Is a builder's quote a contract?

Once accepted — by email, text or simply by letting work start — a quote generally becomes a binding contract. The problem is what it leaves out: no variations procedure, no programme, no defects period, no termination clause. Everything the quote doesn't say becomes an argument later.

Do I need a solicitor for a house extension contract?

For a typical extension you are committing tens of thousands of euro to the largest asset you own. A fixed-fee contract review — or a proper agreement drafted from scratch — costs a small fraction of the job and removes the most common causes of dispute before a block is laid.

What deposit is normal on an Irish building job?

There is no legal fixed rate. Modest deposits tied to genuine upfront costs (materials orders, mobilisation) are normal; very large deposits transfer the builder's insolvency risk to you. Stage payments tied to completed milestones protect both sides better than any deposit structure.

Does the Construction Contracts Act 2013 apply to my job?

It applies to most construction contracts but not to a contract for a dwelling where a party occupies or intends to occupy it as their residence and the floor area is below the statutory threshold. Where it applies, it guarantees payment claim procedures and a right to refer payment disputes to adjudication.

How long is a builder liable for defects in Ireland?

Contractual defects liability periods commonly run 12 months from practical completion, but your right to sue for breach of contract generally runs six years from the breach (twelve if the contract is a deed). Limitation in building cases is complex — take advice promptly on any defect.

Building Contracts Ireland: The Complete Guide

Written by Richard O'Shea, Solicitor TEP · Mary Molloy Solicitors, established 1981 · Last reviewed 21 August 2026

Most Irish building disputes are not caused by bad building. They are caused by bad — or absent — building contracts: a one-page quote, a chain of texts, a deposit paid on trust. This guide maps the contracts actually used on Irish jobs, from a €15,000 attic conversion to a full self-build, and tells you what the document must contain whichever side of it you stand on.

The standard forms used in Ireland

Contract	Typical use	Watch for
RIAI "Blue Form"	Architect-administered projects where quantities form part of the contract	The appendix entries — liquidated damages, retention, defects period
RIAI "Yellow Form"	Architect-administered projects without quantities — most domestic architect jobs	Same appendix issues; confirm the edition being signed
Law Society Building Agreement	New houses sold by developers — used with the contract for sale	Stage payments and completion definitions
CIF subcontract forms	Main contractor / subcontractor relationships	Pay-when-certified terms, set-off, retention
Public Works Contracts	State and local authority projects	Fixed-price risk allocation is deliberately employer-friendly
Plain fixed-price agreement	Domestic jobs with no architect administering	Must be drafted for Irish law — most online templates are not

What every Irish building contract must contain

The parties, exactly. Is the builder a limited company or a sole trader? You can only sue the person named — and a company with no assets is a hollow promise.
Scope by reference to documents. The drawings, the specification, the tender — listed by date and revision. "As per quote" invites the argument that the quote covered less.
The price and what changes it. Fixed price, provisional sums identified, and a written variations procedure.
Stage payments tied to milestones, not dates — and retention if the job warrants it.
Programme, delay and extension of time — who carries weather, supply chain and design-change risk.
Insurance and safety — who insures the works, public liability limits, and Safety, Health and Welfare at Work obligations on domestic clients.
Defects liability period — how long, and what happens if defects aren't fixed.
Termination and disputes — clear grounds and notice, and a sensible forum. On commercial work, the Construction Contracts Act 2013 gives a statutory adjudication route for payment disputes.

Homeowners: your position

A homeowner is usually a consumer, which brings the Consumer Rights Act 2022 into play: services must be supplied with due skill and care, and unfair terms in a builder's standard conditions may not bind you. None of that replaces a proper contract — statutory rights get you a remedy after things go wrong; the contract stops them going wrong. Start with our fixed-price contract guide, and if an architect is involved, the RIAI guide.

Builders and trades: your position

The builder's biggest legal risks are payment and scope creep — both cured on paper, not on site. Reusable, solicitor-drafted terms mean every job starts with the same protections: deposit and stage payments, a variations procedure that prices changes before they're built, retention limits, and ownership of materials until paid via retention of title. That is exactly what the Builder's Contract Pack exists for, with subcontractor agreements and trade terms covered separately.

Already in a dispute?

This site is about getting the contract right. If a building dispute has already started — defects, non-payment, an abandoned job — our construction litigation practice handles it: constructionlawsolicitor.ie, including adjudication under the Construction Contracts Act 2013.

How our fees work

You get a fixed quote in writing before any work starts — no hourly-rate surprises and no meter running while you think. If the scope changes, the quote is revised in writing before we continue. In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement. How contract solicitor fees work in Ireland →

Building Contracts in Ireland: The Complete Guide