Construction - January 2006

In January 2006, seasonally adjusted total construction output at constant prices was down by 1.8% month-on-month. In terms of year-on-year comparison, total construction output at constant prices dropped by 1.2% (by 3.4% working days adjusted). The planning and building control authorities granted 8 652 building permits, which was down by 0.7% year-on-year.
Seasonally adjusted total construction output at constant prices was down by 1.8% month-on-month. The trend decreased by 0.1% month-on-month and was like in December 2005 (see Table 3).

Year-on-year, the total construction output at constant prices was down by 1.2%, working days adjusted output (January 2006 had 1 working day more) by 3.4%. The decrease of construction output was affected by unfavourable weather in January 2006 (the average temperature was 3.3 °C below the long-term average), lower volume of hours worked by manual workers (by 8.3 hours less than in January 2005) and the high comparable basis of January 2005 (+14.2%).

Higher growth of construction work was registered in civil engineering works (+14.6%). The volume of building work fell by 5.9%.

Employment in construction enterprises with 20+ employees grew by 1.7%. The average nominal monthly wage of employees increased by 9.0% year-on-year and reached CZK 17 485, the real wage rose by 5.9%. The average hourly wage increased by 12.2% and stood at CZK 133. Labour productivity per employee was down by 2.2% and labour productivity per hour worked grew by 0.7%. Unit wage costs increased by 11.5%.

The planning and building control authorities granted 8 652 building permits in January 2006 (of which 4 590 for new constructions and 4 062 for renewals and enhancements). The number of building permits granted decreased by 0.7% year-on-year.

The approximate value of constructions permitted in January 2006 reached CZK 18.3 billion (of which new constructions made up CZK 11.3 billion and renewals and enhancements CZK 7.0 billion). Compared to January 2005, approximate value decreased by 17.9%, of which the approximate value of other constructions by 41.4%, of non-residential buildings by 20.9%, and of environmental constructions by 38.6%. The approximate value of residential buildings was up by 36.1%, of which by 38.8% in new constructions. The sharp decline in the approximate value of other constructions was affected by a high comparable basis of January 2005 when financially demanding civil engineering works and – among non-residential buildings – department stores, sports centres and shop floors were permitted for construction.

The planning and building control authorities permitted 2 887 dwellings to be constructed, which was by 642 dwellings more than in January 2005. Out of that, 2 166 dwellings will be built as new constructions (+537 permitted dwellings year-on-year) and 721 new dwellings will be obtained by renewals and enhancements (+105 permitted dwellings year-on-year). The approximate value of newly permitted dwellings in multi-dwelling buildings reached CZK 5.2 billion.

The planning and building control authorities permitted the construction of buildings with floor space 601 646 m2 (+20.4%), of which 262 951 m2 was in residential buildings (+12.1%) and 338 695 m2 in non-residential buildings (+27.6%). A floor space of 534 523 m2 was obtained in new constructions and 67 123 m2 by renewals and enhancements.

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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: 6 March 2006
End of data processing: 7 March 2006
Related publications: /1-ep-8
8201-06 Construction
8202-06 Building Permits Granted

The data in Table 1 for November and December 2005 have been revised; the data for January 2006 are preliminary and will be updated when data for April 2006 are published.
The data in Table 2 are final.