In December 2021, the construction output increased by 8.1%, year-on-year (y-o-y), in real terms. It the month-on-month (m-o-m) comparison, it was by 1.8% higher. The planning and building control authorities granted by 8.3% more building permits, y-o-y. The approximate value of permitted constructions increased by 52.8%, y-o-y. The number of started dwellings increased by 120.8%, y-o-y. The number of completed dwellings decreased by 18.7%, y-o-y.

“The total construction output in 2021 slightly increased after having decreased before, both in the building construction and civil engineering construction. During the year, construction struggled with an extraordinary growth of prices and lack of construction capacities,” Radek Matějka, Director of the Agricultural and Forestry, Industrial, Construction, and Energy Statistics Department, says.

“December was, in terms of year-on-year indices, the most successful month of 2021. The output increased especially thanks to building construction. It has to be added that the comparison basis of the previous year was very low. After having decreased for three months, also civil engineering construction was increasing, year-on-year, and both the segments increased in the month-on-month comparison, too, which is positive news,” Petra Cuřínová, Head of the Construction Statistics Unit, explains.

The construction output¹ in December 2021 was by 1.8% higher, m-o-m, in real terms. In the year-on-year comparison, it increased by 8.1%. Compared to the corresponding month of the previous year, the production in building construction increased by 10.5% (contribution +7.4 percentage points (p. p.)). The production of civil engineering construction increased by 2.2%, y-o-y (contribution +0.7 p. p.).

The average registered number of employees² in construction decreased by 1.5%, y-o-y, in December 2021. Their average gross monthly nominal wage increased by 4.4%, y-o-y, in December 2021.

The planning and building control authorities granted 7 919 building permits in December 2021; it was by 8.3% more, y-o-y. The approximate value of the permitted constructions reached CZK 51.4 billion and compared to the corresponding period of 2020 it increased by 52.8%.

The number of dwellings started increased by 120.8%, y-o-y, in December 2021 and reached the number of 6 024 dwellings. The number of dwellings started in family houses increased by 55.8%. The number of dwellings started in multi-dwelling buildings increased by over five times. The year-on-year increase was also influenced by a low comparison basis.

The number of completed dwellings decreased by 18.7%, y-o-y, in December 2021 and amounted to 3 647 dwellings. The number of completed dwellings in family houses decreased by 4.2%; the number of completed dwellings in multi-dwelling buildings decreased by 38.8%.

According to Eurostat, construction output in the EU27 in November 2021 increased by 1.3%, year-on-year. Buildings increased by 1.2% and civil engineering works increased by 1.5%. According to a preliminary release calendar, Eurostat will release data for December 2021 on 18 February 2022.

Construction in the Q4 2021

In the Q4 2021, the construction output was by 1.9% higher in real terms compared to the Q3 2021. In the year-on-year comparison, the construction output increased by 4.3%. The production in building construction increased by 7.4%, y-o-y (contribution +5.0 p. p.) and the production of civil engineering construction decreased by 2.1%, y-o-y (contribution -0.7 p. p.).

The average registered number of employees in construction decreased by 1.1%, y-o-y, in the Q4 2021. Their average gross monthly nominal wage increased by 6.3%, y-o-y, in the Q4 2021.  

In the Q4 2021, the number of construction orders of construction enterprises with 50+ employees increased by 16.4%, y-o-y; the enterprises received and concluded 20 812 construction orders in the Czech Republic. The total value of the orders increased by 2.1%, y-o-y, and amounted to CZK 69.4 billion. The building construction orders were for CZK 31.0 billion (decrease by 5.1%) and those for civil engineering constructions were for CZK 38.4 billion (increase by 8.6%). The average value of a newly concluded construction order amounted to CZK 3.3 million and was by 12.3% lower, y-o-y.

In the Q4 2021, the number of building permits granted increased by 6.8%, y-o-y; the planning and building control authorities granted 23 036 building permits. The approximate value of constructions permitted in the Q4 2021 was CZK 137.8 billion; compared to the corresponding period of 2020 it increased by 33.5%.

The number of dwellings started in the Q4 2021 increased by 58.1%, y-o-y, and amounted to 12 809 dwellings. The number of dwellings started in family houses increased by 29.0% and the number of dwellings started in multi-dwelling buildings increased by 157.8%.

The number of completed dwellings in the Q4 2021 decreased by 6.7%, y-o-y, and amounted to 10 368 dwellings. The number of completed dwellings in family houses decreased by 0.9%, y-o-y, and the number of completed dwellings in multi-dwelling buildings decreased by 23.1%.

Construction in 2021

In 2021, the construction output increased by 1.4%, y-o-y, in real terms. The production in building construction increased by 1.5%, y-o-y (contribution +1.1 p. p.) and the production of civil engineering construction increased by 1.0%, y-o-y (contribution +0.3 p. p.).

The average registered number of employees in construction decreased by 1.1%, y-o-y, in 2021. Their average gross monthly nominal wage increased by 5.1%, y-o-y, in 2021.

In 2021, the number of construction orders of construction enterprises with 50+ employees increased by 15.3%, y-o-y; the enterprises received and concluded 78 517 construction orders in the Czech Republic. The total value of these orders increased by 14.7%, y-o-y, and amounted to CZK 290.2 billion. The building construction orders were for CZK 127.2 billion (increase by 10.2%) and those for civil engineering constructions were for CZK 163.0 billion (increase by 18.4%). The average value of a newly concluded construction order amounted to CZK 3.7 million and was by 0.5% lower, y-o-y.

By the end of 2021, construction enterprises with 50+ employees had 19.0 thousand orders contracted (increase by 4.8%) and these orders represented the inventory of still unperformed construction works of the total value of CZK 225.7 billion (increase by 13.2%).

In 2021, the number of building permits granted increased by 5.8%, y-o-y; the planning and building control authorities granted 90 960 building permits. The approximate value of constructions permitted in 2021 was CZK 521.9 billion and increased by 33.9% compared to that of 2020.

The number of dwellings started in 2021 increased by 28.3%, y-o-y, and was 45 244 dwellings. The number of dwellings started in family houses increased by 9.4% and the number of dwellings started in multi-dwelling buildings increased by 84.1%.

The number of completed dwellings in 2021 increased by 0.7%, y-o-y, and amounted to 34 641 dwellings. The number of completed dwellings in family houses decreased by 1.0%, y-o-y, and the number of completed dwellings in multi-dwelling buildings decreased by 0.4%.

¹ The year-on-year development of construction output (production) has been adjusted for working days unless otherwise stated. Month-on-month or quarter-on-quarter rates are also seasonally adjusted. Contributions to an increase or to a decrease are calculated from data adjusted for working days.
² Indicators related to employment in construction apply to the whole population of enterprises the principal (prevailing) activity of which is construction. The indicator of the registered number of employees doesn’t include persons working under an agreement on work performance and an agreement on work activity, working owners of enterprises, and contributing family workers (cooperating household members) who do not have contracts of employment. The piece of data on the registered number of employees in construction also excludes agency workers who have contracts of employment within economic activities of services (CZ-NACE 78.2).

Responsible head at the CZSO: Radek Matějka, Director of the Agricultural and Forestry, Industrial, Construction, and Energy Statistics Department, phone number: (+420) 736 168 543, e-mail: radek.matejka@czso.cz
Contact person: Petra Cuřínová, Head of the Construction Statistics Unit, phone number: (+420) 737 280 494, e- mail: petra.curinova@czso.cz
Method of data acquisition: direct surveys of the CZSO (Stav 1–12 and Stav 2–12)
End of data collection: 1 February 2022
Related outputs:
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/sta_ts
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/bvz_ts
Next News Release will be published on: 11 March 2022