HOW TO HIRE · TRADES & CONSTRUCTION · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a basement conversion specialist in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A basement conversion in Ireland costs €40,000–€150,000 per project, typically around €80,000. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a basement conversion specialist in five steps
- Are you on the Construction Industry Register Ireland, and what is your number?A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — finishing Touches — once the structural work is complete, finishing touches such as flooring, lighting, and wall finishes are added.
- Will I get a Certificate of Compliance on Completion, and when?On the day the work is finished and tested, not posted on later — insulation and Damp Proofing — proper insulation and damp proofing are essential to make a basement comfortable and livable.
- How does materials used change the price?A job with few materials is mostly labour, and prices accordingly. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does size of the space change the price?The larger the run, the more waste and offcuts it creates. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does its current condition change the price?Heavy soiling needs stronger products and more passes. — ask before the quote rather than after.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI)
CIRI is a VOLUNTARY register today. The Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 was signed on 5 July 2022 and S.I. 429/2022 commenced parts of it on 29 August 2022; the Construction Industry Federation was appointed registration body on 16 January 2023. Registration is NOT yet mandatory: the divisions regulations had not been drafted as of a May 2025 Dáil answer, and CIRI itself projects mandatory registration from 2027. So being absent from CIRI breaks no law in 2026 — and being on it is still the only independent check of a builder that exists here.
Search the Construction Industry Register Ireland for the name or the registration number before you agree a price. ciri.ie →
a Certificate of Compliance on Completion
Issued by the assigned certifier and the builder, where the work needed a commencement notice on completion, before the building is occupied. It matters because it is lodged on the statutory register and is what a buyer's solicitor looks for; work done without one surfaces on sale.
Agree before the work starts that you will be handed a certificate of compliance on completion, and keep it with the house papers.
Insurance
Expect public liability and, for anything structural, professional indemnity from whoever designed it. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — finishing Touches — once the structural work is complete, finishing touches such as flooring, lighting, and wall finishes are added.
A good answer: On the day the work is finished and tested, not posted on later — insulation and Damp Proofing — proper insulation and damp proofing are essential to make a basement comfortable and livable.
A good answer: A job with few materials is mostly labour, and prices accordingly. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The larger the run, the more waste and offcuts it creates. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Heavy soiling needs stronger products and more passes. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Structural Modifications — many basement conversions require structural modifications, such as underpinning or reinforcing walls — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a basement conversion specialist job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability and, for anything structural, professional indemnity from whoever designed it — design and Planning — basement conversion begins with a detailed design and planning phase.
Getting the quote right
- Materials used — a job with few materials is mostly labour, and prices accordingly.
- Size of the space — the larger the run, the more waste and offcuts it creates.
- Its current condition — heavy soiling needs stronger products and more passes.
- Complexity of the project — an unusual brief takes longer to understand before it can be quoted.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They are not on the Construction Industry Register Ireland, or the number does not resolve to the name on the quote
- No a Certificate of Compliance on Completion is offered, or you are told you do not need one for work of this kind
- They will not talk about it: materials used — a job with few materials is mostly labour, and prices accordingly
- They will not talk about it: size of the space — the larger the run, the more waste and offcuts it creates
- They will not talk about it: its current condition — heavy soiling needs stronger products and more passes
- A price for the basement conversion specialist before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
What a basement conversion specialist costs: €40,000–€150,000 per project
The figures are for the job, per project, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Full basement conversion and Partial basement conversion each carry their own band. Basement Conversion price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Basement conversion specialists near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstMaterials used — a job with few materials is mostly labour, and prices accordingly — that is what the basement conversion specialist is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneSize of the space — the larger the run, the more waste and offcuts it creates — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfIts current condition — heavy soiling needs stronger products and more passes — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherComplexity of the project — an unusual brief takes longer to understand before it can be quoted — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the basement conversion specialist is still there.
- What you are handedA Certificate of Compliance on Completion, the invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, especially in homes with limited entry points — difficult reach means more setting up and taking down.
- Design and Planning
- Basement conversion begins with a detailed design and planning phase.
- Structural Modifications
- Many basement conversions require structural modifications, such as underpinning or reinforcing walls.
- Insulation and Damp Proofing
- Proper insulation and damp proofing are essential to make a basement comfortable and livable.
- Finishing Touches
- Once the structural work is complete, finishing touches such as flooring, lighting, and wall finishes are added.
- Full Basement Conversion
- Transforming the entire basement into a livable area, including structural adjustments, insulation, and finishes.
- Partial Basement Conversion
- Converting only a section of the basement for specific uses, such as a home gym or study.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a basement conversion specialist: questions people ask
The cost of a basement conversion can vary significantly based on factors such as size, complexity, and the materials used. Additional costs may arise from necessary structural work, damp proofing, and the quality of finishes selected.
The duration of a basement conversion can range from a few weeks to several months, depending on the scope of the project. Factors such as design complexity, required approvals, and contractor availability can all affect the timeline.
Yes, many contractors offer package deals for multiple related jobs, such as basement conversions combined with renovations in other parts of the home. This can often lead to cost savings and a more streamlined process.
Out of scope work may include extensive landscaping or external modifications that are unrelated to the basement itself. It's also important to clarify that certain upgrades, like luxury finishes or additional rooms, may not be included in standard conversion packages.
Search the name or the registration number. If the number does not resolve to the name on the quote, stop there.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in trades & construction
Basement conversion specialists near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022
- S.I. 429/2022 — Commencement Order
- Construction Industry Register Ireland
- Department of Housing — Building Control
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Revenue — BUILDING and CONSTRUCTION SERVICES (Private dwellings and Non-residential immovable goods) — Reduced rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only