After you’ve done initial research, you’ll need to make choices before you start your retrofit project. CAfS can help you with this process using our Home Retrofit Planner building energy modelling software to provide a Home Retrofit Scenarios report and Bespoke Retrofit Plan.

1. Find options that are suitable for your property and budget >>>

Home Retrofit Scenarios

Our comprehensive energy model (Home Retrofit Planner) provides a Home Retrofit Scenarios report, that shows you the options for the energy saving improvements that would make your home feel warmer, reduce carbon and cut your heating costs.

It is different to many other home assessments because it considers a wide range of factors, not just energy and carbon emissions.

Our scenarios quantify the options in greater detail and take into consideration your retrofit motivations, priorities and preferences as well as factors like comfort, health and indoor air quality giving you a solid basis from which to develop a retrofit project that will work for you.

1. Free quotation call. We will ask some information about your property and provide you with a quote for our service.

2. Consultation appointment. This is usually a video call to find out about what you want to achieve with your retrofit. Our assessor will factor in your objectives, priorities, preferences and perceptions as well as your future plans, timescales and budget.

3. Building assessment. Our assessor will perform a visual inspection of your property and conduct a survey to measure the building’s parameters and record details of existing insulation, heating, cooling, ventilation and more.

4. Energy Modelling. Our team creates an energy model of your home as it is now. We’ll use this to develop a range of retrofit scenarios showing the impact of different combinations of retrofit measures.

5. Report. The outcome is a comprehensive Home Retrofit Scenarios report outlining the findings of the assessment and each scenarios estimated impacts including: guide capital costs, running costs, carbon emissions and heating demand. Recommendations are tailored to meet your needs but generally range from ‘quick wins’ to deep retrofit measures.

6. Follow-up consultation. We’ll arrange a 30-minute follow-up consultation with you to discuss the merits and challenges of the various scenarios and answer any questions you have about the report.

Cost: Prices start at £680 plus 20% VAT, depending on the size and complexity of your home, with funded options sometimes available for some lower income or vulnerable households.

2. Decide which options to choose and next steps >>>

Bespoke Retrofit Plan

Once you have a Home Retrofit Scenarios report from CAfS, there is the option to continue to the next step in the CAfS retrofit advice service.

1. An online meeting with your CAfS assessor to discuss the options from the Home Retrofit Scenarios report that you want to take forward. This could be all the options from one of the scenarios, or a mixture of options from more than one. It’s best to book the meeting with CAfS once you have a reasonably clear idea of what measures you are most keen to undertake.

2. A report based on the outcome of the online meeting which the Assessor sends about 2 weeks after the meeting. Read the Bespoke Retrofit Plan report and confirm to the Assessor that it reflects the works that you have decided to take forward.

3. The Assessor updates and resends your final report which now forms the basis of future work.

  • A list of the measures you intend to take forward including insulation, draught proofing, ventilation, heating systems, renewable technologies, etc.
  • Anticipated energy and CO2 impacts of your choices.
  • A list of preparatory investigations that may be required such as: Structural Advice; Planning Permission; Building Control; Party Wall arrangements, Cavity Wall Inspections, etc.
  • Indication of your suitable design routes options, either:
    • Route A – Whole project design by a suitably qualified architect.
    • Route B – Standard specification for individual measures.

Cost: This service is currently free for anyone whose home is suitable to join our pilot project. Contact us to find out if you’re eligible.

3. Pre-design advice (preparation) >>>

Alongside the Bespoke Retrofit Plan which outlines pre-design next steps, we provide a standard Pre Design Advice document providing signposting to relevant databases and providers to help you to begin seeking quotes for preparatory investigation and architect services where required.

Cost: This service is included with the Bespoke Retrofit Plan.

4. Cavity Wall Inspection Service >>>

CAfS can provide a basic cavity wall inspection report for our existing retrofit service customers.

This would typically be for home property owners who want to know if their house walls have a cavity at all and if the cavity has been filled with insulation already or not. The borescope images and subsequent report may indicate likely suitability for cavity wall fill, or identify that any remedial works that may be required, based on observations around each drill site.

Cost: This service starts at £300 + VAT for up to 6 drill holes, normally one per elevation.

To find out more about any of our Retrofit Services or to check your eligibility, please contact us.