The building market in France

In France, new construction makes up only 39% of building activity in 2025, a low not seen in at least thirty years according to the Fédération française du bâtiment (FFB), after a 10% fall at constant prices. Improvement and maintenance reach €117bn, down about 1% after four years of growth. In the second quarter of 2026, its volume fell a further 3.3% year on year: −3.1% in housing and −3.7% in non-residential.

At end of July 2026, the Fédération française du bâtiment (FFB) puts the annual trend at 302,000 housing starts in France, over 50,000 below the average of the last forty years. Starts are up 26.4% over seven months year on year, but permits fell by nearly 10% over the last three months. In new non-residential building, floor area started is almost stable and floor area authorised is down nearly 7%.

Energy renovation of buildings represents €31bn of works in France in 2025, according to the Fédération française du bâtiment (FFB). In the second quarter of 2026, it fell 4.3% year on year. The Confédération de l’artisanat et des petites entreprises du bâtiment (CAPEB, the confederation of building craft businesses) reports a 1% rise among craftspeople in the third quarter of 2026, the first since early 2024. According to the FFB, gaining two energy performance certificate (DPE) classes costs €30,000 to €50,000 per home.

The building market in France has 450,000 companies with positive revenue in 2025, according to the Fédération française du bâtiment (FFB), which claims 50,000 members. According to the Confédération de l’artisanat et des petites entreprises du bâtiment (CAPEB), 97% of companies have fewer than 20 employees and these very small businesses generate 46% of revenue. Materials and equipment manufacturers depend on them: construction and renovation still account for 75% of Legrand’s sales, according to Investir in May 2026.

The building sector in France has 1,731,000 people at work in 2025, including 1,234,000 employees, according to the Fédération française du bâtiment (FFB). According to its president, quoted by Le Moniteur in October 2026, 60,000 jobs have disappeared in three years. The FFB expects the loss of 20,000 jobs and about 12,000 company insolvencies in 2026. According to CAPEB, building and public works companies with fewer than 20 employees lost 17,066 jobs over one year in the third quarter of 2026.

A PDF report in French, 2026 edition, organised in six chapters: building and its scope, market size and dynamics, household and business demand, supply and players, regulation and constraints, market outlook.

Publications from the Fédération française du bâtiment and CAPEB, public construction statistics, and trade press articles from the IndexPresse database. Every figure comes with its source and period.

Yes. The study is updated before it is sent, within 48 hours at most: it includes the latest published data, and every figure comes with its source and period.

Building companies and craftspeople, business founders and buyers, materials manufacturers and merchants, project owners, as well as consultants, bankers and investors who need to understand the building market in France.

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