How to hire a renovation contractor in Israel when you don’t speak Hebrew
New olim, expats and anyone more comfortable in English get the same questions wrong: Is VAT included? Do I need a permit? What can the neighbours complain about? This is the checklist we would give a friend, plus the Hebrew words you will hear on site.
Updated October 2026- Free in-home assessment
- Itemized quote
- 300+ completed jobs
- Prices include VAT
- We usually reply within a few hours
Short answer
To hire a renovation contractor in Israel without Hebrew:
- Get a written, itemized quote that says whether VAT (18%) is included.
- Ask for a tax invoice (cheshbonit mas).
- Agree a payment schedule tied to stages of the work.
- Use licensed professionals for gas, water heaters and electrics.
- Tell the va’ad bayit and neighbours before you start, and keep noisy work to legal hours: 07:00–20:00 on weekdays, until 17:00 before Shabbat and holidays, none on Shabbat and holidays.
- Keep everything in one WhatsApp thread as a written record.
Send 3 photos, get a price range on WhatsApp
A wide shot of the room, a close-up of the problem and one more angle. We usually reply within a few hours with a first range; the final price is confirmed after a free visit.
1. The quote: written, itemized, VAT stated
Our quotes are itemized by trade and our published prices include VAT. Compare them on the price list.
- Each trade on its own line: floors, walls, tile, fixtures, paint. A single number for “everything” makes changes and disputes harder.
- Ask “kolel ma’am?” (including VAT?). Israeli VAT is 18%, so the difference is large.
- Check what is included: materials, removal of the old floor, levelling, clean-up, moving furniture.
- Ask for a tax invoice (cheshbonit mas) for payments.
- Get the timeline in writing, and what happens if the scope changes.
2. Know which jobs need a licensed professional
- Gas lines and water heaters (dud shemesh, boiler): licensed plumber or gas technician. We do not do this work.
- Electrical work: licensed electrician.
- Load-bearing walls: structural engineer (konstruktor) and a permit.
- Cosmetic trades such as flooring, wall repair, tiling, fixture swaps and painting are what renovation teams like ours do.
3. Building rules: va’ad bayit, neighbours and noise
More detail in our permits and va’ad bayit guide.
- Noise hours. Israeli noise regulations ban noisy renovation work in residential buildings between 20:00 and 07:00 on weekdays, and from 17:00 on the eve of Shabbat and holidays until 07:00 the day after. Local bylaws can add rules.
- Tell the va’ad bayit (building committee) and neighbours before work starts, with dates.
- Protect shared areas: the elevator and stairwell. Agree who cleans them.
- Debris: building waste is not collected with household rubbish. In Tel Aviv, a skip (mechula) on public space needs municipal approval.
4. Do you need a permit?
Cosmetic interior work such as painting, new floors, tiling and replacing fixtures generally does not need a building permit. Changes to the structure, the façade, windows or balconies, the building’s shared property or the apartment’s use do. If in doubt, ask a licensed architect or the local planning department before you start.
5. Payment and the walkthrough
At the end of every job we walk through it with you. Anything not right, we fix.
- Agree the payment schedule in writing, linked to stages of the work.
- Keep photos of the apartment before and after.
- Do a walkthrough at the end and list anything that is not right in writing.
Hebrew words you will hear on site
Transliteration as it sounds. Keep this open during the visit.
| Hebrew | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| שיפוץ | shiputz | renovation |
| קבלן | kablan | contractor |
| הצעת מחיר | hatza’at mechir | quote |
| כולל מע״מ | kolel ma’am | including VAT |
| חשבונית מס | cheshbonit mas | tax invoice |
| עוסק מורשה | osek murshe | VAT-registered business |
| ועד בית | va’ad bayit | building committee |
| רכוש משותף | rechush meshutaf | shared property |
| טיח | tiach | plaster |
| גבס | geves | drywall / plasterboard |
| ריצוף | ritzuf | flooring / floor tiling |
| אריחים | arichim | tiles |
| רובה | roba | grout |
| איטום | itum | waterproofing |
| ברז | berez | faucet |
| כיור | kiyor | sink |
| דוד שמש | dud shemesh | solar water heater |
| אינסטלטור | instalator | plumber |
| חשמלאי | chashmalai | electrician |
| פינוי פסולת | pinui psolet | debris removal |
| מכולה | mechula | skip / container |
How it works
Send us a message
WhatsApp us what you need — one trade or several. We reply in English within a few hours.
Free assessment & quote
We visit, look at the job, and give you an itemized quote per trade — materials and labor, no surprises.
We do the work
Each trade is scheduled and completed cleanly, with dust and debris cleaned up before we leave.
Walkthrough
We walk the job with you. Anything not right, we fix it.
Get a price in 2 minutes
Tap your answers and we’ll open WhatsApp with the message ready. Just press send.
To get an exact quote faster, send us:
- 2–3 photos of the area (one wide, one close-up)
- Approximate size in m², or the number of rooms
- City and neighbourhood
- Floor, and whether there’s a lift
- When you’d like the work done
Common questions
Can I renovate in Israel without speaking Hebrew?
Yes. Work with a team that quotes and messages in your language, keep everything in writing, and learn a few key words like kolel ma’am (including VAT) and cheshbonit mas (tax invoice). With us, messages, the visit and the quote are in English.Free quote on WhatsApp →
Do contractor prices in Israel include VAT?
Not always. Ask whether the quote is kolel ma’am (including VAT). Israeli VAT is 18%. All prices on our site include VAT.Free quote on WhatsApp →
What hours can renovation work be done in Israel?
Under the noise regulations, noisy renovation work in residential buildings is not allowed between 20:00 and 07:00 on weekdays, or from 17:00 on the eve of Shabbat and holidays until 07:00 after them. Local bylaws may add rules.Free quote on WhatsApp →
Do I need the va’ad bayit’s permission to renovate my apartment?
Work inside your own apartment usually does not need the neighbours’ consent, but changes to shared property, such as the façade, roof, stairwell or shared pipes, do, depending on the building’s bylaws. Either way, tell the va’ad bayit and neighbours before you start.Free quote on WhatsApp →
What should be in a renovation quote?
Each trade on its own line, whether VAT is included, what materials are included, the timeline and how changes are handled.Free quote on WhatsApp →
Related services & guides
Message us for a free quote
Tell us the address and what you need — we’ll reply, usually within a few hours.