At a glance
- Since 1 July 2025, contractors need a BCA licence for most building works (S.L. 623.09)
- Works affecting neighbours need €750,000 third-party insurance (S.L. 623.11)
- Excavation and demolition need a site technical officer (S.L. 623.06)
- Get an itemised quote and a written contract
- Pay in stages tied to finished work, never most of it up front
The checklist
- Licence. Since 1 July 2025, contractors doing demolition, excavation or construction need a licence from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), with a few exemptions for minor works. Ask for the licence number and check it. See our contractor licensing guide.
- Insurance. For works that need BCA clearance, the developer needs third-party insurance of at least €750,000. Ask to see the policy and check it covers your project dates.
- Site technical officer. Excavation, demolition and building next to neighbours need a site technical officer (STO), nominated by the contractor and accepted by your perit. Ask who it will be.
- An itemised quote. A one-line price like "€40,000 for the works" is a warning sign. You want every item listed, so you can compare quotes and control changes.
- What's not included. Ask what's excluded: skips, scaffolding, permits, cleaning, VAT. Exclusions are where budgets go wrong.
- A written contract. It should cover the scope, the price, the start and end dates, what happens if it runs late, how changes are agreed, and the defects period.
- Payment stages. Pay against finished stages (for example, after the screeds, after the plastering), not in big chunks up front.
- VAT receipts. Insist on proper fiscal receipts or VAT invoices. You'll need them for grants such as the restoration grant, and they protect you.
- References and recent work. Ask for two or three recent clients you can call, and visit a finished job if you can.
- Communication. Who will you deal with day to day? How often will you get updates? Slow replies before you sign won't get better after.
Red flags
- A big cash deposit before any work starts
- No licence number, or "we don't need one for this"
- A price far lower than everyone else's, with no breakdown
- Pressure to start before your perit has the paperwork in place
- No written contract, only a WhatsApp message
How we help
As project managers, we do these checks for you: we line up licensed trades, compare itemised quotes, set up staged payments, and keep the paperwork in order. You get one point of contact for the whole job.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For contracts on bigger projects, ask your lawyer to review the terms.
Frequently asked questions
Do contractors in Malta need a licence?
Yes. Since 1 July 2025, contractors carrying out demolition, excavation and construction need a BCA licence under S.L. 623.09, with some exemptions for minor works.
How much deposit should I pay a contractor?
There's no fixed rule, but avoid paying most of the price up front. Link payments to finished stages of work set out in a written contract.
What should a contractor's quote include?
An itemised list of works and materials, what's excluded, the timeline and the payment stages.
