HOW TO HIRE · TRADES & CONSTRUCTION · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a garage conversion builder in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A garage conversion in Ireland costs €15,000–€45,000 per project, typically around €25,000. 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 garage conversion builder 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 — the final phase of a garage conversion includes interior finishing such as painting, flooring, and installing fixtures.
- Will I get a Certificate of Compliance on Completion, and when?On the day the work is finished and tested, not posted on later — utilities Installation — converting a garage often requires the installation of utilities such as electricity, plumbing, and heating.
- How does size of the garage change the price?The bigger it is, the more materials go into it. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the design change the price?Detail work cannot be rushed, so it costs more per hour on site. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does materials used change the price?Consumables add up quietly across a long job. — 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 — the final phase of a garage conversion includes interior finishing such as painting, flooring, and installing fixtures.
A good answer: On the day the work is finished and tested, not posted on later — utilities Installation — converting a garage often requires the installation of utilities such as electricity, plumbing, and heating.
A good answer: The bigger it is, the more materials go into it. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Detail work cannot be rushed, so it costs more per hour on site. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Consumables add up quietly across a long job. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Planning and Design — garage conversions often begin with a planning phase that includes designing the new space according to your needs — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a garage conversion builder 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 — multi-Purpose Room Conversion — creating a versatile space that can serve multiple functions, from storage to leisure activities.
Getting the quote right
- Size of the garage — the bigger it is, the more materials go into it.
- Complexity of the design — detail work cannot be rushed, so it costs more per hour on site.
- Materials used — consumables add up quietly across a long job.
- Complexity of the work involved — an intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct.
- 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: size of the garage — the bigger it is, the more materials go into it
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the design — detail work cannot be rushed, so it costs more per hour on site
- They will not talk about it: materials used — consumables add up quietly across a long job
- A price for the garage conversion builder before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
What a garage conversion builder costs: €15,000–€45,000 per project
The figures are for the job, per project, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Home office conversion and Bedroom conversion each carry their own band. Garage 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
Garage conversion builders 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 firstSize of the garage — the bigger it is, the more materials go into it — that is what the garage conversion builder is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the design — detail work cannot be rushed, so it costs more per hour on site — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfMaterials used — consumables add up quietly across a long job — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherComplexity of the work involved — an intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the garage conversion builder is still there.
- What you are handedA Certificate of Compliance on Completion, the invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, need for additional structural changes — providers allow for it rather than discover it on the day.
- Planning and Design
- Garage conversions often begin with a planning phase that includes designing the new space according to your needs.
- Utilities Installation
- Converting a garage often requires the installation of utilities such as electricity, plumbing, and heating.
- Finishing Touches
- The final phase of a garage conversion includes interior finishing such as painting, flooring, and installing fixtures.
- Home Office Conversion
- Transforming a garage into a dedicated workspace with suitable electrical fittings and insulation.
- Bedroom Conversion
- Converting the garage into a comfortable bedroom, complete with necessary heating and lighting.
- Playroom Conversion
- Creating a safe and fun play area for children, often including storage solutions and soft flooring.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a garage conversion builder: questions people ask
The cost of a garage conversion can vary based on several factors, including the size of the garage, the complexity of the design, and the materials used. Additional costs may arise from required structural changes or utility installations.
The duration of a garage conversion can range from a few weeks to several months, depending on the scope of the project. Factors such as planning permission, design complexity, and contractor availability can all impact the timeline.
Emergency or same-day service for garage conversions is generally uncommon due to the planning and construction required. However, urgent repairs or modifications can sometimes be arranged with a contractor if necessary.
Yes, many contractors offer the option to book multiple related jobs together, such as insulation installation, flooring, and painting. This can often lead to cost savings and a more streamlined project timeline.
Out of scope items for a garage conversion may include extensive landscaping, major structural alterations beyond the garage itself, or upgrades to existing home systems not related to the conversion. Always clarify the scope with your contractor before starting the project.
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 trades & construction
Garage conversion builders 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