HOW TO HIRE · TRADES & CONSTRUCTION · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire an underpinning contractor in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
An underpinning in Ireland costs €8,000–€30,000 per job, typically around €15,000. 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 an underpinning 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 — preventative Measures — in addition to reactive measures, underpinning can serve as a preventative strategy to avoid future foundation problems.
- Will I get a Certificate of Compliance on Completion, and when?On the day the work is finished and tested, not posted on later — soil Improvement — this process may involve soil replacement or the introduction of new materials to improve the load-bearing properties of the ground below.
- How does extent of the work required change the price?Every extra metre adds both labour and materials. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does method chosen change the price?It is the first thing a provider looks at on arrival. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does soil conditions change the price?What is already there often has to be removed first. — 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 — preventative Measures — in addition to reactive measures, underpinning can serve as a preventative strategy to avoid future foundation problems.
A good answer: On the day the work is finished and tested, not posted on later — soil Improvement — this process may involve soil replacement or the introduction of new materials to improve the load-bearing properties of the ground below.
A good answer: Every extra metre adds both labour and materials. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: It is the first thing a provider looks at on arrival. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: What is already there often has to be removed first. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Foundation Stabilisation — underpinning is primarily used to stabilise existing foundations — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a underpinning 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 — structural Underpinning — focuses on increasing the load-bearing capacity of the foundation for properties that require enhanced stability.
Getting the quote right
- Extent of the work required — every extra metre adds both labour and materials.
- Method chosen — it is the first thing a provider looks at on arrival.
- Soil conditions — what is already there often has to be removed first.
- Size of the area needing support — a larger property takes longer simply to move around.
- 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: extent of the work required — every extra metre adds both labour and materials
- They will not talk about it: method chosen — it is the first thing a provider looks at on arrival
- They will not talk about it: soil conditions — what is already there often has to be removed first
- A price for the underpinning contractor before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
What an underpinning contractor costs: €8,000–€30,000 per job
The figures are for the job, per job, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Traditional underpinning and Mini-piled underpinning each carry their own band. Underpinning 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
Underpinning 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 firstExtent of the work required — every extra metre adds both labour and materials — that is what the underpinning contractor is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneMethod chosen — it is the first thing a provider looks at on arrival — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfSoil conditions — what is already there often has to be removed first — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherSize of the area needing support — a larger property takes longer simply to move around — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the underpinning contractor is still there.
- What you are handedA Certificate of Compliance on Completion, the invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, materials required for the job — a job with few materials is mostly labour, and prices accordingly.
- Foundation Stabilisation
- Underpinning is primarily used to stabilise existing foundations.
- Soil Improvement
- This process may involve soil replacement or the introduction of new materials to improve the load-bearing properties of the ground below.
- Preventative Measures
- In addition to reactive measures, underpinning can serve as a preventative strategy to avoid future foundation problems.
- Traditional Underpinning
- This involves excavating sections of the foundation to add concrete, providing additional support to the existing structure.
- Mini-Piled Underpinning
- Utilises small piles driven into the ground to support the foundation, ideal for properties with limited access.
- Mass Concrete Underpinning
- Involves pouring mass concrete to create a new foundation base, suitable for heavier structures.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring an underpinning contractor: questions people ask
The cost of underpinning can vary based on factors such as the extent of the work required, the method chosen, and the soil conditions. Complex projects or those requiring significant soil improvement will generally be more expensive.
The duration of underpinning projects can range from a few days to several weeks, depending on the size of the building and the complexity of the underpinning method. A detailed assessment by a professional can provide a more accurate timeline.
Emergency underpinning services may be available, especially in cases of sudden foundation failure. It's advisable to contact local specialists who can assess the situation and provide immediate assistance.
Yes, many contractors offer package deals for multiple services related to foundation work, such as drainage installation or soil stabilization. This can often lead to cost savings and a more streamlined process.
Underpinning services typically do not include cosmetic repairs or renovations to the building above the foundation. Additionally, site clearance or landscaping work may be considered separate from the underpinning process.
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
Underpinning 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 — 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