Construction - August 2008
Civil engineering cushioned decrease of construction work
Publication Date: 09. 10. 2008
Product Code: r-8202-08
In August 2008 seasonally adjusted total construction output at constant prices was down by 0.1%, compared with the previous month. In comparison to August 2007, output at constant prices dropped by 1.2%. The planning and building control authorities granted 11 762 building permits, i.e. by 4.2% more year-on-year. Approximate value of permitted constructions increased by 2.8% year-on-year and reached CZK 36.2 billion.
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Seasonally adjusted total construction output at constant prices decreased by 0.1% month-on-month. The trend increased by 0.4% month-on-month (see Table 3).
Total construction output at constant prices dropped by 1.2% year-on-year, working days adjusted (WDA) total output rose by 1.7% (August 2008 was by two working days shorter that August 2007). The highest growth was still recorded in civil engineering, in new construction, reconstruction and modernisation as well as in repair and maintenance. Decrease in building construction continued, mainly in new construction.
Contracted construction work carried out by construction enterprises with 20+ employees decreased by 1.7% year-on-year at constant prices. New construction, reconstruction and modernisation decreased by 3.9% (contribution -3.3 percentage points); building construction fell by 11.1% (contribution -5.9 p.p.) and civil engineering grew by 8.2% (contribution 2.6 p.p.). Construction work abroad dropped by 2.6% (contribution -0.1 p.p.). Repair and maintenance increased by 14.7% (contribution 1.6 p.p.) and other work grew by 34.6% (contribution 0.1 p.p.).
The number of employees in construction enterprises with 20+ employees fell by 1.4%* ) against August 2007. The average monthly nominal wage of employees increased by 4.1% year-on-year and reached CZK 23 015 (real wage decreased by 2.3%). The average hourly wage grew by 14.0% year-on-year and stood at CZK 163. Labour productivity per employee dropped by 0.3% and labour productivity per hour worked increased by 9.1%. Hours worked fell by 9.9% due to a lower number of working days.
The planning and building control authorities granted 11 762 building permits (+4.2% on August 2007); 6 938 were for new constructions and 4 824 for renewals and enhancements. Compared to August 2007, building permits for new constructions grew in environmental constructions (+31.9%) and other constructions (+7.6%) and fell in residential buildings (-4.6%) and non-residential buildings (-3.2%). Building permits for renewals and enhancements grew in non-residential buildings (+14.8%) and other constructions (+30.8%) and decreased in residential buildings (-12.6%) and environmental constructions (-20.5%).
Approximate value of permitted constructions grew by 2.8% in comparison to August 2007 and reached CZK 36.2 billion. New constructions are valued at CZK 22.5 billion (+9.3%, contribution 5.4 p.p.). Renewals and enhancements will make available constructions worth CZK 13.7 billion (-6.4%, contribution -2.6 p.p.).
Compared to August 2007, approximate value of new constructions fell only in residential buildings (‑12.7%, contribution -3.7 p.p.). Approximate value of other types of constructions grew – in non-residential buildings (+53.0%, contribution 6.8 p.p.), environmental constructions (+36.0%, contribution 1.4 p.p.) and other constructions (+6.9%, contribution 0.9 p.p.). Approximate value of renewals and enhancements fell in other constructions (-66.8%, contribution -15.8 p.p.) due to the high comparative basis of August 2007.
The planning and building control authorities permitted the construction of 3 725 dwellings, which was by 1 391 dwellings fewer (-27.2%) in comparison to August 2007. Out of that, 3 216 dwellings (-1 311 dwellings) will be obtained by new construction and 509 dwellings (-80 dwellings) by renewals and enhancements. Approximate value of newly permitted dwellings in multi-dwelling buildings was CZK 9.4 billion. The planning and building control authorities permitted the construction of buildings with a floor area of 766.4 thousand m 2 (-7.7%); floor area of residential buildings decreased by 19.7% (contribution -13.1 p.p.) and of non-residential buildings grew by 16.2% (contribution 5.4 p.p.). The average floor area of a newly constructed dwelling was 131.0 m 2 and the approximate value was CZK 21.3 thousand per m 2.
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According to Eurostat News Release, WDA construction output in the EU27 was down by 1.5% year-on-year in July 2008; building construction decreased by 1.8% and civil engineering dropped by 0.3%. Among the EU member states for which data were available, the highest increases were recorded in Romania (+28.4%), Bulgaria (+16.4%), Poland (+16.1%) and Slovakia (+6.7%). The highest decrease was registered in Spain (‑15.9%). Construction output in Germany decreased by 2.3%.
Notes
Contact: Vladimír Zikmund, phone (+420)274054252, e-mail : vladimir.zikmund@csu.gov.cz
Data source: CZSO direct survey in enterprises with 20+ employees and in planning and building control authorities
End of data collection: 2 October 2008
End of data processing: 7 October 2008
Related publications: /1-ep-8
8201-08 Construction in the Czech Republic
8202-08 Building Notices Received and Building Permits Granted
The data in Table 1 for June 2008 are finalised; data for July and August are preliminary and will be updated together with the release for October 2008.
The data in Table 2 are finalised.
*) Employment indicators are observed for construction enterprises with 20+ employees. The average registered number of employees does not include agency workers.