Dutch construction turnover, excluding project development, rose 5.2% year over year in the second quarter of 2026. June had two extra working days, and wood and building-material prices rose 4.5%. The housing pipeline grew, while completed homes remained well below the number with outstanding permits.
Why this matters
More invoices can come from higher prices or extra working days, not better job margins. Construction had 28,600 vacancies during the quarter, which can raise payroll and subcontractor costs. A permit is not a start date. Finance, grid capacity, contracts and planning can still hold up a project. Keep separate records for discussed, permitted, contracted, active, completed, invoiced and paid work.
Example
A contractor invoices more on several fixed-price jobs than last year. Material orders cost more, an approved variation remains unpaid, and a housing project has no confirmed start date. The order book is full, but payroll and supplier bills arrive first. Before hiring an employee or buying a van, the contractor checks margin and payment dates on each signed job.
XTROVERSO tips
- Split turnover into price, time and work. Compare Q2 turnover with price changes, working days and completed jobs. You can then see whether the business did more work or billed higher amounts.
- Check every fixed-price job. Review remaining labour, materials, subcontractors and approved changes. Update the expected margin before placing another order.
- Separate each pipeline stage. Use columns for discussed, permitted, financed, contracted, ready-to-start and active work. Do not base payroll on one combined pipeline total.
- Match invoices to expected cash. Track staged invoices, retentions, disputed extras and customer payment dates. An invoice only covers payroll after the customer pays it.
- Confirm capacity before committing. Check staff, subcontractors, supplier slots and grid connections against realistic start dates. Record who confirmed each commitment and when.
Need a clearer view of project margin and expected cash? We can review your figures, contracts and planning
The data, sourcing, and analysis behind this article were conducted by Paolo Maria Pavan. AI was not used to identify sources, build the factual basis, or produce the analytical judgment contained here. AI was used only as a drafting aid. The final English text was personally reviewed, edited, and approved by Paolo Maria Pavan before publication.
