How to post a home renovation job in Ireland

Start with the outcome you want, then list the rooms and work packages involved. Say whether the property is occupied and whether any work must happen in a particular order.

• Name every room or area affected, such as kitchen, hallway, attic or rear extension.
• Separate demolition, structural work, plumbing, electrical work, insulation, plastering, flooring and decoration.
• Mention whether you are supplying appliances, sanitaryware, flooring or other finishes.
• State whether you need design input, drawings, project coordination or only individual trades.
• Explain any access restrictions, parking limits, working-hour limits or occupied rooms.

Use plain language and include measurements where you have them. Photos of the existing space, the consumer unit, boiler, roof or access route can answer questions that words cannot.

• The property type and approximate age, if known.
• Room dimensions, floor area or rough quantities for the main work.
• A short description of the existing condition and anything already investigated.
• Your preferred start window and whether the work can be phased.
• Your county and town, without publishing your full address in the public description.
• A realistic budget range or a request for an initial site assessment if the scope is uncertain.

Some renovations are ordinary repair and improvement work, while others change the structure, external appearance or use of a property. Ask the professional whether planning permission, a commencement notice, certificates or specialist design input may apply. Confirm the position with your local authority or a qualified adviser before work begins; a directory listing is not proof that a business can certify every part of a project.

For gas and electrical work, ask for the relevant registration and completion paperwork. For structural changes, ask who is responsible for drawings, building-control submissions and inspection coordination. Put those responsibilities in writing rather than assuming the main contractor has included them.

A quote is only comparable when the scope is comparable. Ask each professional to identify inclusions, exclusions, assumptions, VAT treatment, waste disposal, temporary protection and making-good. A low quote may simply leave more items for you to arrange later.

• Compare the same specification, not just the bottom-line number.
• Ask for a staged payment schedule linked to completed work rather than a large unexplained deposit.
• Confirm who orders materials and who carries the risk of price changes or delays.
• Ask how variations are approved and recorded before extra work starts.
• Check insurance, references and relevant registration where the work requires it.

Post the renovation request with the service categories that best describe the first stage. You can explain the wider project in the description and ask professionals to tell you which parts they can undertake. Review replies, profiles and quote details carefully, and keep the final scope and payment terms in a written contract.