Home Renovation in Ireland
Looking for home renovation in Ireland? Post your job on ShamFix for free and get quotes from local renovation contractors — full house renovations, refurbishments, kitchens, bathrooms and repairs. Compare profiles and choose who to hire.
What shapes the price of general home renovation
- Volume sets the base: how many rooms, how many square metres of floor and wall, how many doors, windows, and radiators are being moved or replaced.
- Access matters just as much — a terraced house in Cork city with no rear entrance, a third-floor apartment, or a long laneway in a rural county all add labour that a straight bungalow does not.
- Condition is the wildcard.
- A house with dry rot, damp, old lead pipework, or a roof that needs repair before internal work can start will always cost more than a sound shell, and the honest quote reflects what is found once walls are opened.
- Materials are the customer's lever: standard fittings, mid-range, or bespoke joinery, tiles, and sanitaryware change the total substantially.
- Ask for a breakdown that separates labour, materials, and any specialist subcontractors, so you can see where the money goes.
How long general home renovation takes
A single room can take a few weeks; a full house renovation with structural work commonly runs from two to six months, and a protected or period property can run longer. The sequence is usually survey and quote, then a start date, then strip-out, first fix of plumbing and wiring, plastering, second fix, tiling and flooring, then snagging. Realistic start dates depend on the renovator's current book of work and on lead times for kitchens, windows, and bespoke joinery, which can be several weeks on their own. Weather affects external work such as roofing and rendering, so a winter start in a western county may slip. Ask for a written programme with stages and a completion date, and agree how delays are communicated. If you are living in the house, plan for water and power being off on some days, and agree in advance which rooms stay usable.
What to ask before you hire
- 01Ask for a written quote that lists what is included and what is excluded, room by room, and states how long it stays valid.
- 02Ask who is carrying out the work — the person quoting or a crew — and which trades will be brought in for gas, electrical, or structural elements.
- 03Ask for their insurance details, including public liability, and confirm the policy is current.
- 04Ask whether the price includes VAT and at what rate, because a cash price and a VAT-inclusive price are different numbers and you need the one you will actually pay.
- 05Ask who is a member of which professional body, and check that yourself with the body named.
- 06Ask who is responsible for skips, waste removal, protection of floors and stairs, and cleaning at the end of each day.
- 07Ask what happens if you want a change after work starts: how it is priced, agreed in writing, and added to the schedule.
- 08Finally, agree a payment schedule tied to stages, not to dates, and keep a signed copy.
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Home renovation contractors in Ireland
Home renovation demand in Ireland is driven by people buying older houses in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick and by families upgrading rather than moving. Typical projects combine a new kitchen or bathroom, rewiring, replumbing, insulation and new windows. Energy upgrades may qualify for SEAI home energy grants, and some vacant or derelict homes qualify for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, so check eligibility before work starts. Larger structural works can fall under Building Regulations and may need planning permission. When you post a task, list the rooms and works involved, the age and type of house, whether you have drawings, your rough budget and preferred start date.
Typical home renovation jobs
- Full renovation of an older house
- Kitchen and bathroom renovation together
- Knocking walls for open-plan living
- Rewiring and replumbing during a refurb
- Insulation, windows and doors upgrade
- Renovation of a vacant or derelict property
- Plastering, skimming and new ceilings
- Damp treatment and repair
- Renovating a property before letting
- Project-managed renovation with multiple trades
General home renovation questions people ask
How long does a full house renovation take in Ireland?
Most full renovations take between two and six months, depending on size and structural work. A straightforward three-bedroom house with a new kitchen, bathroom, wiring, and plastering typically sits at the lower end, while period properties, extensions, or anything involving roof and foundation work push towards six months or beyond. Ask for a written programme before work starts.
Do I need planning permission for a home renovation?
Often not, but it depends on what you are changing. Internal work, re-plastering, new kitchens and bathrooms, and most insulation upgrades generally do not need permission. Extensions, changes to the front elevation, attic conversions, and protected structures usually do. Check with your local authority planning department before committing, and ask the renovator whether the work touches anything that requires consent.
Can I live in the house while the renovation is going on?
Sometimes, but it is harder than people expect. If the work is confined to one side of the house and water and power can stay on, many families manage. Whole-house renovations with rewiring, replumbing, and floors lifted usually mean moving out for at least part of the job. Discuss the timing with the renovator and agree which rooms stay usable and when services will be off.
What should a renovation quote include?
A proper quote lists labour, materials, and subcontractors separately, states whether VAT is included, names what is excluded, and says how long the price holds. It should also cover waste removal, skips, protection of existing floors and stairs, and snagging at the end. Ask for it in writing, room by room, and compare like with like rather than comparing totals alone.
How do payments usually work on a renovation?
Payments are normally staged and tied to progress rather than to calendar dates. A deposit at the start, then instalments as agreed stages are completed, with a final payment after snagging is finished. Never pay the full amount upfront. Get the schedule in writing before work begins, keep receipts, and confirm what counts as completion of each stage.
What happens if problems are found once walls are opened?
Extra work is common in older houses, so agree in advance how it will be handled. The renovator should stop, explain what was found, and give you a written price for the additional work before proceeding. Ask for this variation process to be part of the original agreement, and keep a record of every change, its cost, and its effect on the timeline.
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