Insulating a Stone built bungalow

[John Mcnamara]

Hi Guys,

I am looking for some advice as we have moved into a bungalow that is rather cold. Actually, the advice i need is to do with a couple of supporting issue rather than "how do I". Last year I insulated my garage  to make a workshop and storage area. It's about 10x 6m internally. I had no clue as to how to do it, but after hours of watching videos and particularly with the fantastic advice from Insulations UK (who were amazingly helpful and patient with me, as I knew nothing), we got the job done.

We want to insulate the insdie of all external walls and I now know how to do it. Moreover, I think I can do most of the work myself, but I am 70 and it will be slow work for me. 

So the real topic is funding. I am hoping to get help from some form of government grant.

So we applied to our energy supplier who went out of their way to make this process difficult, but we pushed on and they eventually sent an assesor. The criteria for the Great Bristish Insulation scheme is to have a low enough income, and to have an EPC rating of D or worse. The property has a D rating and we are certainly below the income threshold as we are pensioners.

As an aside we challenged the D EPC rating on the property as our last property had a D rating based on a proper survey for the buyers mortgage company. That old property had cavity wall insulation and full 300mm of insulation in the attic. This property has no cavity wall insulation (we have had it surveyed and cameras put in the walls) whilst the attic is partially insulated and rather badly, to maximum depth of 200mm. The original assesor who gave the house an EPC rating of D, assumed that the house had cavity wall insulation due to its age, but had no supporting evidence, and in any case was wrong. The home owner told him that the attic was insulated fully. Also not true. So, I think if it was done again properly it may fairly get an E EPC Rating.

The energy company's assesor gave us a C rating. Apparently, having now fitted LED lights, this has a big impact of the EPC rating given the massive imapact they have on heat loss.🙄.

The whole thing screams scam to me and I get the impression that EPC Certificates should have a punch hole in the top corner so that they can be hung on the back of the toilet door. At least that way they would have some use.

Is it possible to get an accurate and fair EPC Rating that actuallyn reflects the reality of my property. Is there any point in persuing goverment grants or am I wasting my time? Any advice will be welcome.

John

[joe90]

3 minutes ago, John Mcnamara said:

Is it possible to get an accurate and fair EPC Rating

Yes, a previous  house I had was rated wrong and I found out who (internet search) the assessor was, described what he got wrong and he altered the EPC accordingly. It might be better to talk to an assessor about how a previous one was wrong and can he/she do another that’s correct, you will get a “feel” for their answer when you talk to them.

[SteamyTea]

My EPC doubled the size of my house.

The woman who did it was totally clueless.

It is a shame as the idea is good, but when they still suggest GSHPs and wind turbines, you know the system has had its day.

[JohnMo]

Every EPC I have had done (possibly 10) I walked around with the surveyor and told him the answers, he needed. Our new house came back with loads of incorrect inputs, so clarified and provided evidence as required. These things are treated by many as a one way street, but most are just a desk top exercise, so the person completing often needs assistance, to get the correct output.

[John Mcnamara]

1 hour ago, joe90 said:

Yes, a previous  house I had was rated wrong and I found out who (internet search) the assessor was, described what he got wrong and he altered the EPC accordingly. It might be better to talk to an assessor about how a previous one was wrong and can he/she do another that’s correct, you will get a “feel” for their answer when you talk to them.

I have tried that but they just came back with a load of B****S to justify their rubbish. That is not really the point in this instance anyway. I am trying to get a grant under the Great British Insulation Scheme. The energy provider after a mere 6 or 7 months sent their own assesor who overrode the original D rating and gavebthe property a C rating. They must be on drugs (or backhanders).

[larry]

18 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

My EPC doubled the size of my house.

The woman who did it was totally clueless.

It is a shame as the idea is good, but when they still suggest GSHPs and wind turbines, you know the system has had its day.

Ours scraped  a C rating partly based on insulated cavity walls. We have solid walls. 

To be fair, the house survey made the same mistake.

[John Mcnamara]

It does seem that EPC's are not worth the paper they are written on.

Is it worth getting a full SAP survey done? Is that likeley to be more accurate? It is certainly a lot more expensive.

[Alan Ambrose]

>>> It does seem that EPC's are not worth the paper they are written on.

 

The methodology is a bit flawed but basically it's a cheap service where someone just punches a bunch of options into some software and out spews the rating. Garbage in etc. If you ensure they have accurate information so they don't have to 'assume' anything then you will get as good a result as the methodology allows.