Construction volume increases by 18% in 2018
According to preliminary data of Statistics Estonia, in 2018 the total production of Estonian construction enterprises both in the domestic and in foreign markets reached €3 billion, which is 18% more than in 2017. Taking into account only the Estonian construction market, the volume increased by 21%.
Statistics Estonia reported on Monday that the construction volume increased for the third consecutive year. Also noteworthy is the fact that 2018 volumes exceeded those of 2007, the market's best-ever year.
The production value of building construction reached €2 billion, and the production of civil engineering works totalled €1 billion. Compared to 2017, the volume of building construction increased by 18% and the volume of civil engineering by nearly 20%.
Building construction contributed the most to the growth of the domestic construction market. Compared to 2017, construction volume increased in new building construction as well as in repair and reconstruction work, supported also by the civil engineering business.
The construction volume of Estonian companies in foreign markets decreased by 13% compared to 2017, mainly on account of smaller volumes of building construction. Construction volumes in foreign markets accounted for 6% of the total volume of construction in 2018, Statistics Estonia wrote.
New dwelling construction continued its previous growth trend for the seventh year. According to data of the Register of Construction Works, in 2018 the number of dwelling completions reached 6,472, 582 more than in the year before.
As in previous years, the most dwellings (ie flats and houses) were completed in Tallinn, followed by the rural municipalities in the vicinity of the city, and in Tartu County. The majority of completed dwellings had two to four rooms. The average floor space of completed dwellings was 90 square metres.
Although the number of building permits issued began to decrease in 2018, there is still demand for new high-quality dwellings in good locations. In 2018 building permits were granted for the construction of 6,990 homes, which is 10% less than in 2017. The most popular type of residential building overall was the block of flats.
In 2018 the number of completed non-residential buildings reached 1,000, with a useful floor area of 1.1 billion square metres. These were primarily new industrial and trade premises and offices. Compared to 2017, the useful floor area as well as the cubic capacity of completed non-residential buildings increased.
In the fourth quarter of 2018, the production value of construction amounted to €782 million or 13% more than in the fourth quarter of 2017. Volumes of building construction as well as civil engineering increased.
Editor: Dario Cavegn
