Choosing a driveway contractor in Ireland is harder than it should be. The market includes excellent tradespeople and outright cowboys, and the finished surface looks identical on day one regardless of what is underneath it.
This guide gives you the questions to ask, the things to check, and the red flags that separate a contractor worth hiring from one worth avoiding.
Start with a written, itemised quote
Any contractor worth hiring will provide a written quote that specifies: the excavation depth, the base material and compacted depth, the surface material (type, thickness, grade), the edging specification, drainage provision, and the total price including VAT. If a contractor will only give a verbal price or a single-line written quote, you have no way of knowing what you are buying.
Get at least three written quotes for any job over €2,000. The quotes will rarely be identical — a lower price almost always reflects a shallower base, thinner surface or cheaper materials.
| Question | What a good answer sounds like |
|---|---|
| How deep will you excavate? | 200–250mm for a car driveway |
| What base material? | Clause 804 hardcore, 150mm compacted minimum |
| What surface thickness? | 60mm block / 65mm tarmac (two-course) / 18mm resin |
| How is drainage handled? | Soakaway, channel drain, or permeable surface |
| Are you VAT registered? | Yes — 13.5% applies, invoice provided |
| What guarantee? | Minimum 2 years workmanship, in writing |
Check their previous work and verify tax compliance
Ask to see examples of completed driveways — ideally in your area, ideally more than a year old. A driveway that looks good on day one can look very different after one Irish winter. Look for: even falls with no ponding, tight consistent joints, clean edging, and no cracking or settlement.
In Ireland, any contractor carrying out work over €650 should be able to provide a tax clearance certificate from Revenue. You can verify a contractor’s tax clearance status at revenue.ie. For jobs over €10,000, check that the contractor is registered for VAT (13.5% applies to driveway work).
Red flags to avoid
Door-knockers offering to use ‘leftover tarmac’ from a nearby job are the most common scam in the Irish driveway market, particularly in Bray and Wicklow during summer. The material is nearly always cold-lay tarmac laid without a base — it looks acceptable for a few months and fails completely within a year.
Other red flags: a quote that is 40%+ below the others (the saving comes from the base), pressure to decide immediately, cash-only payment with no receipt, no written specification, and no examples of previous work.