Quote sanity check · Free · Irish 2026
Is your builder's quote fair?
Two ways to check. Pick whichever suits.
Project + quote
Describe the project, then drop in the contractor's number.
Verdict will appear here
Fill in the project basics and the contractor's number on the left.
VAT is the biggest source of surprise
Irish domestic renovation labour and materials are taxed at 13.5% VAT (the reduced rate under VAT Consolidation Act 2010 §46(1)(c)), not the standard 23%. A quote that applies 23% to construction labour is almost certainly wrong — ask for it in writing.
Cash-only quotes are not bargains
No VAT receipt means no proof of work on the resale conveyancing pack, no recourse under consumer law, and Revenue can pursue undeclared labour back to the homeowner under the Relevant Contracts Tax (RCT) rules for unregistered subcontracting.
Always check the CRO register
Verify the contractor on cro.ie for the company number and tax-clearance status. A recently-incorporated "Ltd" with no filed accounts is a red flag. CIF or CIRI membership adds an extra layer of vetting.
Long reads
What a fair Irish builder's quote actually looks like
The cost guide includes the eight-point checklist for reading a quote line-by-line — VAT treatment, BCAR Assigned Certifier line, RIAI contract terms, Tax Clearance. The AI guide explains how our quote-analyser model catches things humans miss.
Renovation cost · 14 min
How much does it cost to renovate a house in Ireland in 2026?
SCSI Nov 2025 + CSO COPI data. Cost-by-scope / spec / region / room tables, the eight hidden costs nobody quotes for, BCAR / pyrite / mica risks, and the 13.5% VAT rate that catches 3 in 10.
Read the guideAI · 12 min
Can AI estimate an Irish renovation cost from a property photo?
We tested Claude Sonnet 4.5 vision against an SCSI-aligned QS on a real Dublin south-side semi. The seven Irish-specific hidden costs no AI model can see (pyrite, mica, BCAR, BER).
Read the guide