Construction volumes decreased in the 1st quarter

In the 1st quarter of 2015, the production value of construction enterprises amounted to 365 million euros, of which the production value of building construction was 261 million euros and the production value of civil engineering was 104 million euros. Compared to the 1st quarter of 2014, the volume of building construction in real terms increased 2% and the volume of civil engineering decreased 15%.

The domestic construction market was still influenced the most by a decrease in civil engineering volumes. At the same time, the upward trend in building construction has lasted for five years in a row. Compared to the 1st quarter of 2014, there was an increase in new building construction as well as in repair and reconstruction work in building construction.

The construction volume of Estonian construction enterprises in foreign countries stayed on the level of the 1st quarter of 2014, influenced mainly by the construction of buildings. Construction volumes in foreign countries accounted for 10% of the total volume of construction in the 1st quarter of 2015.

According to the data of the Register of Construction Works, in the 1st quarter of 2015, the number of dwelling completions was 973, i.e. 189 dwellings more than in the same period of 2014. More than a half of the completed dwellings were situated in blocks of flats. The majority of completed dwellings were situated in Tallinn.

There is still a demand for new dwellings with a good location and high quality. In the 1st quarter of 2015, building permits were granted for the construction of 841 dwellings, which is a fifth more than in the 1st quarter a year ago. The most popular type of building was block of flats.

In the 1st quarter of 2015, the number of completed non-residential buildings was 179 with a useful floor area of 167,500 square metres – this was primarily made up of new storage, agricultural and industrial premises. Compared to the 1st quarter of 2014, the useful floor area as well as the volume of completed non-residential buildings increased.