HOW TO HIRE · ELECTRICAL · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
Most electrical work in an Irish home is restricted by law to a Registered Electrical Contractor. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Safe Electric is the legal registration scheme for electrical contractors in Ireland, run for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Restricted works — a new circuit, a rewire, a new distribution board, work at the meter — may only be done by a Registered Electrical Contractor (REC). The CRU prosecutes people who do the work unregistered, with penalties of up to €50,000 and three years in prison.
Search the register at safeelectric.ie, or ring (091) 480974. safeelectric.ie →
An REC carries public liability insurance as a condition of registration and their work is inspected by Safe Electric. Ask for the insurer's name and the cover level anyway if the job is big; a trader who will not say is telling you something.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work done with reasonable skill and care, a 14-day cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — only apply to traders. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile.
Providers on Locufy prove who they are with photo ID; the "ID checked" badge shows who has done it, and the ID itself is deleted after the check.
Look for the ID-checked badge.
A good answer: A number you can type into safeelectric.ie. Hesitation, "my mate is registered" or "it doesn't need a cert" ends the conversation.
A good answer: "Yes, on the day, once it's tested." The certificate records that the work was done to the national wiring rules and tested.
A good answer: An honest electrician will tell you when a job is minor (changing a light fitting like for like) and when it must be an REC (anything new at the board, new circuits, sockets in a bathroom, outdoor supplies).
A good answer: A quote that lists them. Chasing walls and replastering are usually separate; ask who does them.
A good answer: A time estimate and a plan for the power. A rewire means days without power in parts of the house; a board change is usually a day.
A good answer: If a trainee or apprentice does part of it, the REC is still responsible for testing and certifying it.
A good answer: A good electrician looks before quoting. An older board without RCD protection, or rubber-insulated wiring, changes the job.
Most electricians quote the job, not the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. A new consumer unit, a rewire and an EV charger each have their own guide. Electrician 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
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.
AFTER
MONEY BACK
Public grants an electrician can be part of. Apply and have the Letter of Offer before any work starts — spending before approval is not covered.
Who: Homeowners and residents with a private off-street driveway — you do not need to own an EV
Who: Homes built and occupied before 2025, with an MPRN and no previous solar PV grant
Schemes change. The amounts above were checked on the dates shown; the official page is the one that counts.
For restricted works — anything new at the board, new circuits, a rewire, a new outdoor or bathroom supply — yes, by law. Replacing a light fitting or a socket front like for like is not restricted. If in doubt, ask the electrician: a good one will tell you.
Search the name or registration number at safeelectric.ie, or ring Safe Electric on (091) 480974. Do it before you agree a price.
The certificate a Registered Electrical Contractor must issue after restricted works, recording that the work was done to the national wiring rules and tested. Keep it with the house papers.
€60–€120 an hour, typically around €80, with most jobs quoted as a price for the job. The electrician price guide has the full breakdown; enter your town above for real prices from electricians near you.
For small jobs, often yes from photos and a description. For a board change or a rewire, a visit first is the sign of someone who prices properly.
Tell the electrician in writing and give them the chance to put it right. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must do the work with reasonable skill and care. Work that is unsafe can be reported to Safe Electric; a dispute over money goes to the Small Claims procedure up to €2,000.
MORE GUIDES
