Guides
What to check before you hire, and how to tell a registered installer from someone who just says they are one. Every regulatory claim links to its source.
What a Completion Certificate is and why your solicitor asks for it The Safe Electric Completion Certificate: what it covers, when it is issued, why it surfaces in a house sale, and what to do if there isn't one. How to hire a builder for a larger job Contracts, staged payments, insurance, who issues the certificates, your duties as the client, and the questions a good builder asks before quoting. Plumber, heating engineer or RGI installer? Which one your job needs The three trades overlap and only some of the work is legally restricted. How to tell which one your job needs before you start ringing around. Do you need planning permission for that? Extensions and exempted development Exempted development lets some extensions proceed without permission, but every condition has to be met. What changed in July 2026, and who decides. When work goes wrong: your rights and the order to escalate What the Consumer Rights Act 2022 entitles you to when a job is done badly, and the sequence to follow from a phone call to the small claims procedure. How to check a gas installer is on the RGI register Gas work in Ireland is legally restricted to Registered Gas Installers, who must issue a Declaration of Conformance. How to check, and what to keep. How to check a locksmith is licensed in Ireland Locksmiths in Ireland must hold a Private Security Authority licence. How to check the register, and what to expect when you are locked out. How to check an electrician is registered in Ireland Some electrical work legally requires a registered contractor and a Completion Certificate. Here is how to check the register and what to keep. What a written quote from a tradesperson should include How to compare quotes that look different, what a quote and an estimate actually commit to, and the questions that prevent disputes later.