What Certificates, Insurance and Paperwork Should You Check?

A good quotation is important, but price alone should never decide who works on your home.

Before paying a deposit or allowing work to begin, homeowners should check the contractor’s identity, insurance, experience, trade-specific registrations, tax and VAT position, written scope of work and the certificates that will be provided when the project is complete.

The exact checks depend on the job. An electrician, gas installer, builder, roofer and insulation contractor will not all carry the same qualifications or registration.

This guide explains the paperwork Irish homeowners should request before appointing a tradesman for repairs, renovations, extensions or home energy upgrades.

The golden rule: Never rely only on a logo, social-media page, van sign or verbal promise. Check important credentials directly with the organisation that issued them.

Quick Tradesman Checklist

Before work begins, ask for:

• The contractor’s full legal or trading name
• A genuine business address and contact details
• Company or registered business-name details where applicable
• A detailed written quotation
• Proof of current insurance
• Relevant trade qualifications and registrations
• References from recent, similar projects
• Clarification of VAT and tax status
• A written contract for larger work
• A start date and estimated completion date
• A staged payment schedule
• Details of warranties and guarantees
• Confirmation of the completion certificates you will receive
• Arrangements for skips, waste and site clearance

Trade Source IRE’s own pricing guidance recommends comparing contractors on insurance, qualifications, required registrations, references, guarantees, VAT and payment terms—not price alone.

1. Confirm Who You Are Hiring

Before discussing deposits, establish the contractor’s correct identity.

Ask for:

• Full personal or company name
• Trading name
• Business address
• Mobile and landline numbers where available
• Email address
• Company registration number, if operating as a company
• Registered business-name number, where applicable
• Name of the person responsible for your project

The quotation, insurance certificate, invoice and bank-account details should all relate to the same person or business.

Irish companies, limited partnerships and registered business names can be searched through the Companies Registration Office’s CORE system. The CRO is the central repository for public statutory information on Irish companies and business names.

A CRO listing confirms that an entity or business name is registered. It does not, by itself, prove that the contractor is competent, insured or financially reliable.

Identity Red Flags

Take extra care where a contractor:

• Will only communicate through social media
• Refuses to provide a business address
• Uses a different name on the quotation and bank account
• Cannot explain who will actually complete the work
• Provides a company number that belongs to another business
• Frequently changes phone numbers or payment details
• Requests payment into an unrelated personal account

2. Ask for Proof of Insurance

Insurance should be checked before anybody begins work on your property.

Ask the contractor for a current certificate of insurance or written confirmation from their broker. Check that:

• The insured name matches the contractor you are hiring
• The policy is valid for the full expected project period
• The business activities include the type of work being completed
• The geographical cover includes Ireland
• The policy limit is appropriate for the project
• Employees and subcontractors are covered where relevant
• There are no obvious exclusions affecting your project

Do not accept “I’m fully insured” as the complete answer.

Public Liability Insurance

Public liability insurance can respond where the contractor’s work causes accidental injury to another person or damage to third-party property, subject to the policy terms.

For example, a claim might arise if:

• A visitor is injured by unsafe site conditions
• Work damages a neighbouring property
• Water from a plumbing job causes accidental damage
• Materials fall and damage property
• A member of the public is injured near the work area

Ask what level of public liability cover is held and whether it applies to the exact work proposed.

Employers’ Liability Insurance

Where a contractor has employees or brings a work crew to the property, ask whether suitable employers’ liability cover is in place.

You should also establish whether the people arriving on site are:

• Employees
• Direct subcontractors
• Independent tradesmen
• Labour supplied through another company

The main contractor should explain who is responsible for each person and how their insurance is arranged.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Professional indemnity insurance is especially relevant where someone is providing design, engineering, surveying, architectural or professional advice.

Consider requesting evidence of professional indemnity cover from:

• Architects
• Engineers
• Building surveyors
• Quantity surveyors
• Energy consultants
• Designers
• Assigned Certifiers
• Professionals specifying structural or technical systems

Contractors All Risks Insurance

For larger extensions, structural renovations or complete refurbishments, ask whether contractors all risks cover is appropriate.

You should also contact your own home insurer before beginning major structural work, roofing, an extension or a lengthy renovation. Your existing home policy may contain conditions relating to vacant properties, structural alterations and building works. The CCPC advises homeowners to check their home-insurance position before major improvement projects.

3. Check the Correct Trade Registration

There is no single registration that covers every trade in Ireland.

A contractor may be properly registered for one category but not authorised to complete another.

Electrical Work: Safe Electric

Controlled and restricted electrical works should be completed by a Registered Electrical Contractor, commonly called an REC.

Before appointing an electrician:

1. Search for the contractor on the Safe Electric register.
2. Confirm the business name and REC number.
3. Ask who the named Qualified Certifier is.
4. Agree that the appropriate Completion Certificate will be issued.

Safe Electric states that a Registered Electrical Contractor must issue a Completion Certificate for electrical works other than minor works. Minor works must also be certified where the customer requests certification. Only the REC’s named Qualified Certifier can certify electrical work on behalf of the contractor.

Find electrical professionals through Trade Source IRE’s electricians page, but always confirm the contractor’s live Safe Electric status directly before proceeding.

Gas Work: Registered Gas Installer

Domestic gas installation, servicing, repair and replacement work must be completed by a Registered Gas Installer, or RGI, where the work falls within the regulated scope.

Before allowing gas work to begin:

• Check the installer on the official RGI register
• Confirm the installer’s RGI number
• Check that the registration is current
• Agree which Completion Certificate will be issued
• Keep the original certificate safely

Registered Gas Installers are required to issue the appropriate Completion Certificate for regulated gas work. Depending on the work, this may relate to a new installation, boiler replacement, appliance installation, repair, service or other gas work.

A plumber who is experienced with water pipework is not automatically permitted to carry out regulated gas work.

Browse plumbers in Ireland through Trade Source IRE, then check RGI registration directly where gas work is involved.

SEAI Grant-Funded Work

For an SEAI-supported home energy upgrade, the contractor must be registered for the specific measure being carried out.

Registration for attic insulation does not automatically mean registration for external-wall insulation, heat pumps, windows or solar systems.

SEAI maintains searchable lists covering measures such as:

• Attic and roof insulation
• Cavity-wall insulation
• Internal and external insulation
• Heating controls
• Heat pumps
• Solar thermal
• Windows and doors
• Project coordination

SEAI also states that grant approval must be in place before supported work begins. Its contractor requirements include technical competency, insurance, tax clearance, adherence to technical standards and a written homeowner contract.

Read the Trade Source IRE SEAI Grants Ireland guide and browse insulation contractors in Ireland.

Always complete the official SEAI register check yourself before signing a contract.

BER Assessors

Only an assessor registered with SEAI for the appropriate assessment type may publish a Building Energy Rating.

Use the SEAI public register to confirm:

• Assessor name
• Company name
• Registration status
• Domestic or non-domestic assessment category
• Areas covered

SEAI states that registered assessors are responsible for verifying the information used in each assessment and accurately submitting it to the national BER register.

Builders and General Contractors

There is currently no single badge that automatically proves a builder is suitable for every domestic construction project.

As of September 2026, the CIRI website states that the statutory Construction Industry Register Ireland is expected to become mandatory from 2027. In the meantime, it directs users to the Voluntary Construction Register. Homeowners should therefore check the current position and should not rely on an old CIRI logo or expired registration entry.

For builders, extension contractors and renovation companies, request:

• Evidence of recent similar work
• References you can contact
• Relevant trade or construction qualifications
• Details of the project manager
• Insurance documents
• Written subcontractor arrangements
• Structural drawings where relevant
• Building-control experience
• Details of warranties
• A complete written contract

Browse builders in Ireland and roofing contractors in Ireland through Trade Source IRE.

Carpenters, Roofers, Tilers, Plasterers and Painters

Not every non-regulated trade has one compulsory national register.

For these trades, assess a combination of:

• Recognised trade or apprenticeship qualifications
• Relevant experience
• Recent photographs
• References
• Insurance
• Knowledge of appropriate materials
• Manufacturer training where specialist systems are used
• Written workmanship guarantees
• Experience with properties similar to yours

Useful Trade Source IRE categories include:

• Carpenters in Ireland
• Roofing contractors
• Tilers in Ireland
• Plasterers in Ireland
• Painters and decorators
• Windows and doors specialists
• Restoration services

Safe Pass Is Not a Trade Qualification

Safe Pass is important, but it should not be mistaken for proof that somebody is a qualified builder, electrician, plumber or roofer.

The Health and Safety Authority describes Safe Pass as a one-day general construction health-and-safety awareness programme. It does not remove the requirement for employers and contractors to provide the training, instruction and supervision required for the actual work.

For plant operation or specialist site activities, ask whether the person holds the relevant Construction Skills Certification Scheme card or other project-specific competency evidence.

4. Check Tax Clearance and VAT

Tax Clearance

For a substantial project, you may ask a contractor whether they hold current tax clearance.

Revenue allows another person to verify tax-clearance status through ROS where the contractor provides:

• Their Tax Clearance Access Number, or TCAN
• Their Tax Reference Number or PPSN

Tax clearance is compulsory in certain State-contract and payment situations. A private homeowner may also request it as an additional due-diligence check, although it is not a substitute for insurance, trade registration or proof of workmanship.

A contractor who does not provide tax-clearance details is not automatically unsuitable for every private domestic job. However, unclear business details, cash-only demands and refusal to issue receipts should be treated with caution.

VAT

The written quote should clearly state:

• Whether VAT is included
• The VAT rate or rates being applied
• The VAT amount
• The total payable
• Whether some materials or services are treated differently

A business that is not VAT registered should not charge VAT. The CCPC highlighted a 2026 case where a contractor appeared to charge VAT using an invalid number and advised consumers to confirm the correct legal business details, obtain several quotes and insist on a clear contract and payment schedule.

Where a VAT invoice is issued, Revenue says it should include information such as the supplier’s full name, address, VAT registration number, invoice date, sequential invoice number, description of the services, VAT breakdown and total VAT payable.

Keep every:

• Quotation
• Invoice
• Receipt
• Bank or card payment record
• Credit note
• Variation approval
• Deposit confirmation

5. Get a Detailed Written Quotation

A one-line message saying “extension €80,000” is not enough for a major project.

A proper written quotation should state:

• Contractor’s legal or trading name
• Property address
• Detailed description of the work
• Drawings or specification being priced
• Labour included
• Materials included
• Brands, product ranges or performance standards
• Items excluded
• Provisional sums
• Waste and skip arrangements
• Scaffolding or plant hire
• VAT treatment
• Total price
• Quote-validity period
• Expected start date
• Expected duration

Compare quotations on a like-for-like basis.

A lower quotation may exclude:

• Disposal charges
• Scaffolding
• Electrical certification
• Painting
• Floor finishes
• VAT
• Making good
• Testing and commissioning
• Professional fees
• Building-control paperwork

Explore the Trade Source IRE Tradesman Price Guide before budgeting, while remembering that project prices vary according to specification, access, materials, location and site conditions.

6. Use a Written Contract

For anything beyond a small repair, use a written contract.

The CCPC advises consumers to record the agreed price, estimated completion date, payment structure and detailed scope of work before paying a deposit or allowing home-improvement work to begin. Written records provide an important paper trail where a dispute arises.

Under Irish consumer law, a service must match what was agreed, be provided with the required skill and reasonable care, use materials fit for purpose and comply with applicable law.

The contract should include:

Scope and Specification

• Exact work being completed
• Drawings and measurements
• Materials and finishes
• Product brands or equivalent standards
• Work excluded
• Responsibility for design
• Responsibility for protecting existing areas

Programme

• Start date
• Estimated finish date
• Working hours
• Access arrangements
• Delays and extension-of-time rules
• Who will supervise the project

Payments

• Deposit amount
• Stage-payment milestones
• Evidence required before each payment
• Variation process
• Final payment
• Retention where agreed

Avoid paying the full amount upfront.

Deposits may be reasonable where materials must be ordered, but the amount and refund conditions should be written down. For larger projects, link payments to visible progress rather than dates alone.

Variations

No additional work should be treated as automatically approved.

Require every variation to state:

• What is changing
• Why it is required
• Additional or reduced cost
• VAT
• Effect on the completion date
• Who authorised it

Guarantees

Clarify:

• Workmanship guarantee
• Product and manufacturer warranties
• Who registers warranties
• Who deals with future defects
• Whether warranties are transferable
• What maintenance is required to keep them valid

7. Check Planning and Building-Control Paperwork

Before structural work begins, establish who is responsible for:

• Planning permission
• Exempted-development confirmation
• Drawings
• Structural design
• Commencement Notice
• Building Control Management System submissions
• Assigned Certifier appointments where applicable
• Certificates of Compliance
• Inspection records
• Completion documentation

The National Building Control Office explains that Commencement Notices, compliance documentation and Certificates of Compliance may apply to new buildings, extensions, material alterations and material changes of use. A Commencement Notice is generally submitted before the work begins where the regulations apply.

For structural alterations, ask for appropriately prepared drawings, calculations and inspection arrangements before work starts.

Never accept “we do this all the time” as a substitute for project-specific professional advice.

8. Understand Your Construction-Safety Responsibilities

Under Irish construction safety regulations, a homeowner having construction work completed may be considered the client.

Depending on the project, the homeowner may need to appoint competent project supervisors, coordinate safety responsibilities and retain relevant safety information.

The HSA lists extensions, attic conversions, kitchen refits involving construction work, roof replacement and solar-panel installation as examples that may fall under the construction regulations.

For a substantial project, ask in writing:

• Who is the Project Supervisor Design Process, if required?
• Who is the Project Supervisor Construction Stage, if required?
• Who controls access to the site?
• Who prepares the safety and health plan?
• Who maintains the safety file?
• Who reports accidents where required?
• Who coordinates multiple contractors?

Seek advice from a competent construction professional where the responsibilities are unclear.

9. Check Waste-Removal Arrangements

Your quotation should explain what happens to:

• Rubble
• Timber
• Plasterboard
• Soil
• Old sanitary ware
• Packaging
• Roofing materials
• Hazardous materials
• General construction waste

Ask:

• Is a skip included?
• Who pays disposal charges?
• Will materials be separated for recycling?
• Where will waste be taken?
• Is the waste collector authorised?
• Will disposal dockets be provided?

The National Waste Collection Permit Office provides a public permit-search facility, while Irish waste guidance advises that construction and demolition waste should be handled separately from ordinary household rubbish.

Never agree to waste being dumped, burned or left at an unauthorised location.

10. Agree What You Will Receive at Completion

Do not release the final payment until the work has been inspected, the agreed snag list has been addressed and the required paperwork has been provided.

Depending on the project, the handover pack may include:

• Final invoice and payment receipt
• Electrical Completion Certificate
• Gas Completion Certificate
• SEAI Declaration of Works
• BER certificate and advisory report
• Engineer’s or architect’s certification
• Building-control completion documentation
• Test and commissioning reports
• Boiler or heat-pump records
• Product data sheets
• Manufacturer warranties
• Workmanship guarantee
• As-built drawings
• Photographs of concealed work
• Waste-transfer or disposal records
• Operating and maintenance instructions
• Final snag-list sign-off

Store these documents safely. They may be important for insurance, grants, future repairs or the eventual sale of your home.

Warning Signs Before Hiring a Tradesman

Think carefully before proceeding where a contractor:

• Pressures you to decide immediately
• Demands the full price upfront
• Refuses to provide a written quotation
• Will only accept cash
• Cannot produce insurance details
• Uses somebody else’s registration number
• Says certificates are unnecessary
• Cannot provide recent references
• Avoids giving a business address
• Changes the price without written explanation
• Asks you to make false grant declarations
• Suggests avoiding planning or building-control requirements
• Refuses to issue an invoice or receipt
• Requests payment to an unrelated name or account
• Will not explain who the subcontractors are

Pause the project until the information is verified.

How Trade Source Ireland Can Help

Finding available tradesmen is only one part of the process. Homeowners also need the opportunity to compare experience, availability, pricing and project-specific credentials.

Trade Source IRE helps homeowners, landlords, businesses and developers submit their project details once and have the enquiry routed towards potentially suitable tradesmen across Ireland.

Tell Trade Source IRE:

1. The trade required
2. Your county or town
3. The work involved
4. Your preferred timeframe
5. Your approximate budget
6. Any plans, measurements or photographs
7. Whether regulated or grant-supported work is involved

Where network availability allows, Trade Source IRE aims to provide three to five potentially suitable options near you, allowing you to compare the contractors before deciding who to appoint.

Useful Trade Source IRE links:

• Submit your project
• Browse all trades
• Find tradesmen by county
• Find builders
• Find electricians
• Find plumbers
• Find roofing contractors
• Find insulation contractors
• Find property-maintenance contractors
• Read the SEAI grants guide
• Read more homeowner guides

Trade Source IRE only accepts companies that confirm they are tax compliant, registered and appropriately insured for the work they undertake. Customers should still verify that a contractor's current insurance, qualifications, trade registrations and certification arrangements are suitable for their particular project before work begins.

Submit Your Project Today

Ready to start a renovation, extension, repair or home energy upgrade?

Submit your job to Trade Source IRE and include the location, scope, timeframe and any supporting photographs or plans.

Trusted Trades. Proven Professionals.

Every Trade. One Trusted Source.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Safe Pass proof that somebody is a qualified tradesman?

No. Safe Pass is general construction health-and-safety awareness training. It is not proof that somebody is qualified as an electrician, plumber, builder, carpenter or other tradesperson.

Should I ask to see a contractor’s insurance?

Yes. Ask for current documentation and check that the insured business name, dates, work activities and policy cover match your project.

Is tax clearance compulsory for every private home project?

Not necessarily. Tax clearance is mandatory in particular State-contract and payment situations. A private homeowner can still ask a contractor to provide the information needed to verify tax-clearance status through ROS.

What certificate should I receive after electrical work?

A Registered Electrical Contractor should issue the appropriate Safe Electric Completion Certificate for certifiable electrical work. Ask about certification before the job begins.

What certificate should I receive after gas work?

An RGI should issue the relevant gas Completion Certificate for regulated gas work. Keep the original certificate with your property records.

Does SEAI registration cover every energy upgrade?

No. Check that the contractor is registered for the particular measure involved, such as attic insulation, external insulation, heat pumps, heating controls, windows or solar work.

Is a company-registration number proof of quality?

No. A CRO record helps confirm the legal identity of the company or registered business name. It does not prove workmanship, insurance or trade competence.

How many quotations should I obtain?

Obtaining several comparable quotations helps you assess price, scope and availability. The CCPC recommends comparing multiple quotations, and Trade Source IRE aims to provide three to five potentially suitable options where availability allows.

Official Irish Sources

This guide was prepared using information from:

• CCPC — Home Improvement and Building Work
• Citizens Information — Your Rights When Buying Services
• Companies Registration Office
• CRO CORE Entity Search Guidance
• Revenue — Verification of Tax Clearance
• Revenue — VAT Invoice Requirements
• Safe Electric — Completion Certificates
• Registered Gas Installers Ireland
• SEAI — Find Registered Contractors
• SEAI — Registered Contractor Search
• SEAI — BER Assessor Register
• Health and Safety Authority — Homeowners
• Health and Safety Authority — Safe Pass
• National Building Control Office
• Construction Industry Register Ireland Status
• National Waste Collection Permit Office
• Trade Source IRE — Find Tradesmen Across Ireland

Important Notice

This article provides general information for Irish homeowners and is not legal, insurance, tax, engineering, architectural or building-control advice.

The documents and registrations required depend on the trade, project type, property, grant scheme and applicable regulations. Official registers, rules and scheme conditions can change.

Always verify live registration directly with the relevant official body and obtain project-specific professional advice where structural, regulated or high-value work is involved.

Information checked in September 2026.