HOW TO HIRE · TRADES & CONSTRUCTION · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a steel fabricator in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A steel fabrication & welding in Ireland costs €500–€5,000 per job, typically around €1,500. 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
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THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a steel fabricator 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 — on-Site Fabrication — on-site fabrication allows for the assembly and welding of steel components directly at the construction site.
- Will I get a Certificate of Compliance on Completion, and when?On the day the work is finished and tested, not posted on later — repairs and Modifications — steel fabrication services often encompass repairs and modifications to existing structures.
- How does materials used change the price?What goes into the job is priced separately from the time. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the design change the price?Getting this clear up front avoids a change to the price later. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does time required for completion change the price?A longer booking usually brings the hourly rate down. — 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 — on-Site Fabrication — on-site fabrication allows for the assembly and welding of steel components directly at the construction site.
A good answer: On the day the work is finished and tested, not posted on later — repairs and Modifications — steel fabrication services often encompass repairs and modifications to existing structures.
A good answer: What goes into the job is priced separately from the time. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Getting this clear up front avoids a change to the price later. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A longer booking usually brings the hourly rate down. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Services such as site preparation, painting, or installation are often considered separate from fabrication — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a steel fabricator 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 — welding Services — welding is a critical part of steel fabrication, involving the joining of metal parts using heat and pressure.
Getting the quote right
- Materials used — what goes into the job is priced separately from the time.
- Complexity of the design — getting this clear up front avoids a change to the price later.
- Time required for completion — a longer booking usually brings the hourly rate down.
- Size of the project — scale is the first thing a provider measures before quoting.
- 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 — what goes into the job is priced separately from the time
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the design — getting this clear up front avoids a change to the price later
- They will not talk about it: time required for completion — a longer booking usually brings the hourly rate down
- A price for the steel fabricator before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
What a steel fabricator costs: €500–€5,000 per job
The figures are for the job, per job, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Custom steel fabrication and Welding repairs each carry their own band. Steel Fabrication & Welding 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
Steel fabricators 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 — what goes into the job is priced separately from the time — that is what the steel fabricator is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the design — getting this clear up front avoids a change to the price later — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfTime required for completion — a longer booking usually brings the hourly rate down — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherSize of the project — scale is the first thing a provider measures before quoting — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the steel fabricator is still there.
- What you are handedA Certificate of Compliance on Completion, the invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, site accessibility — height work needs equipment that a ground-floor job does not.
- Welding Services
- Welding is a critical part of steel fabrication, involving the joining of metal parts using heat and pressure.
- Repairs and Modifications
- Steel fabrication services often encompass repairs and modifications to existing structures.
- On-Site Fabrication
- On-site fabrication allows for the assembly and welding of steel components directly at the construction site.
- Welding Repairs
- Fixing damaged steel structures or components through welding techniques to restore their strength and functionality.
- Metal Railings and Gates
- Fabricating and installing decorative or security railings and gates that enhance both safety and aesthetics.
- Steel Furniture Manufacturing
- Designing and constructing custom steel furniture pieces, such as tables or shelves, that combine durability with style.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a steel fabricator: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on materials used, complexity of the design, and the time required for completion. Custom projects typically incur higher costs due to the need for specialised skills and equipment.
The duration of a steel fabrication job can range from a few hours to several weeks, depending on the project's size and complexity. Simple repairs might be completed quickly, while custom fabrications take longer to design and execute.
Many providers offer emergency or same-day services for urgent repairs. However, availability may vary, and it's advisable to contact local services to confirm their response times.
Yes, many steel fabricators offer package deals for multiple jobs, which can be more cost-effective. Discussing your needs with the provider can help tailor a solution that meets your requirements.
Services such as site preparation, painting, or installation are often considered separate from fabrication. It's important to clarify the scope of work with your service provider to avoid misunderstandings.
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
Steel fabricators 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