How to choose a renovation contractor in Luxembourg

• General contractor: one company signs one contract, coordinates the trades and is your single contact. Coordination is part of its price. Ask which trades it carries out itself and which it subcontracts.
• Architect-led project: the architect prepares the plans and permit file, can run the tender and supervise the site, and each trade may contract with you directly. Ask for a written fee proposal and the scope of the architect's mission.
• Separate trades: you contract each trade directly and coordinate them yourself. This can suit small projects where the trades do not depend on each other; on a larger refit, delays and disputes between trades fall to you.

Choose the model according to the size of the project, whether a permit is needed and how much time you can spend on coordination.

Construction, transformation, change of use and demolition need a building permit from the mayor, unless the commune's building regulation exempts smaller works. According to the official page on building permits, the plans normally have to be drawn up by an architect; interior works on a dwelling do not need an architect if they do not affect the load-bearing structure, the façade or the roof.

Ask your commune before signing whether your project needs a permit and plans by an architect. Even when an architect is not required, one can help on projects involving several trades or layout changes. Ask the architect for a written description of the mission and the fees.

Craft and commercial activities in Luxembourg require an autorisation d'établissement issued by the Ministry of the Economy. The authorisation is granted to the business and covers the activity named on it, so a company authorised for one trade is not automatically authorised for another.

Ask the general contractor for a copy of its own authorisation and of each subcontractor's authorisation for the work in the quote. Companies established in another EU country may provide services occasionally and temporarily in Luxembourg, but craft businesses must notify their service provision; ask for proof of that notification.

Fynd does not check these documents. If a company cannot show them, ask why before you sign.

Legal liability. Under articles 1792 and 2270 of the Civil Code, contractors are liable for ten years for major works and two years for minor works. According to the Chambre des Métiers, these periods run from the reception of the works.

Insurance to ask about. Ask each company which policies it holds, for example professional liability insurance for damage caused during the works and any cover for its ten-year and two-year liability, and request current certificates that cover the activities in your quote and the period of the works. On larger projects, ask who insures the works in progress (for example a construction all-risks policy).

A certificate that has expired, or that names other activities, does not show cover for your project. Keep copies with your contract.

VAT. Renovation of a dwelling used as a main residence (by the owner or a tenant) and at least 10 years old can be invoiced at 3% instead of 17%, with a cap of €50,000 of VAT advantage per dwelling. For direct application, the contractor requests an approval from the AED before the works start; otherwise the owner can claim a refund afterwards. Source: official VAT guidance. Ask each contractor whether it will request the approval.

Klimabonus. For energy renovation (insulation, windows), the 2026 scheme requires energy advice by an approved energy advisor and an accord de principe before the works start; the payment request follows the works. Heat-pump aid is applied for after installation and depends on technical conditions.

Aid is not guaranteed. Confirm eligibility before you sign, and do not let a contractor tell you that a missed step can always be fixed later. See the regulation guide for details.

Send every company the same written brief: plans or sketches, photos, the scope you want and the materials or quality level you expect. Then check that each quote:

• separates the trades and lists quantities;
• names materials and fixtures by brand and reference rather than "high-quality tiles";
• states labour, travel, waste disposal and site protection;
• shows the VAT rate on each line and the total including VAT;
• lists exclusions and how unforeseen work will be priced;
• states the start date, duration and validity of the offer.

Two or three comparable quotes make it easier to see whether a low price reflects a smaller scope. Ask a company with a much lower total what it has left out before treating it as the better offer.

Agree the payment schedule in the contract. Practical points:

• keep the advance proportionate to the materials the company must order;
• link further payments to defined, verifiable stages (for example "plumbing installed and pressure-tested") rather than to calendar dates;
• consider agreeing in writing that part of the price is retained until reservations noted at reception are resolved;
• pay by bank transfer to the company's business account and keep invoices.

At the end, record the reception of the works in a dated, signed report listing any reservations. The ten-year and two-year liability periods run from reception, according to the Chambre des Métiers.

Ask for references from comparable projects and, if possible, visit a finished job. Look at details that show workmanship, such as tiling joints, sealant around wet areas and fitted joinery.

Warning signs:

• a lump-sum quote without a breakdown by trade;
• no VAT rate on the quote;
• a request for cash payment or payment to a personal account;
• "no permit needed" for work on the façade, roof or load-bearing structure, without the commune having confirmed it;
• no copy of the autorisation d'établissement, for the company or its subcontractors, or no proof of notification for a company based in another EU country;
• insurance certificates that are expired, missing or name other activities;
• pressure to sign before VAT, Klimabonus or permit steps are clarified.

One warning sign can often be clarified in writing. If several appear together, consider another provider.