Construction

Construction involves activities like the erection, extension, repair or reconstruction of a permanent structure. Construction is based on building design documentation which determines the size and structural design of the structure.

The current Building Act stipulates as follows: “A construction work is a completed structure which is constructed as a result of human action and which is attached to a specific area of the ground. Construction works are divided into buildings and civil engineering works.”

Construction is a field of economy mainly focused on the domestic market. Therefore, the construction sector is affected by the overall development of the country’s economy. Although the provision of construction services in foreign countries has increased in recent years, its influence on construction activity in general is small, accounting for 4 to 10% of the total volume of construction. Estonian construction enterprises offer their services mainly in the neighbouring countries, i.e. Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia.

In the subject area of construction, Statistics Estonia publishes data about changes in construction volumes. Annually, data about construction production by type of construction and division between the counties are added. Also, data on granted building permits and completed residential and non-residential buildings and civil engineering works are published. Economic indicators of construction is a sub-area that gives an overview of Estonian construction enterprises in terms of net sales, costs, profit, assets, liabilities, equity, investments, value added, productivity indicators and so on.