Construction volume on the domestic market increased by 5% in the first quarter

In the first quarter, the total production value of Estonian construction enterprises was 799 million euros, including 603 million euros’ worth of building construction and 196 million euros’ worth of civil engineering. Compared with the first quarter of last year, the volume of building construction grew by 8% and the volume of civil engineering works (roads, bridges, port facilities, pipelines, communication and electricity lines, sports fields, etc.) fell by 7%.

Merike Sinisaar, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that the 5% increase in construction volume on the domestic market in the first quarter is promising because, looking at the annual averages of the last four years, the volume has decreased each year. “The increase at the start of this year has resulted from a rise in building construction, mainly on account of the larger volume of repair and reconstruction works,” added Sinisaar.

The construction volume of Estonian construction enterprises operating abroad fell by 4% in the first quarter year on year, which was mainly due to the decreased volume of civil engineering. Construction in foreign countries accounted for 8% of the total construction volume, down by one percentage point from the same quarter last year.

There was a decline in the number of building permits issued and dwellings completed

According to the Register of Construction Works, 1,181 new dwellings were completed – this is a fourth less than in the first quarter of 2025. The most popular types of residential buildings were blocks of flats with 3–5 storeys and detached houses. “The share of detached houses has increased significantly in the last two years, especially in the rural municipalities in the vicinity of Tallinn,” noted Sinisaar. The largest number of new dwellings were completed in Tallinn.

Building permits were issued for the construction of 1,154 dwellings, which is a fifth less than in the first quarter of 2025. A block of flats remains the most popular type of residential building.

The number of completed non-residential buildings was 243, with a useful floor area of 136,100 square metres. New industrial, warehouse and commercial premises accounted for the biggest share of non-residential building construction. Compared with the first quarter of 2025, there was a decrease in both the useful floor area and the volume of completed non-residential buildings.