Avoid "Mark Group" free loft insulation in Lancashire area!
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Aleks_R
Posts: 15 Forumite
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Back to Aleks R's original post...
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Hi!
I looked for existing threads, but couldn't find any on 'blacklist of free loft insulation contractors'. I would be obliged if this tread could be merged/moved to an existing one.
Anyway, I had decided to upgrade my loft insulation from 100mm to 300mm. I have contacted Energy Saving Trust for impartial advice if any grants were available. As I planned to do it myself, I only needed advice where I could get discounted insulation rolls. A lady on the phone said that I was eligible for free loft insulation including labour. Well, it was better that I expected. She offered 3 companies in my area (Lancashire) and I had gone with 'Mark Group' though I didn't have any feedback on any of them. A week later company's representative contacted me and we arranged to meet at my house. He has left a brochure with nice colourful images on how accurately the work will be done. I was also asked to clean loft myself. After careful inspection, I have decided to dispose of old loft insulation as it had completely deteriorated over decades. On the agreed date two young gentlemen turned up. I have watched a few videos on youtube and had an approximate idea on how long the job would take. To my surprise, they finished all roof in less than 40 minutes! Wow, I thought that it was amazing on how experienced they were at that moment in time! But in the evening I have noticed that it wasn't as warm as it used to be with an old insulation. So I decided to inspect their work. I was completely stunned on how poorly it was carried out. (I should have made a few images at that time to include here). Rolls were just rolled over joists with huge gaps in between! It took me another 8 hours to re-do their work from scratch and buy extra 4 rolls of 170mm from B&Q to cover shortage as 60% of the top insulation layer was still exposed!!! It would have been easier if they had simply left rolls on the doorstep!!!
Outcome: So what is free is a true cost of loft insulation?
In my experience, it is 8 hours of my free hard labour + £40 on extra 4 insulation rolls to cover gap and a dust mask (dust mask is a MUST if you plan to do it yourself!!!)+delivery from B&Q.
Perhaps other companies are not that bad, but please stay away from 'Mark Group'! I wouldn't recommend them to my friends or colleagues. I can only imagine on how many houses they had already insulated that way in our area with no benefit to tenants/owners. I suspect my gas bill would have increased if I haven't redone their poor job.
Many thanks
If you've landed here because you're looking for loft insulation deals head over to our Loft Insulation guide.
Back to Aleks R's original post...
----
Hi!
I looked for existing threads, but couldn't find any on 'blacklist of free loft insulation contractors'. I would be obliged if this tread could be merged/moved to an existing one.
Anyway, I had decided to upgrade my loft insulation from 100mm to 300mm. I have contacted Energy Saving Trust for impartial advice if any grants were available. As I planned to do it myself, I only needed advice where I could get discounted insulation rolls. A lady on the phone said that I was eligible for free loft insulation including labour. Well, it was better that I expected. She offered 3 companies in my area (Lancashire) and I had gone with 'Mark Group' though I didn't have any feedback on any of them. A week later company's representative contacted me and we arranged to meet at my house. He has left a brochure with nice colourful images on how accurately the work will be done. I was also asked to clean loft myself. After careful inspection, I have decided to dispose of old loft insulation as it had completely deteriorated over decades. On the agreed date two young gentlemen turned up. I have watched a few videos on youtube and had an approximate idea on how long the job would take. To my surprise, they finished all roof in less than 40 minutes! Wow, I thought that it was amazing on how experienced they were at that moment in time! But in the evening I have noticed that it wasn't as warm as it used to be with an old insulation. So I decided to inspect their work. I was completely stunned on how poorly it was carried out. (I should have made a few images at that time to include here). Rolls were just rolled over joists with huge gaps in between! It took me another 8 hours to re-do their work from scratch and buy extra 4 rolls of 170mm from B&Q to cover shortage as 60% of the top insulation layer was still exposed!!! It would have been easier if they had simply left rolls on the doorstep!!!
Outcome: So what is free is a true cost of loft insulation?
In my experience, it is 8 hours of my free hard labour + £40 on extra 4 insulation rolls to cover gap and a dust mask (dust mask is a MUST if you plan to do it yourself!!!)+delivery from B&Q.
Perhaps other companies are not that bad, but please stay away from 'Mark Group'! I wouldn't recommend them to my friends or colleagues. I can only imagine on how many houses they had already insulated that way in our area with no benefit to tenants/owners. I suspect my gas bill would have increased if I haven't redone their poor job.
Many thanks
0
Comments
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So 2 lads carry out a so called poor job, and the whole company is the same? I think not, I know many superb lofters who work at mark group who have been at the company many years. All work gets checked eventually, and these 2 lads work would not go unnoticed and over time they would probably have been dismissed. However, why did you not complain.? Who in thier right mind would have a company carry out work but then buy rolls themselves and rectify the job? It doesn't make senseHi!
I looked for existing threads, but couldn't find any on 'blacklist of free loft insulation contractors'. I would be obliged if this tread could be merged/moved to an existing one.
Anyway, I had decided to upgrade my loft insulation from 100mm to 300mm. I have contacted Energy Saving Trust for impartial advice if any grants were available. As I planned to do it myself, I only needed advice where I could get discounted insulation rolls. A lady on the phone said that I was eligible for free loft insulation including labour. Well, it was better that I expected. She offered 3 companies in my area (Lancashire) and I had gone with 'Mark Group' though I didn't have any feedback on any of them. A week later company's representative contacted me and we arranged to meet at my house. He has left a brochure with nice colourful images on how accurately the work will be done. I was also asked to clean loft myself. After careful inspection, I have decided to dispose of old loft insulation as it had completely deteriorated over decades. On the agreed date two young gentlemen turned up. I have watched a few videos on youtube and had an approximate idea on how long the job would take. To my surprise, they finished all roof in less than 40 minutes! Wow, I thought that it was amazing on how experienced they were at that moment in time! But in the evening I have noticed that it wasn't as warm as it used to be with an old insulation. So I decided to inspect their work. I was completely stunned on how poorly it was carried out. (I should have made a few images at that time to include here). Rolls were just rolled over joists with huge gaps in between! It took me another 8 hours to re-do their work from scratch and buy extra 4 rolls of 170mm from B&Q to cover shortage as 60% of the top insulation layer was still exposed!!! It would have been easier if they had simply left rolls on the doorstep!!!
Outcome: So what is free is a true cost of loft insulation?
In my experience, it is 8 hours of my free hard labour + £40 on extra 4 insulation rolls to cover gap and a dust mask (dust mask is a MUST if you plan to do it yourself!!!)+delivery from B&Q.
Perhaps other companies are not that bad, but please stay away from 'Mark Group'! I wouldn't recommend them to my friends or colleagues. I can only imagine on how many houses they had already insulated that way in our area with no benefit to tenants/owners. I suspect my gas bill would have increased if I haven't redone their poor job.
Many thanks0 -
Mark Group c0cked up my cavity wall insulation, it took them 3 visits to get it right but you have to get the company back to correct the work otherwise you do so at your own expense with very little recourse. I may have misundertood, but how could it have been colder if your insulation was topped up, even if it was done badly?Some people don't exaggerate........... They just remember big!0
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Your 2nd big mistake was to buy the top up rolls from B&Q, assuming this is a present day post.
They are available at 1/2 that price on the net, I only know as I was asking about free insulation myself only at the weekend, we couldn't claim it free, green deal didn't make sense so went the direct purchase route, arrives tomorrow.
What's the old adage???;
You don't get 'owt for nowt, or there's no such thing as a free lunch?
Seems to have been proved so in your case.
I have to ask though, even though it was free, why on earth did you not get them back in and give them the opportunity to put things right. It's a common courtesy that you should extend to any supplier, cockups happen but can usually be fixedI like the thanks button, but ,please, an I agree button.
Will the grammar and spelling police respect I do make grammatical errors, and have carp spelling, no need to remind me.;)
Always expect the unexpected:eek:and then you won't be dissapointed0
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