbestos: materials from this era can contain asbestos (banned in 1982), often in pipe insulation, eternit roofing, floor tiles and fan rooms. Assume it may be present and bring in professionals before you tear anything out.
• PCB: homes built or renovated 1956-1973 can contain PCB in joint sealants, floor screeds and insulating glazing. In apartment blocks this should be surveyed and, where needed, remediated.
• Pipes, electrics and ventilation: ask what has been replaced and when. An upcoming stambyte is nothing unusual, but it is good to know before you buy.