Construction volume grew by 9% last year

The total production value of construction enterprises was 3.6 billion euros, including 2.5 billion euros’ worth of building construction and 1.1 billion euros’ worth of civil engineering (roads, bridges, port facilities, pipelines, communication and electricity lines, sports fields, etc.). Compared to 2020, the volume of building construction rose by 12% and the volume of civil engineering works by 4%.

Merike Sinisaar, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that the construction market in 2021 was influenced by the low reference base of the previous year as well as by material prices which have risen rapidly in recent years. “Despite the rising prices, the total construction volume was 3% higher than the previous record level in 2019,” said Sinisaar.

The domestic construction market was mainly boosted by the increased volume of building construction. There was a rise in both new building construction and building repair and reconstruction work. The higher volume of civil engineering works was mainly driven by repair and reconstruction work.

The construction volume of Estonian construction enterprises in foreign countries decreased by 5% compared to 2020. There was a fall in both building construction and civil engineering. Construction in foreign countries accounted for 5% of the total construction volume, down from 6% in 2020.

According to the Register of Construction Works, 6,735 dwellings were completed in 2021, which is 11% less than in 2020. The majority (62%) of new dwellings are in blocks of flats. The most popular type of building was a 3–5-storeyed block of flats. This is also the only type of building that has increased its share among new residential buildings in recent years. The biggest share of new dwellings had two or four rooms. Dwellings with four rooms have dominated for years, but last year there was an increase in the share of dwellings with one and two rooms and a decrease in the share of dwellings with three rooms. The average floor area of new dwellings was 91 square metres. The majority of completed dwellings were in Tallinn, in the rural municipalities in the vicinity of Tallinn and in Tartu county.

Building permits were granted for the construction of 8,773 dwellings, which is 0.7% less than in 2020. A block of flats is still the most popular type of building.

The number of completed non-residential buildings was 1,136, with a useful floor area of 638,300 square metres. New storage, industrial and transport premises accounted for the biggest share of non-residential building construction. Compared to 2020, there was a decrease in both the useful floor area and the volume of completed non-residential buildings.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the production value of Estonian construction enterprises totalled 1.0 billion euros, which is almost a tenth more than in the fourth quarter of 2020. The volume of building construction rose by 12% and the volume of civil engineering works by 3%.

Statistics Estonia collects and analyses data to produce the quarterly economic indicators of enterprises. The statistical activity is commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications in order to understand how the Estonian economy is doing.

See also the construction section on our website.
More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.

For further information:

Hanna-Liisa Ruul
Communications Partner
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia

Tel +372 625 9264