How to choose a plumber in Luxembourg

Plumbing and heating installation ("installateur chauffage-sanitaire – frigoriste") is a list A craft on the official list of activities subject to authorisation. According to Guichet.lu, the business permit is issued by the Ministry of the Economy, and for list A trades the business manager must meet qualification requirements, such as a master craftsman's certificate or an equivalent, and professional-integrity requirements. Ask for the company name and look it up in the official establishment-authorisation search. Check that the activity shown matches the work you need. For a provider based in another country, ask for proof that it may provide the service in Luxembourg.

Ask which liability insurance the company holds and request a current certificate that covers the type of work in the quote. Under the Luxembourg Civil Code (articles 1792 and 2270), contractors are liable for ten years for serious defects in major works and for two years for minor works, counted from the acceptance (réception) of the works, as explained by the Chambre des Métiers. That guarantee only helps if the company can still be reached and the acceptance date is documented. For a bathroom refit or new shower waterproofing, record the acceptance in writing, list any reservations, and keep the quote, invoices and photos.

Luxembourg's price-indication rules require service providers to state VAT-inclusive prices, or to explain how the price will be calculated, for example with an hourly rate and travel costs; a quote must state the total to pay including taxes. For comparison, ask each plumber to separate labour, materials with brand and reference, travel, disposal, the VAT rate and exclusions such as making good walls and tiles. Two quotes with similar totals can describe very different work. For larger jobs, compare at least two or three written quotes for the same scope.

For small repairs, a single invoice after the work is common. For larger projects, agree in writing how much is paid at signature, at defined stages of the work and after acceptance. Avoid paying most or all of the price before work starts, and keep a final instalment until the defects you noted at acceptance have been put right. Pay by bank transfer or card against an invoice that shows the company details and VAT.

Ask for a written start date and expected duration rather than relying on a general promise, and ask the plumber to confirm that they cover your commune and do the type of work you need, for example leak repairs, heating maintenance or full bathroom plumbing. On larger jobs, ask who will be on site, whether any part is subcontracted, and who your contact is during the works. References from similar jobs can help, but they do not replace the checks above.

Be cautious if:

• the company name cannot be found in the official authorisation search, or the plumber will not give it;
• the quote is a single total with no breakdown of labour, materials and VAT;
• the VAT rate is missing, or 3% is promised without any mention of AED approval or the refund route;
• the insurance certificate is promised later instead of shown;
• most of the price is requested before work starts;
• payment is requested in cash only or to a personal account.

One issue may have a simple explanation; ask for a corrected quote. Several together are a reason to ask another provider.

The 3% super-reduced VAT rate can apply to renovation works on a main residence that is at least 10 years old, with a cap of €50,000 of tax advantage per dwelling. For the plumber to invoice 3% directly, the quote must exceed €3,000 excl. VAT and approval from the AED must be requested before the works start; otherwise 17% is invoiced and a refund can be claimed under the conditions on the official page. For heat pumps, the Klimabonus 2026 technical-installations scheme is applied for after the works are completed; the amount depends on the type of heat pump, the heating it replaces and the order date, and technical conditions apply. Ask the plumber to provide the documents each procedure needs and to state in the quote which VAT rate and aid assumptions it uses.