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Building and Repairs

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Your rights as a consumer are the same as those when buying any other goods or services.

These rights can be broadly grouped around two main areas:

  • Buying services from the building trade, such as a house builder or their subcontractors (such as electricians or plumbers), or a business undertaking repairs on your home
  • Buying goods such as DIY products to use in your own home improvements

Remember that you have no consumer rights if you are a building firm or if - even if you are a private individual - you buy or hire equipment that is normally only supplied to the building trade.

In that situation you would be defined as a business rather than as a consumer doing DIY.

Buying services

Image of builder

Make sure companies or individuals you deal with are well established. If you are dealing with a company, check that the company is registered with the Companies Registration Office (LoCall 1890 220 226).

Try to check their track record and ask for references from previous clients. Call the clients to verify references and, if possible, visit them to see the work that was done.

It is best to look for several quotes from different builders. Remember that the cheapest quote does not necessarily mean the best value or quality work. If possible, ask for examples of the builder's previous work.

Look for quotes (quotations) rather than estimates.

  • An estimate is an educated guess with no legal standing, and the price could go up during the job
  • A written quote is binding as long as you don’t make changes to the job's requirements. Look for as much detail as possible in the quote

Make sure you have a clear agreement in writing before the contractor starts the building work or repairs. This agreement should describe what they will be supplying and the payment schedule.

If you engage a builder or someone offering home repairs, under consumer law you are entitled to expect that they have the right skills to do the job and use sound materials in it.

If they don't provide a proper service with care and diligence, or use faulty materials, you are entitled to have the problem rectified - and this applies whether your agreement with them is written or oral.

If they are unwilling to do the work properly or give you a refund, you should consider taking legal action. One avenue is the Small Claims Court if the job was for less than €2,000.

Recently built homes and guarantees

In some circumstances, you may also have additional entitlements. For example, most new houses being built in Ireland are registered by the builder with an insurance scheme such as Homebond or Premier Guarantee.

These schemes cover structural defects in new houses for 10 years after completion of the house.

So if your home is less than 10 years old and has structural problems, get a structural survey and check whether your property is covered by Homebond or Premier Guarantee or a similar guarantee scheme.

If it is, make a detailed complaint directly to the scheme.

Buying DIY goods

If you buy goods from a DIY store, you have consumer rights just as for other products. If they are faulty, it is up to the store (not the manufacturer) to sort out the problem.

They should offer you a replacement, refund or repair where appropriate. However, you have no entitlements if you knew when buying the product that it wasn't fit for what you wanted it to do, or if you misuse it.

Learn more

Many of these issues are also covered on our ConsumerConnect.ie website: