RHI, ASHP and EPC Confusion

[canalsiderenovation]

We know we are having ASHP and will make use of the RHI and now I'm in receipt of dimensioned drawings I can start to look into companies, prices and what the RHI will be. Obviously we want to try and get as much RHI as possible.

 

Now I know we need an EPC for RHI. We have one from when we purchased the house  but that is dated October 2019. It gives the space heating kWh as 13,640 and the water heating as kWh as 2,915 on our dwelling which is 100m2. Nothing has changed since then and we would still have a D rating - we have oil heating, a large proportion of uninsulated flat roof and double glazing.

 

Ideally we would want to get the maximum RHI as possible. So do I now get an EPC done based on our drawings/plans? We will be be significantly increasing the size, replacing all windows, roof, insulation etc and getting rid of the oil.

 

I'm really confused.

[scottishjohn]

 

 

 

 upgrade of exsisting house

to get maximum  RHI grant you need to get an epc NOW before improving things --then improve after it is passed-

there are online calculators on RHI website for working out what you will get if you got your EPC

 you will not be able to build extension to epc "D" rating --

If still confused get a man who does EPC rating  -to advise

 

Edited February 17, 2020 by scottishjohn

[canalsiderenovation]

Just now, scottishjohn said:

 

 

 

 upgrade of exsisting house

to get maximum  RHI grant you need to get an epc NOW before improving things --then improve after it is passed-

there are online calculators on RHI website for working out what you will get if you got your EPC

 

 

So do I get an EPC now based on our bungalow as it is or get an EPC based on the plans for the bungalow with extension. We won't be starting work til at least June (builder availability).

[scottishjohn]

3 minutes ago, canalsiderenovation said:

 

So do I get an EPC now based on our bungalow as it is or get an EPC based on the plans for the bungalow with extension. We won't be starting work til at least June (builder availability).

If you get it now -then add extsnsion -you need to tell RHI and they will recalculate -

Soithink you are screwed --get plans to EPC man and see what it works out at -

then get quote from MCS approved heating engineer for cost of system 

then get quote from one that is not MCS --guessing it will not be worth going for RHI grant 

a house that is close to passiv --the amount you get for RHi is very small -

so usually cheaper overall to get non MCS man 

 maybe book a visit from "the energy Trust " -adviser  --thats free 

 

[canalsiderenovation]

Yes that's my concern, as we are making so many improvements to the bungalow if they do an EPC based on our plans (we are extending 3 sides of the bungalow so pretty much the whole thing), new windows, roof, insulation in walls, floor etc it will end up being completely different to our current EPC. Perhaps we just ask our builder to quote for it instead. 

[Jeremy Harris]

To maximise the RHI the EPC definitely needs to be around the very bottom of the allowable level. 

 

I found that if you reduce the heating requirement, by having a decent level of insulation and good airtightness, the RHI reduces to the point where it doesn't make sense to have an ASHP installed by an MCS installer, as the "MCS premium" that's charged may well exceed the additional money received from the RHI.  In our case the RHI payments were only going to be a bit over £80 a year for 7 years, no where near enough to cover the "MCS premium".

[Hobbiniho]

yeh you need a post instillation EPC done and before you claim the rhi you have to make a decleration that you havent altered anything, also worth considering that even if you made no changes to the fabric of the building simply changing the heating from oil to ASHP the "space heating kWh as 13,640" will reduce as ASHP is more efficient than oil so you dont need the same amount of energy in to provide your heating requirements, i went from storage heaters/ immersion to ASHP and my figure dropped from 18,992 to 13,819 for an 80m2 property, with no fabric changes, so your alterations to the fabric coupled to the ASHP being more efficient could make the RHI payment relativey small