Buying a flagpole in Norway: price and what affects the cost

Anyone buying a flagpole in Norway will come across large price differences, even between poles that look almost the same in the pictures. The differences usually have an explanation: height, material, wall thickness, halyard, foundation and accessories. The guide gives no prices, because they vary between makers and retailers and change over time. Instead, it describes what affects the price of a flagpole, what is usually included and which rights buyers have.

What affects the price of a flagpole?

Height and material

Height affects the price most. A taller pole needs more material, a larger diameter and a larger foundation. Norwegian houses often have tall poles: the retailer Flaggshop gives 8 to 12 metres as common for cabins and houses. The material also matters a great deal. More on materials in the guide to flagpole materials, and on height in the guide to flagpole heights.

What is included

Many flagpoles are sold as a kit. Flaggstangsfabrikken writes that its poles are supplied with a complete installation kit. What is included varies between suppliers, and this is what makes offers hard to compare:

• the pole itself, in one or more sections
• finial, pulley, halyard and cleat
• foundation or ground sleeve
• flag and pennant
• installation instructions

Delivery and installation

A flagpole of 8 to 12 metres is a long load. Delivery is often a separate item, and some supply the pole in several sections. Anyone collecting the pole themselves is subject to the rules on protruding loads in section 3-4 of the regulation on the use of vehicles; loads protruding more than 1 metre behind the vehicle are marked with a red and white device. More in the guide to flagpole transport.

Installation can be done by the owner or by the supplier. Flaggstangsfabrikken states that it both delivers and installs, and that it can remove an old pole and take it to disposal. Digging and casting the foundation is often a significant part of the cost.

The municipality

According to the Norwegian Municipal Engineering Association, the ministry has taken the view that flagpoles do not need a permit, so there is usually no building application fee. Sarpsborg municipality writes that several flagpoles in one place can require a permit, and that the municipality can assess the permit requirement for a fee. More in the guide to flagpole installation.

Buyers’ rights

• Right of cancellation: under sections 20 and 21 of the Cancellation Act, consumers generally have a 14-day right of cancellation when buying online or by phone from a trader, counted from the day the goods are received. For goods consisting of several parts, the period runs from the day the last part is received. Under section 22, the right does not apply to goods made to the consumer’s specifications.
• Complaints: under section 27 of the Consumer Purchases Act, a complaint is made within a reasonable time after the defect is discovered, and no later than two years after delivery. For items that in normal use are intended to last considerably longer, the deadline is five years. A flagpole is usually intended to last many years.
• Burden of proof: under section 18 of the Consumer Purchases Act, a defect that appears within two years of delivery is presumed to have existed at delivery unless otherwise proven.

Purchases between businesses, for example when a company buys a flagpole, are governed by the Sale of Goods Act (kjøpsloven) and not the Consumer Purchases Act. The price of the flag is covered in the guide to buying a flag, and the accessories in the guide to flagpole accessories.