Costs & Budgeting
Tradesman Price Index Ireland 2026
A practical starting point for budgeting repairs, renovations and improvements across Ireland, covering 18 trades and the factors that can move a quotation up or down.
If you're planning repairs, renovations or improvements to your home, one of the first questions is usually:
How much is this going to cost?
Useful next step: View all trade categories, or find a tradesman in Ireland by trade or county.
Trade prices in Ireland vary depending on the job, location, materials and contractor, but having a realistic starting point can make budgeting much easier.
At Trade Source IRE, we help homeowners find suitable local tradesmen across Ireland. Where available, we aim to provide 3–5 suitable options near you, allowing you to compare availability, experience and quotations before deciding who is right for your project.
Below is our 2026 Irish trades price guide, covering 18 of the most commonly required trades.
Important: All prices below are indicative 2026 estimates for budgeting purposes. They are not fixed rates or quotations. Materials, travel, VAT, parking, access, waste disposal, equipment, location and the requirements of your individual project can all affect the final price.
2026 wage context
Employee wage benchmarks are not customer charge-out rates
From 1 August 2026, the construction-sector Sectoral Employment Order sets a minimum basic hourly rate of €23.74 for a craftsperson. That is an employee wage benchmark, not the price a contractor charges a customer. Customer quotations also have to account for insurance, transport, administration, tools, equipment, downtime, materials, VAT where applicable and the commercial risk of the job.
🧱 Builders
Typical labour: €30–€55 per hour / €240–€420 per day.
Common projects:
- House extension: €1,500–€2,800+ per m²
- Attic conversion: €22,000–€50,000+
- Garage conversion: €14,000–€25,000+
- Bathroom renovation: €6,500–€14,000+
- Kitchen renovation: €13,000–€28,000+
- Structural wall/RSJ work: €3,500–€8,000+
- General building repairs: €250–€1,500+
Large projects are normally quoted as a complete job rather than an hourly rate.
⚡ Electricians
Typical rate: €50–€80 per hour.
Common electrical jobs:
- Call-out: €80–€150
- New socket: €100–€180
- Replace light fitting: €80–€150
- Outdoor socket: €120–€250
- Electrical fault finding: €100–€250+
- Consumer unit/fuse board upgrade: €700–€1,500+
- EV charger installation: €900–€1,600+
- 3-bedroom house rewire: €6,000–€10,000+
Always check the appropriate registration and certification requirements for electrical work.
Find Electricians in Ireland →
🚰 Plumbers
Typical rate: €50–€100 per hour.
Popular jobs:
- Standard call-out: €60–€120
- Leaking tap: €80–€150
- Replace tap: €100–€250+
- Blocked sink/toilet: €100–€250+
- Replace toilet: €250–€500+
- Install radiator: €250–€500+
- Replace shower: €250–€700+
- Bathroom plumbing: €1,500–€4,000+
- Complete bathroom renovation: €6,500–€14,000+
Emergency and out-of-hours plumbing will normally cost more.
🏠 Roofing Contractors
Typical labour equivalent: €40–€70+ per hour, although most roofing work is priced per project.
Typical jobs:
- Replace broken/slipped slate: €80–€300
- Roof leak repair: €200–€600+
- Flat-roof repair: €250–€600+
- Chimney repointing: €400–€900+
- Lead flashing: €300–€1,400+
- Ridge repairs: €600–€1,500+
- Roof survey: €150–€300
- Full roof replacement: €8,000–€24,000+
Scaffolding, access and the condition of the existing roof can considerably affect the final price.
🪚 Carpenters
Typical rate: €45–€75 per hour.
Common jobs:
- Hang internal door: €100–€200
- Skirting/architrave: €10–€25+ per metre
- Laminate flooring installation: €20–€35+ per m²
- Timber flooring installation: €30–€60+ per m²
- Kitchen fitting: €1,500–€4,000+
- Built-in wardrobes: €1,500–€5,000+
- Staircase work: €1,500–€6,000+
- Decking: €100–€200+ per m²
Bespoke joinery and premium timber will increase the cost.
🎨 Painters & Decorators
Typical rate: €30–€50 per hour / €200–€350 per day.
Common jobs:
- Bedroom: €250–€500+
- Living room: €300–€600+
- Hall, stairs & landing: €500–€1,000+
- Interior door: €70–€150
- 3-bedroom house interior: €3,000–€6,000+
- Exterior house painting: €1,500–€4,000+
Surface preparation, number of coats, paint specification and working at height can affect the final price.
🔲 Tilers
Typical labour: €35–€60 per hour, although tiling is often priced by m².
Common jobs:
- Standard floor tiling: €35–€60+ per m²
- Wall tiling: €40–€70+ per m²
- Large-format tiles: €50–€90+ per m²
- Kitchen splashback: €300–€700+
- Bathroom tiling: €1,000–€3,000+
- Remove existing tiles: €15–€30+ per m²
Tiles and specialist materials are generally additional.
🧱 Plasterers
Typical rate: €30–€50 per hour / €220–€350 per day.
Common jobs:
- Small plaster repair: €150–€350
- Skim one wall: €150–€300+
- Skim standard room: €500–€900+
- Ceiling skim: €250–€500+
- Plaster complete room: €700–€1,500+
- External rendering: €50–€100+ per m²
- Dry lining: €40–€70+ per m²
🌡️ Insulation Contractors
Most insulation work is priced by area or complete project rather than hourly.
Typical costs:
- Attic insulation: €1,200–€2,500+
- Cavity-wall insulation: €1,000–€2,500+
- Internal-wall insulation: €80–€140+ per m²
- External-wall insulation: €120–€200+ per m²
- Floor insulation: €40–€100+ per m²
SEAI grants may be available for qualifying home energy improvements, and grant-funded works require contractors registered for the relevant measure.
Read our SEAI Grants Ireland Guide →
🪟 Windows & Doors
Typical installation labour equivalent: €40–€65+ per hour.
Popular projects:
- Replacement window: €500–€1,200+
- uPVC front door: €1,200–€2,500+
- Composite front door: €1,800–€3,500+
- French doors: €1,500–€3,500+
- Patio/sliding doors: €1,800–€4,000+
- Full-house window replacement: €7,000–€15,000+
Size, glazing specification, frames and installation requirements have a major impact on price.
Find Windows & Doors Specialists →
🚜 Groundworks Contractors
Typical labour: €35–€60+ per hour.
Common work:
- Mini digger & operator: €350–€600+ per day
- Site clearance: €500–€3,000+
- Drainage trench: €50–€120+ per metre
- Foundations: €100–€250+ per m²
- Driveway preparation: €40–€80+ per m²
- Garden excavation/levelling: €500–€3,000+
Ground conditions, machinery and disposal costs can substantially affect quotations.
Find Groundworks Contractors →
🚧 Plant Hire
Plant is normally charged by the day or week.
Typical estimates:
- Mini excavator: €150–€300+ per day
- Excavator with operator: €400–€700+ per day
- Dumper: €100–€200+ per day
- Teleporter: €250–€450+ per day
- Roller: €100–€250+ per day
Delivery, collection, fuel and operator costs may be additional.
🧨 Demolition Contractors
Typical labour equivalent: €40–€70+ per hour.
Common projects:
- Internal strip-out: €1,000–€5,000+
- Remove non-load-bearing wall: €500–€1,500+
- Garage demolition: €2,000–€5,000+
- Small structure demolition: €3,000–€10,000+
- Full-house demolition: €10,000–€30,000+
Waste disposal, machinery, asbestos, access and project complexity can significantly change the cost.
🔩 Core Drilling
Typical specialist rate: €60–€100+ per hour.
Common services:
- Small core hole: €100–€200+
- 100–150mm service opening: €150–€300+
- Large-diameter opening: €250–€600+
- Multiple service openings: €400–€1,000+
- Reinforced concrete drilling: quoted individually
Depth, diameter, reinforcement and accessibility affect the final price.
Find Core Drilling Contractors →
🪚 Concrete Cutting
Typical specialist rate: €60–€120+ per hour.
Common work:
- Small concrete opening: €250–€600+
- Wall sawing: €300–€1,000+
- Floor sawing: €10–€30+ per linear metre
- Door/window opening: €500–€1,500+
- Reinforced concrete cutting: €500–€2,000+
Find Concrete Cutting Contractors →
🚨 Emergency Repairs
Emergency and out-of-hours work generally carries a premium.
Typical costs:
- Emergency call-out: €100–€250+
- Emergency plumber: €100–€180+ per hour
- Emergency electrician: €100–€180+ per hour
- Emergency roof repair: €200–€400+
- Storm-damage repairs: €250–€1,500+
Find Emergency Repair Tradesmen →
🔧 Property Maintenance
Typical rate: €35–€60 per hour.
Popular jobs:
- Minor household repairs: €100–€300
- Door/lock repairs: €100–€250
- Gutter cleaning: €100–€250
- Rental-property maintenance: €100–€300+
- Silicone/sealing repairs: €100–€250
- General maintenance day: €250–€450+
Find Property Maintenance Tradesmen →
🏛️ Restoration Services
Typical specialist labour: €45–€80+ per hour.
Common restoration work:
- Traditional lime plaster: €60–€120+ per m²
- Stonework repointing: €60–€120+ per m²
- Sash-window restoration: €400–€1,000+ each
- Period-door restoration: €500–€1,500+
- Traditional masonry repairs: €500–€5,000+
- Full period-property restoration: quoted individually
Period and conservation work can require specialist skills and materials.
Find Restoration Specialists →
Why Are Trade Prices Different in 2026?
You might receive three quotations for the same job and wonder why the prices are different.
There are many reasons.
Your final cost can depend on:
Materials • Labour • County • Travel • Parking • VAT • Access • Waste disposal • Scaffolding • Plant hire • Specialist equipment • Job complexity • Property condition • Urgency • Number of workers required
Material prices continue to move as well. According to the Central Statistics Office, wholesale construction-product prices were 3.3% higher in July 2026 than July 2025, while the combined Building & Construction Index covering materials and wages increased by 3.4%.
Some individual materials moved much more sharply, including bituminous macadam/asphalt and reinforcing metal.
That is why a price someone paid for a similar project last year may not necessarily represent what your project will cost today.
Why Compare More Than One Tradesman?
Price matters, but the cheapest quotation isn't automatically the best quotation.
When comparing contractors, look at:
- What exactly is included
- Materials being supplied
- Insurance
- Relevant qualifications
- Required registrations
- Previous work/references
- Availability
- Guarantees
- Waste removal
- VAT
- Payment terms
For SEAI-supported upgrades, homeowners must use an SEAI-registered contractor for the particular measure being carried out. SEAI itself recommends shopping around, checking references and agreeing a written contract covering the works, price, timing, payments and warranties.
Let Trade Source IRE Help You Find the Right Tradesman
You don't have to spend hours searching Google and phoning contractors individually.
With Trade Source IRE, simply tell us:
- What work you need
- Where you're located
- Your preferred timeframe
- Your approximate budget
- Any photographs or project information you have
Where availability allows, Trade Source IRE aims to connect you with 3–5 potentially suitable tradesmen near you.
You can then compare your options and decide which contractor best suits your project.
Whether you're looking for a builder, electrician, plumber, roofer, carpenter, painter, plasterer, tiler, insulation contractor, groundworker or specialist construction contractor, Trade Source IRE gives you one place to start.
Find a Tradesman Near You
Ready to get your project moving?
👉 Submit Your Job to Trade Source IRE →
Or explore:
All Trades → Tradesmen by County → SEAI Grants Ireland → Homeowner Guides & Blogs →
Trade Source IRE — Every Trade. One Trusted Source.
Useful Official Resources
For further information, homeowners can also visit:
Central Statistics Office (CSO) Official Irish construction-product and input-cost statistics: https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-wpi/wholesalepriceindexjuly2026/
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Home energy grants and energy upgrades: https://www.seai.ie/find-grants-and-contractors
SEAI Registered Contractor Search Check contractors registered for specific grant-supported upgrades: https://hes.seai.ie/GrantProcess/ContractorSearch.aspx
SEAI Advice on Choosing a Contractor Guidance on quotations, references, written contracts and contractor registration: https://www.seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/individual-grants/support-for-individual-grants
Trade Source IRE Find tradesmen throughout Ireland: https://tradesourceire.ie/
Pricing Disclaimer
All prices in this 2026 guide are indicative estimates for general budgeting purposes only.
They are not fixed national rates, guaranteed prices or quotations from Trade Source IRE or individual contractors.
Actual prices may be higher or lower depending on your project, location, materials, labour, VAT, travel, parking, access, scaffolding, plant hire, waste disposal, specialist equipment, urgency and unforeseen work.
Always obtain a written quotation specific to your project and confirm the contractor's insurance, qualifications, references and any legal or scheme-required registrations before appointing them.