To Olav and Ingrid Femte, an idyllic bit of property on the edge of a forest looks like the perfect spot to build a family home and raise their two kids. Just after breaking ground, however, the troubles start. Carpenters, bureaucrats, and neighbours all seem to conspire to make life miserable for our inexperienced, would-be contractor and his wife. Despite hard-and-fast price estimates, the construction costs soar and a finish date is nowhere in sight. Having prematurely given up their apartment, Olav, his pregnant wife and the kids must now move into the unfinished home, and their difficulties start in earnest. All of the trouble-making characters encountered by the young family are brought to life by the Norwegian actor Rolv Wesenlund, playing eight different roles in the film.