Construction - February 2006

In February, seasonally adjusted total construction output at constant prices was down by 0.6% month-on-month. In terms of year-on-year comparison, total construction output at constant prices fell by 8.2%. The planning and building control authorities granted 7 577 building permits, which was down by 5.9% on February 2005.
Seasonally adjusted total construction output at constant prices dropped by 0.6% month-on-month. The trend decreased by 0.5% month-on-month and was close to that in the preceding two months (see Table 3).


Year-on-year, total construction output at constant prices fell by 8.2%. Construction work decreased in all segments of construction output. The high snow cover decelerated in particular finishing work in civil engineering. The completion of and payment for a number of constructions was put back to next months.

Construction work of contractors and subcontractors to enterprises with 20+ employees fell by 9.3% year-on-year at constant prices, new construction incl. reconstruction and modernisation accounting for -9.1 percentage points and decreasing by 10.4% (of which building accounted for -2.7 percentage points and dropped by 4.1% and civil engineering accounted for -6.4 percentage points and fell by 22.3%). The only increase was observed in repair and maintenance (accounting for 0.8 percentage points and growing by 9.7%).

Employment in construction enterprises with 20+ employees grew by 1.3% in February. The average monthly nominal wage of employees decreased by 4.4% year-on-year and reached CZK 15 844, the real wage dropped by 6.7% and was affected by a decrease among technical and administrative workers who in 2006 were paid annual bonuses for economic results in January, whereas in 2005 in February. The average hourly wage decreased by 5.2% year-on-year and stood at CZK 127. Labour productivity per employee fell by 10.5% and labour productivity per hour worked decreased by 11.3%. Unit wage costs were up by 6.8%.

The planning and building control authorities granted 7 577 building permits in February 2006 (of which 3 879 for new constructions and 3 698 for renewals and enhancements). The number of building permits granted dropped by 5.9% year-on-year.

The approximate value of constructions permitted in February 2006 reached CZK 26.0 billion (of which new constructions made up CZK 16.1 billion and renewals and enhancements CZK 9.9 billion). Compared to February 2005, the approximate value increased by 22.0%. The highest share in this increase had renewals and enhancements (accounting for 14 percentage points, growth by 43.3%) and also new constructions (accounting for 8 percentage points, growth by 11.8%). Other constructions rose by 28.7% year-on-year.

The planning and building control authorities permitted 3 461 dwellings to be constructed, which was by 790 dwellings more than in February 2005. Out of that, 2 905 dwellings will be built as new constructions (+910 permitted dwellings year-on-year) and 556 dwellings will be obtained by renewals and enhancements (-120 permitted dwellings year-on-year). The approximate value of newly permitted dwellings in multi-dwelling buildings reached CZK 6.8 billion.

The planning and building control authorities permitted the construction of buildings with a floor space of 587 294 m2 (+26.5% year-on-year), of which residential buildings made up 343 141 m2 (+29.2%) and non-residential buildings 244 153 m2 (+22.9%). The floor space of new buildings was 543 037 m2 and of renewals and enhancements 44 257 m2. The average floor space of 105 m2 per dwelling was for new construction of residential buildings with approximate value CZK 19.8 thousand per m2.

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Note
Contact: Vladimír Zikmund, phone (+420) 27405 4252, e-mail: vladimir.zikmund@csu.gov.cz
Data source: CZSO direct survey in enterprises and planning and building control authorities
End of data collection: 3 April 2006
End of data processing: 4 April 2006
Related publications: /1-ep-8
8201-06 Construction
8202-06 Building Permits Granted

The data in Table 1 for December have been revised; data for January and February are preliminary and will be updated when data for April 2006 are published.
The data in Table 2 are final.