How to compare builders' quotes in Ireland

Start with one dated package: drawings, schedule of work, room finishes, structural information already available, photographs and a short list of site constraints. Send the same revision to each bidder. If one builder identifies missing information, share the clarification with all of them. Otherwise you may accidentally reward a quote based on fewer assumptions.

• Name the project and the exact property location at town or district level for the initial enquiry.
• State whether drawings are concept plans, planning drawings or construction-level documents.
• Include access, parking, occupied-home constraints, known damp or drainage problems and the desired programme.
• Ask every builder to state assumptions, exclusions and any information they still need to firm up the price.

A site visit is especially important where the builder must assess the existing structure, access or ground conditions. An early budget estimate can be useful, but do not compare it as though it were the same as a detailed fixed-price quotation for a defined scope.

Create a simple comparison sheet with the builders as columns and the same work packages as rows. Mark each item included, excluded, allowed for or unclear. Ask for a written answer to every unclear item before ranking prices. The point is to see what each total actually buys.

• Preparation: surveys, demolition, protection of the occupied home, skip hire and lawful waste removal.
• Structure: foundations, excavation, steel, walls, floors, roof and any temporary support.
• Services: plumbing, electrics, heating, ventilation, drainage alterations and testing.
• Envelope: glazing, doors, insulation, waterproofing, render and external finishes.
• Internal finish: plastering, joinery, tiling, flooring, painting, kitchen or bathroom fitting.
• Completion: making good, commissioning, certificates, snagging and site clearance.

For a kitchen extension, ask separately whether the kitchen units and appliances are supplied, installed, connected and decorated around. For a bathroom, distinguish sanitaryware from waterproofing, tiling, ventilation and disposal of the old fittings. The same headline room name can cover very different work.

An allowance is an amount included for an item whose final choice is not known. A provisional sum is an estimate for work whose extent may not yet be defined. Both can move the final price. Ask what quantity, unit price, labour and VAT have been allowed, what happens if the real cost differs, and whether the builder adds a margin when the amount changes.

For example, a low allowance for floor finishes can make one quote look cheaper although your chosen material will exceed it. Likewise, excavation beside an older house may reveal unexpected ground conditions. Ask which uncertainties can be investigated before signing, and hold a project contingency separately from the contractor's quoted price.

Ask whether the total includes VAT and whether the figure is a fixed quote, an estimate, a day-rate arrangement or a price with adjustable elements. Confirm which materials are included, which you must supply and whether delivery, plant hire, disposal, travel or specialist subcontractors are extra. The CCPC notes that traders must give clear pre-contract price information, including the total price inclusive of VAT or the method used to calculate it when the total cannot be determined in advance.[2]

Make each builder show the same base scope and list optional upgrades separately. That makes it easier to remove a feature without losing track of what the core project costs. Ask how any requested change will be described, priced, authorised and added to the programme before it is carried out.

Verify who you are contracting with: trading name, business contact details and who will manage the site. Ask for recent projects similar in size and type, and speak to references about communication, changes, workmanship and completion, not only whether they liked the finished room. Ask which trades are subcontracted and who remains responsible for their work.[1]

• Request evidence of the insurance appropriate to the job and confirm it covers the planned work and project period.
• For regulated electrical or gas work, confirm that the appropriate registered professional will carry it out.
• Ask who provides design, engineering, building-control submissions, inspections and completion documents.
• Check whether a previous customer would allow you to see a completed comparable project, where appropriate.

For extensions, the homeowner and engaged designer or builder share important building-compliance responsibilities. Clarify who owns each task in writing. A low construction price is not a saving if essential design, testing or certification is left for you to arrange later.[3]

A credible programme should explain the likely start window, overall duration, dependencies and who is on site during key phases. Ask whether the quote allows for lead times on windows, steel, kitchen components and specialist trades. Clarify what happens when weather, hidden defects or a homeowner change affects the sequence.

The CCPC advises agreeing written price, completion date, payment structure and detailed work description before paying a deposit. It cautions against large upfront payments and notes that larger projects commonly use staged payments. Tie each stage to observable work or agreed materials, keep payment records and leave a clearly defined final amount for completion and snagging.[1]

• What triggers the deposit and is it refundable if the project does not proceed?
• Which completed milestones trigger later invoices?
• Who approves a variation, and how is its price and time impact recorded?
• What is the procedure for defects, snagging, delayed completion and disputes?

After the clarifications, calculate a like-for-like total: base quote plus known excluded work and realistic allowances for items you actually intend to choose. Separately note uncertainties that no builder can yet price. A quote can be attractive for good reasons, such as a suitable crew and efficient sequence, but ask for an explanation when it is far below the others.

Do not choose solely from testimonials on a platform. Use them as one signal alongside references, a site visit, the written scope and the builder's answers to technical questions. Keep all versions of quotes and written clarifications together so the final contract refers to the version everyone agreed.

'We want written quotes for a rear kitchen and dining extension to a semi-detached house in Cork. Planning status is being confirmed. The same dated drawings, finish schedule and site photographs are attached to this request. Please identify your inclusions and exclusions for demolition, foundations, steel, roof, glazing, insulation, drainage, plumbing, electrics, plastering, flooring, kitchen installation, decoration, waste removal and making good. List provisional sums separately, state whether VAT is included, and explain your programme, insurance, payment milestones and recent similar work. The house will remain occupied during construction.'

If the drawings are still conceptual, say so and ask first what information each builder needs before a firm price is possible. Update the brief once the design is settled, and ask every shortlisted builder to price the same final revision.