Retrofitting Your Home

In the initial advice stage, you lay the foundation for a successful retrofit.

Each home is as unique as its occupants, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to retrofitting your home. The first step is your compass, helping you define the project’s scope, set quality standards, outline sustainability goals, establish timelines, and identify the key players that will make your project happen.

Your journey begins with gaining a thorough understanding of your home, your aspirations, and your vision for a more sustainable living space. This initial phase involves asking the right questions: What are your specific goals for the retrofit? Are you aiming for enhanced energy efficiency, improved comfort, or a reduced carbon footprint? What funding can I receive? Defining these objectives lays the groundwork for the entire process.

Within this, you should set the bar for the standard of work you expect. Whether it’s achieving higher insulation levels, upgrading to energy-efficient appliances, or implementing cutting-edge technologies, discovering the options available to you and deciding on these factors ensures that your retrofit meets your expectations in terms of quality and performance.

You can join the Homeowner Hub for free today to get simple next steps to upgrade your home energy efficiency. Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned renovation pro, track your upgrade journey through the app and online portal. Connect with our trusted local professionals, get unique access to cost estimates and book installations.

From architects to contractors, energy assessors to project managers, each role contributes to the success of your retrofit. Choosing the right individuals with the expertise to match your goals is paramount, so speaking to someone who knows what their doing (like one of our retrofit advisors).

Receive impartial guidance by contacting our free advice line, offering insights and recommendations to suit your needs.

Speak to an Expert

At this stage it is important to create a road map that outlines the sequence of events in your retrofit journey. This can be done with a professional retrofit plan by a trained assessor. They will ask you questions such as what is most important to you? What is the budget for the project? Before assessing how your home functions. Defining a clear plan helps in managing expectations and finances as well as ensuring a smooth and well-coordinated process that meets your goals.

We are currently providing up to 70% off your first retrofit assessment. Here you can access different types of surveys, from thermal imaging, air tightness testing, renewable energy assessments and full retrofit plans. We have created a simple guide to help you choose the right survey to suit your needs and budget. If you need more assistance in deciding, then please contact our advice team over the phone or online.

These assessments and their outputs can vary. What’s important is to find the survey type which is right for you. Whether you’re interested in identifying draughts in your home using thermal imaging camera or looking for a comprehensive retrofit plan, there’s something available for everyone. Use our assessment guide or get in touch with our advice team to help you make the best decision.

So you have a plan of what to do, what next? Using your assessment findings you can start to implement a step-by-step retrofit plan, tailor-made to fit your home’s unique character.

Depending on your requirements, this might involve a one-off single measure (such as installing solar panels), or a sequence of measures over an extended period (such as upgrading your insulation in year 1, replacing the heating system in year 5 and installing renewables in year 8) or a full whole house deep retrofit all in one go.

A retrofit plan will help you understand the positive impact you are making, including the carbon savings and payback period associated with each measure. This evaluation, known as an Improvement Option Evaluation, empowers you to make informed decisions and aligns your retrofit plan with your sustainability goals.

A well-crafted retrofit design is essential for effectively mitigating risks, be it moisture-related issues, thermal bridging, air tightness, or ventilation concerns. The severity of these risks determines the level of detail required in drawings and specifications. To address these intricacies, specialist involvement is key and can involve architects, technologists, retrofit coordinators, and engineers.

Once you have your design, our retrofit designer stands ready to quality assure your designs if needed. This service provides you with valuable insights into potential opportunities and risks by taking the hard work of analysing drawings, specifications, plans, and surveys off your hands.

The next step is to search for a qualified contractor capable of executing your retrofit plan/designs effectively and professionally.

At Retrofit West, we offer homeowners access to our trusted supply chain network, which includes a selection of approved contractors known for their expertise and commitment to quality. We place great emphasis on ensuring that all members of our cooperative hold the necessary accreditations for their respective work.

Our goal is to support you throughout the contractor selection process, ensuring that your retrofit journey is in the hands of skilled professionals dedicated to achieving the best outcomes.

This includes meeting the relevant industry standards where possible, including Trustmark registration, MCS certification and application of PAS2035 principles.

At this pivotal stage, the construction of your retrofit project begins.

This is a process you can manage yourself or employ a retrofit co-ordinator to manage it for you. We suggest whichever option you choose, that you employ a quality assurance service to make sure your install gives you the outcomes you set out to achieve.

At Retrofit West, we emphasise quality assurance by establishing a robust system to monitor and assess the work performed by our skilled contractors.

Our approach is built on a foundation of clear upfront information, reasonable expectations, and regular communication. This ensures a strong oversight framework, guaranteeing the highest standards throughout the entire retrofit process.

With the work complete, it’s time to savour the rewards of your retrofit journey, revelling in the comfort it offers and reduced energy bills while knowing you’re contributing to a cleaner, greener world.

*We are currently developing our Handover and Evaluation services and will keep you updated as it evolves