For anyone planning a Lisbon renovation, the practical reading of the 2026 figures is straightforward: competition for trades, materials and scheduling may be tighter, so scope, selections and change procedures should be settled before appointing a contractor. On 11 September 2026, Statistics Portugal reported growth in new family homes licensed and completed during the second quarter, despite a fall in the total number of licensed buildings. That does not set the price of one individual refurbishment, but it explains why availability, lead times and comparable quotations deserve early attention.
Contents
- What happened in the construction market in the second quarter of 2026?
- Why can these figures affect an apartment renovation?
- Costs are rising: what allowance should you make?
- How do you request quotations that can withstand price and programme changes?
- When should you address planning matters before appointing a contractor?
- What is a sensible plan for moving forward without rushed decisions?
What happened in the construction market in the second quarter of 2026?
The latest Statistics Portugal figures show two trends that may look contradictory but matter to anyone preparing work. In the second quarter of 2026, 6,200 buildings were licensed in Portugal, down 7.1% on the same period of 2025. Licensed rehabilitation works fell by 11.9%. At the same time, new family homes licensed increased by 10.8% and completed homes rose by 11.6%.
In other words, there were fewer buildings, while more dwellings moved through the design, procurement and construction pipeline. This may reflect buildings with more units, different activity patterns across sectors, and decisions made months earlier. See the Statistics Portugal release on licensed and completed works in the second quarter of 2026 for the figures and quarter-on-quarter comparison.
For a homeowner, the practical consequence is not to rush into an appointment. It is to recognise that a quotation valid for only a few days, a team without a defined start date, or materials selected from photographs alone all leave more room for disruption.
Why can these figures affect an apartment renovation?
A renovation competes for resources with new construction, building upgrades, condominium maintenance and public works. They do not all use the same suppliers, yet many depend on electricians, plumbers, metalworkers, window installers, plasterers and finishing trades. When demand rises for particular skills, the first effect is often seen in availability and only later in price.
Lisbon adds a logistical layer: lifts, condominium hours, material deliveries, protection of common areas and, where needed, public-space occupation. A job that seems modest on a drawing can lose days if the delivery route and date for a shower tray, bespoke cabinetry or windows have not been confirmed.
Before asking for quotations, prepare a list of settled decisions: walls to be changed, kitchen and appliance positions, finishes, taps, lighting, windows and external works. To organise the comparison, read how to compare Lisbon renovation quotes without simply choosing the cheapest.
Costs are rising: what allowance should you make?
The new-housing construction-cost index is not a price list for refurbishments, but it is a useful market signal. In August 2026, Statistics Portugal estimated that new-housing construction costs were 7.5% higher year on year; materials rose by 7.1% and labour costs by 8.0%. You can check the series in the Statistics Portugal release on construction costs for August 2026.
Do not apply that percentage automatically to your own quotation. A project focused on painting and joinery has a different cost structure from work that moves water services, changes the electrical board and installs natural stone. Use the figure to avoid two common mistakes: assuming an old quotation remains current and leaving long-lead items until the end.
- Ask for the quotation validity period and what may be adjusted.
- Separate planned work from an allowance for genuine unforeseen work.
- Confirm the brand, model, finish and lead time of critical items.
- Record every substitution in writing before it is ordered.
How do you request quotations that can withstand price and programme changes?
A strong quotation does not remove risk; it makes risk visible. Give every contractor the same brief and ask them to identify demolition, substrate preparation, technical services, waterproofing, finishes, waste removal, protections and final cleaning. Where an item is an allowance, it should be labelled as one.
For longer works, ask whether the contract includes price revision, under which conditions and using which formula. IMPIC publishes construction contract price-revision indices, a relevant reference especially where that mechanism has been agreed. Its use depends on the type of contract and on the contractual wording; a general change in the market is not enough on its own.
Also request a simple sequence: early orders, demolition, services, wall closures, finishes, installation and snagging. That sequence helps you decide when to buy materials and when it is sensible to keep approved alternatives available.
When should you address planning matters before appointing a contractor?
Growth in licensed homes does not change the rules that apply to your property. If the intervention affects structure, façade, roof, use, extension, building height or other planning parameters, the first step is to establish whether prior control, design work and local constraints apply. In a Lisbon apartment building, internal alterations can also affect common elements, service stacks, ventilation, structural walls or condominium rules.
Where there is doubt about the feasibility of a proposal, Lisbon City Council’s Prior Information Request service can provide a decision on feasibility and applicable constraints before a full solution is developed. It is not needed for every renovation, but it can prevent a project being commissioned that conflicts with site rules.
Do not confuse condominium approval with municipal permission, or a layout drawing with technical verification. If demolition, new openings or signs of poorly documented earlier alterations are involved, obtain suitable professional assessment before scheduling the work.
What is a sensible plan for moving forward without rushed decisions?
Use market data to order decisions, not to predict the future. Start by defining what must be resolved — leaks, ageing services, ventilation, electrical safety or accessibility — and what can wait for a later phase, such as decorative furniture. Then turn the project into a list of checkable items.
- Survey the existing condition and the building’s constraints.
- Set the layout and technical services before choosing finishes.
- Compare quotations with the same scope and visible exclusions.
- Select programme-critical items early.
- Set out who approves changes, in writing, and within what time.
- Allow time for deliveries and final corrections.
Site oversight during delivery helps protect those decisions when unexpected conditions appear. Read what to put in writing in a Lisbon renovation contract, especially before agreeing payments, variations or a rigid completion date.
More work in the wider market does not mean accepting vague detail. It means preparing the starting point more carefully.
Key takeaways
- New family homes licensed and completed increased in the second quarter of 2026, while licensed rehabilitation declined.
- Do not apply national indicators directly to your quotation; use them to ask for clear validity periods, lead times and exclusions.
- Set technical services, layout and programme-critical materials before comparing quotations.
- Every change of scope should be recorded and approved before work proceeds.
If you are preparing a renovation in Lisbon, begin by gathering the plan, photographs, decisions already made and a short priority list. Obra Lisboa can help frame the intervention and organise a clearer scope before contractor appointment.
Sources and further reading
- Statistics Portugal release on licensed and completed works in the second quarter of 2026
- Statistics Portugal release on construction costs for August 2026
- construction contract price-revision indices
- Prior Information Request service
AI-generated editorial image; it does not depict an Obra Lisboa project.
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