HOW TO HIRE · GARDEN & OUTDOOR · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a driveway contractor in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A driveway paving in Ireland costs €40–€140 per m², typically around €90. 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 driveway contractor 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 — installation of the — installation of the chosen paving material.
- Will I get a Certificate of Compliance on Completion, and when?On the day the work is finished and tested, not posted on later — what does this service include? — this service typically includes consultation, material selection, and complete installation.
- How does material choice change the price?The quantity needed is worked out before the quote is given. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the project change the price?Detail is where the hours disappear on a job like this. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does site preparation change the price?Providers nearer you usually quote lower for the same work. — 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 — installation of the — installation of the chosen paving material.
A good answer: On the day the work is finished and tested, not posted on later — what does this service include? — this service typically includes consultation, material selection, and complete installation.
A good answer: The quantity needed is worked out before the quote is given. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Detail is where the hours disappear on a job like this. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Providers nearer you usually quote lower for the same work. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Gravel Driveway Creation — this job consists of laying down a gravel surface, offering a cost-effective and permeable option — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a driveway contractor 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 — resurfacing Existing Driveways — this service refreshes and repairs an existing driveway surface, extending its life and improving its appearance.
Getting the quote right
- Material choice — the quantity needed is worked out before the quote is given.
- Complexity of the project — detail is where the hours disappear on a job like this.
- Site preparation — providers nearer you usually quote lower for the same work.
- Drainage requirements — providers quote this separately because it varies so much.
- 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: material choice — the quantity needed is worked out before the quote is given
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the project — detail is where the hours disappear on a job like this
- They will not talk about it: site preparation — providers nearer you usually quote lower for the same work
- A price for the driveway contractor before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
What a driveway contractor costs: €40–€140 per m²
The figures are for the job, per m², and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Block paving installation and Tarmac driveway laying each carry their own band. Driveway Paving 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
Driveway contractors 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 firstMaterial choice — the quantity needed is worked out before the quote is given — that is what the driveway contractor is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the project — detail is where the hours disappear on a job like this — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfSite preparation — providers nearer you usually quote lower for the same work — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherDrainage requirements — providers quote this separately because it varies so much — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the driveway contractor is still there.
- What you are handedA Certificate of Compliance on Completion, the invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, consider the climate and how it may affect material choice.
- What does this service include?
- This service typically includes consultation, material selection, and complete installation.
- Installation of the
- Installation of the chosen paving material.
- Consider the climate
- Consider the climate and how it may affect material choice.
- Block Paving Installation
- This job includes laying individual blocks to create a patterned surface that is both attractive and functional.
- Tarmac Driveway Laying
- This involves applying a layer of tarmac to create a smooth, durable surface suitable for vehicles.
- Resurfacing Existing Driveways
- This service refreshes and repairs an existing driveway surface, extending its life and improving its appearance.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a driveway contractor: questions people ask
The duration of the project can vary based on size and complexity, typically ranging from a few days to a week. Driveway paving involves the installation of durable surfaces for vehicles, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics.
Yes, a well-paved driveway can enhance property value and improve curb appeal. The process typically includes excavation, laying a base, and applying the chosen paving material, such as block paving or tarmac.
Common materials include block paving, tarmac, gravel, and concrete, each offering different aesthetics and durability. Consider the climate and how it may affect material choice.
Access may be restricted during installation, so it's advisable to plan accordingly. Plan for potential disruption during the installation process.
Regular cleaning and occasional sealing can help maintain the appearance and longevity of your driveway. Factors influencing the scope of work include the size of the driveway, the type of materials selected, and any necessary drainage solutions.
Search the name or the registration number. If the number does not resolve to the name on the quote, stop there.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in garden & outdoor
Driveway contractors 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 — LANDSCAPING (Private dwellings) — Reduced rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only