Everyone says get three quotes. It's the piece of advice handed out at every kitchen table and property forum in the country, and it's not wrong exactly. Comparing prices is sensible. But if three quotes is all you do before handing someone the keys to your home and a deposit cheque, you're leaving a lot to chance.
Price tells you very little about whether a tradesperson is actually good for the job. It doesn't tell you if they're insured, if they're compliant with Revenue, or if the last three people they worked for would hire them again. Those things matter a lot more than whether they came in a hundred euro cheaper than the next person on the list.
Ask for proof of insurance, not just a mention of it
Public liability insurance is not optional for any tradesperson working in your home. Most will tell you they have it. Fewer will hand over a current certificate without being asked directly. Ask for it. A legitimate contractor won't blink. If someone gets awkward or vague, that's your answer.
Employer's liability matters too if they're bringing a crew. An injury on your property without proper cover can become your problem faster than you'd expect.
Tax clearance is a real thing, use it
Revenue's online tax clearance verification system lets you check whether a contractor is tax compliant. It takes about two minutes. Ask the tradesperson for their tax clearance access number and their PPCN, then check it yourself on the Revenue website. Most homeowners have never done this. Most homeowners also have no idea who they've actually hired until something goes wrong.
For bigger jobs especially, this step matters. If you're gutting a kitchen or doing a significant remodel, you want to know the person managing your money and your home is running a legitimate operation.
References mean recent, local, and followed up
References are nearly useless if you don't actually use them properly. A name and a number handed over on a sheet of paper proves nothing. What you want is a reference from a job completed in the last twelve months, ideally within twenty or thirty kilometres of you. Then you ring the number. Not a text, a call. Ask specifically whether the job finished on time, whether the price changed, and whether they'd hire the same person again without hesitation. That last question is the one that gets the honest answer.
If a tradesperson can't give you two or three recent local references, ask yourself why not.
The cheapest quote usually has a reason behind it
Underpricing is one of the most common warning signs, and people still ignore it because they want to save money. Sometimes a low quote reflects genuine efficiency. More often it reflects underestimating the job, cutting corners on materials, or planning to walk when the work gets complicated. Understanding what a proper cost breakdown looks like before you start comparing figures will help you spot the quotes that simply don't add up.
Three quotes gets you in the room. The verification work is what keeps you out of trouble once the job starts.