🔍 Quote Checker
Is this quote reasonable?
A builder’s quote is usually one number on one page, and there is no way to tell whether it is fair without something to compare it to. This puts it beside the range a job like that normally falls into, and checks it against the eight things a domestic quote should contain.
Figures reviewed September 2026. Free, no signup, nothing stored on our servers.
What this means
The verdict describes where the figure sits relative to a typical quote for that job, not whether the quote is justified. A price above the range very often reflects something real: difficult access, a higher specification, work the survey turned up, or a larger scope than the benchmark assumes. The useful response is to ask which.
A quote well below the range deserves as much attention as one above it. The usual explanation is not generosity but exclusions — waste removal, scaffolding, making good, certification, or VAT that turns up at invoice stage. Confirm in writing what the price does not include before comparing it with anything else.
The checklist matters more than the price for most people. Irish domestic building disputes overwhelmingly come down to the same handful of things: no written scope, no dates, no VAT position, a deposit that was too large, and no record of what was agreed. Fixing those costs nothing and prevents most of what goes wrong.
What affects the result
- Access — scaffolding, parking, a terraced house with no side entrance, and how far materials have to be carried.
- Specification. The same job in a different material is a different price and a legitimate one.
- Condition. What is found once work starts is the main reason final costs exceed quotes.
- Whether the quote includes VAT. Most building services carry the reduced 13.5% rate.
- Scope. A quote for "the roof" and a quote for "the roof, gutters, fascia and chimney flashing" are not comparable.
- How busy the contractor is. A full order book is priced into every quote in the trade.
Is this quote reasonable?
Before you sign anything
Get the scope of works in writing and make sure all three quotes are priced against the same document. Check the relevant register — gas work must be done by an RGI-registered installer and electrical work certified by a Safe Electric Registered Electrical Contractor, and both registers are public and free to search. Ask for the insurance certificate rather than the assurance. Agree stage payments rather than a large deposit.
If it goes wrong afterwards
The consumer rights checker sets out what the Consumer Rights Act gives you on a badly performed service, and the small claims checker tells you whether the dispute fits the €2,000 procedure. Both are free to use and the Small Claims fee is €25.
Budgeting the whole job
If you are still at the planning stage, the renovation cost estimator builds a budget from the same benchmark ranges, including professional fees and a contingency. Check whether the work needs planning permission before you commit to anything.
Important assumptions
Every figure on this page rests on these. Where one does not match your situation, the answer moves — sometimes a great deal.
- Benchmark ranges are compiled from Irish market pricing and reviewed periodically. No official Irish price list for building work exists.
- The range assumes a standard job to the specification described under each item on the form.
- The labour and materials split is implied from the type of work, not read from your quote. Where the quote itemises, use its own figures.
- VAT is treated at the reduced 13.5% rate for building services. Supply-only materials are charged at 23%.
- Regional adjustment is a broad multiplier, not a measured difference.
Official sources
Where this tool applies a published rule, this is where the rule comes from. Check the source before acting on anything that matters.
- CCPC — home improvements and dealing with contractors
The state consumer body's guidance on quotes, deposits, contracts and what to do when work goes wrong.
- Register of Gas Installers of Ireland (RGII)
The public register of installers legally permitted to carry out domestic gas work.
- Safe Electric Ireland
The public register of Registered Electrical Contractors, who must certify controlled electrical works.
- Revenue — VAT on construction services
Which VAT rate applies to building work and the two-thirds rule that decides it.
Common questions
How do I know if a builder's quote is too high?
You cannot know from one quote. Compare the total against a typical range for that job — which is what this tool does — and get at least two more quotes on the same written scope of works. If the others come in materially lower for identical work, you have an answer. If they do not, the first quote was the market price.
Should a quote include VAT?
It should say clearly one way or the other. Most building and repair services supplied by a contractor carry the reduced 13.5% VAT rate where materials are no more than two thirds of the total. A quote silent on VAT can grow by that much on the invoice, and that is the single most common unpleasant surprise in Irish domestic building work.
How much deposit is normal?
For domestic work, anything above roughly a third of the contract price is unusual and worth questioning. Stage payments tied to completed work protect both sides. Paying by card or bank transfer leaves a record; paying cash for a discount leaves you with nothing if the work is defective.
What if the work is defective?
A service must be supplied with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2022. Put the complaint in writing, give the contractor a clear opportunity to put it right with a deadline, and keep everything. If that fails and the amount is €2,000 or less, the Small Claims Procedure is designed to be used without a solicitor.
Does this work for car repairs and other services?
The checklist does — written quote, itemisation, VAT, dates, warranty, deposit terms. The benchmark ranges cover building and home improvement work specifically. For anything not listed, use the checklist and ignore the range.
What to check next
What will this renovation cost?
Benchmark ranges for Irish kitchens, bathrooms, extensions, attics, roofs and more.
Renovation Cost EstimatorNewWhat are my rights on this purchase?
Answer six questions about what you bought and see the Irish rights that may apply.
Consumer Rights CheckerDo I need planning permission?
Exempted development rules for extensions, attics, garden rooms and more.
Planning Permission CheckerNewCan I take this to the Small Claims procedure?
Whether your dispute looks eligible, what it costs, and where to file.
Small Claims CheckerNext steps across CheckIreland
Picked for what you just worked out — not a list of everything we make.
CheckIreland is independent and is not affiliated with the Irish Government or any public body. This tool is general information built on published rules and typical costs — it is not financial, tax or legal advice, and it does not account for your individual circumstances. Confirm anything that matters with the relevant body or a qualified adviser before acting on it.