The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) recommends contracting the services of an architect when embarking on conversion or extension work.

Mr Hugh Peacocke, secretary of the CIF's Dublin branch, says that even small building jobs can prove to be technical, complex and expensive, and an architect will have a number of builders to recommend that he has worked with before. The architect will also provide a standard contract which will remove much of the job's uncertainty. "That should make the whole job a lot more straightforward," he says. Where possible, a CIF-registered builder should be engaged. "Our members are established, professional contractors," he says. Word of mouth is also an important reference point, as neighbours or relatives will have experience of good builders.