How to choose a renovation company

Start with your own list of work

If you describe the renovation differently to three companies, you will get three estimates that cannot be compared. Before asking for quotes, write one list: rooms, area in m², wall area in m², what is being demolished, whether the electrical wiring and pipes are changed, what the floor covering and tiles will be. Send the same list to everyone.

If you do not know whether you need a cosmetic or a full renovation, start with this: cosmetic or full renovation.

What to compare in estimates

A very low total may mean that some work has not been written in. Ask what exactly is included in the price and write the answer into the estimate. On how an estimate is built: renovation estimate.

Questions to ask before the contract

• Is the company in the Register of Construction Merchants? You can check this free of charge in the Construction Information System (BIS).
• How will payment be made: in stages, materials separately, by invoice?
• Who handles the construction notice or the explanatory memorandum if you change walls or openings? The room group plan is prepared and approved in the BIS by a construction company or construction specialist.
• Who will do the electrical wiring? The installation is carried out under the direction of a construction specialist, and the checks are made by a certified electrician; when the wiring is rebuilt, residual current protection is needed.
• How will the work be agreed where it involves risers or radiators, which are common property?
• How will the work be accepted and how will defects be put right?

Warning signs

• They refuse to give an estimate or a contract in writing.
• They say no documents are needed for an opening in a load-bearing wall. For work without an explanatory memorandum, a private individual can be fined up to 400 fine units (up to €2,000), and the apartment owner is liable.
• They recommend boxing in the riser without an access hatch. The owner must allow specialists authorised by the building manager access to the building's utilities.
• They ask for a large advance in cash without a receipt. In a dispute, you will have to prove the payment. More: renovation advance payment.

How to choose a renovation worker for one job

If you need only one job, for example tiling or laminate installation, compare the price per m² and what it includes. The price of tiling usually does not include levelling, waterproofing and demolition.

Ask how the worker will follow the material manufacturer's requirements. For example, the Ceresit CM 17 sheet requires the adhesive to cover at least 65% of the underside of the tile, and the Quick-Step instructions require an expansion gap of at least 8–10 mm at the edges of the laminate. If the answer is vague, that is a warning signal.

For comparing prices

Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. The public prices on this site can be used as a reference point: cosmetic renovation from €100/m², full renovation from €280/m², tiling from €24/m², laminate installation from €6.50/m².

Example: a 2-room apartment of 50 m², cosmetic renovation: 50 × €100 = from €5,000 (labour). Laminate 18 m²: 18 × €6.50 = from €117. The price is determined by the area, the condition of the walls, floors and ceilings, the type of renovation and the chosen finish. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.