More homes get building permits but fewer are built: CBS

Over 23,000 permits were granted for new-build homes in the first quarter of 2026, and nearly 14,000 were completed, according to the national statistics office CBS.

CBS found that 23,500 permits were issued for new homes in the first quarter – 4,700 more than a year earlier. A further 5,200 permits were granted for new commercial buildings – 1,100 more than the year before.

Although more permits were issued, fewer homes were actually completed than in early 2025. In the first quarter, 13,700 new homes were built, 1,800 fewer than a year earlier.

Building permits were also revoked for 700 homes, up from 600 the year before. The number of new commercial buildings completed rose to 4,200, up from 3,300 a year earlier.

The cost of home-building did not rise. Permitted construction costs for new homes totalled 3.3 billion euros in the quarter, the same as a year earlier. The cost of permitted commercial building, however, rose to 2.1 billion euros, 21% more than the year before.

CBS said the construction sector is still growing, but more slowly than in previous years. Turnover rose by 5.1% year on year, down from growth of 7.7% a year earlier.

Civil engineering remained the fastest-growing part of the sector, with turnover 9.1% higher than a year earlier. Bankruptcies were almost unchanged: 128 construction firms were declared bankrupt in the first quarter, against 127 a year earlier.