SAP and EPC as built -- rock and hard place

[TerryE]

@JSHarris et al perhaps you can give me some advice on next steps and where to go. During the as-designed stage I basically followed the path trod by Jeremy and did the as-designed calcs myself using Stroma 2012.  I submitted them to my BInsp without any comment or feedback.  All good, so far.  I am now going through my checklist for my last BInsp sign-off, and am trying to find a company to do the as-built SAP and EPC.

 

Now the catch-22, I've tried 3 local companies to get my SAP and EPCs and none are interested in doing the as-built if they haven't done the as-designed.  Shit.  So the purpose of this topic is:

1. To advise other self builders to avoid the approach that I took: saving a few £100s is really not worth the hassle: commission a professional firm to do both.  I believe that the main issues are whilst there is nothing in the regulations preventing a self-submission of the as-designed, the as-built EPC must be registered etc. and so this can only be done by a registered practitioner.  There is also a traceability requirement between the as-designed and as-built and the SAP/EPC pricing is so competitive that it is just not worth the hassle factor for SAP practitioners to do this for as-built if they haven't done the as-designed.
2. To ask those members such as Jeremy if they can recommend an assessor that is willing to do the as-built only --  or if anyone knows of an online service where I can submit my worksheets, etc.  Price is a very secondary issue now.  It's minimising the hassle to getting the sign-off that concerns me

 

Edited December 18, 2018 by TerryE

[dpmiller]

try this chap:

 

http://www.psdesign-architecture.com/services.html

[the_r_sole]

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Edited September 26, 2019 by the_r_sole

[TerryE]

Thanks, guys.  I will get my s**t together and ring around tomorrow.  I've realised that it is just not worth doing online contact forms or exchanging emails: the two companies that I started email exchanges with didn't even bother with "sorry no" after the penny dropped that the house was already built. They just didn't reply.  At least I got honest and quick responses on the phone,  and so realised what the issue was and avoided wasting everyone's time.  The crazy thing is that this is just a bureaucratic exercise.  Because I have been so involved in the design and built, I doubt that 1 in a 100 new houses actually as-built come anywhere near mine in terms of true energy performance.  But reality isn't the issue; it's the paperwork and a dose of 20-20 hindsight.

Edited December 18, 2018 by TerryE

[Gone West]

I used my PHPP instead of my 'as designed' SAP, which the BCO was happy with, and had my 'as built' SAP and EPC done by a chap in Medway without any queries. He was the first person I went to, I may just have been lucky.

[MikeSharp01]

Yet another monopoly - dont get me started. How about getting a company to do both and just throw your 'as designed' away or perhaps theirs if you can see the traceability back to your original. It won't be that different I suspect. Our predesign SAP was done by email passing of documents so could have been done anywhere in the UK. 

 

 

[TerryE]

53 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

How about getting a company to do both and just throw your 'as designed' away

 

Unfortunately the as-designed SAP + EPC was submitted the the BInsp just before the frame went up. 

[Jeremy Harris]

I used a chap in Manchester who did the whole thing via a couple of email exchanges.  Charged me £100 +VAT to do the as-built and lodge the EPC, based on data I gave him (including the Stroma data file I'd produced).  If you get stuck @TerryE I can PM you his contact details.