Why are more homeowners turning to retrofit as their preferred home renovation?
Home energy efficiency has become the hot trend for both comfort and value, and with good reason.
Why retrofit your home to make it energy efficient?
The perennial question for homeowners is, “Which home improvement should I choose?” While extensions and new kitchens are traditionally popular projects, research suggests the best added value in terms of home comfort and guaranteed return on investment comes from energy efficiency upgrades such as insulation, double-glazing, solar panels and electric heating.
Combining energy bills’ savings with solar income, the value added to its sale price and the comfort of a warm home means that retrofit is the only home upgrade which pays back financially, whether you are selling or staying.
So here are four reasons to invest in energy efficiency measures for your home.
1) Add value to the sale price of your home
According to estate agents Knight Frank, homes moving from an E to a C on the EPC scale can add as much as 8.8% to their value compared to similar homes with lower EPCs, with 20% of buyers saying they would pay more for an energy efficient home.
That makes perfect financial sense when these energy efficiency home upgrades, known as “retrofit”, reduce running costs, freeing up cash for higher mortgage payments when interest rates and house prices are high.
2) Save money on energy bills
“Our clients typically spend around £10,000 on energy work, which, with the right targeting of measures, usually yields an average of £1,000 a year in energy bill savings at today’s prices,” says Ecofurb founder Russell Smith.
Ecofurb customer Vaughan agrees, saying that since he had the work done, although his main motivation for installing a heat pump was the carbon savings, he is also pleased to see that his heat pump is saving him money year on year. Interested to see what difference the system would make to his bills in practice, Vaughan has calculated that he is saving around £1.4k per year at current tariffs.
Check out Vaughan’s story here
3) Enjoy a warmer, healthier and more comfortable home
We won’t labour the point as everyone has heard the messages about cold homes killing and the dangers of damp and mould for children and those with long-term health conditions.
Even if you don’t have a health condition, you’ll enjoy being warm and cosy when the weather’s wintry outside without having the high bills to match. The additional comfort and pleasure of living in a home that’s cheap to heat is just another good reason to invest in insulation and energy-efficient doors and windows – and these definitely make enough of a difference to indoor temperatures and bill savings that people really notice.
4) Reduce your carbon footprint for a more sustainable, planet-friendly lifestyle
You can’t miss the stories in the media about climate change – so if you’re wondering what you can do about it, the place to start is your own home energy as that’s where more than a quarter of your personal carbon emissions come from.
Whatever your budget, there are changes you can make. And if you want to significantly reduce your footprint, future-proof your home against energy shocks and international energy shortages, and support the effort we all need to make to reduce global warming, then look into additional borrowing or investing your savings into insulating, draught-proofing and getting off gas or oil heating systems.
Sounds complicated and hard? It’s not as daunting as you think if you get the right advice.
Still got concerns about starting your own energy efficiency retrofit?
While home energy efficiency has become a priority for most homeowners since the energy crisis, many don’t act because they fear getting it wrong or have concerns around finding a knowledgeable and trustworthy installer.
Ecofurb addresses these dilemmas, as Ecofurb Founder Russell Smith explains, “Every home is unique, so the most appropriate measures may not be what you expect. Given the importance of the work involved and long-term impact on the home, getting a professionally produced plan is essential.”
Get the right advice for your home
Ecofurb combines a tailored and independent advice service with a trustworthy installer network. Each step is guided and overseen by a PAS2035-qualified Retrofit Coordinator to give homeowners confidence.
This will ensure not only that the right measures are invested in, but also that work can qualify for grants, where applicable, and new loans that reward investment in energy efficiency.
“Ecofurb I think offers a derisking process…derisking your investment,” says Vaughan, who owns a 1990s detached house and installed new windows, insulation and an air source heatpump, with an Ecofurb Plan and installers recommended by Ecofurb.
Like any substantial investment in a house, every project should start with getting the right advice.
“You wouldn’t build an extension without an architect’s input,” says Russell, “so don’t start your home retrofit without a Retrofit Coordinator’s advice.”
Meet more Ecofurbers like you
“For me it was worth paying the money to have someone to help me – and also for referrals of companies that you know are going to do a good job.”
Ann, 1930s semi-detached