Would energy rating put you off buying??

not_loaded

Hmm… Yes. Just before my HIP appointment I’ll be bunging in eco light bulbs. The day after, except for a few tricky locations, they’ll all be back in the pack. I’ve also heard of them looking at your immersion heater setting and criticising that. So, that’ll be tweaked too. It’s all rather silly isn’t it? So who will judge a house by its HIP?

bandraoi wrote: »

They don't exist yet.

Most houses have major maintenance every 30 - 40 years. Vulnerable parts of the fabric need replacing, and living patterns change. Roofs and window frames replaced, the electrics and plumbing need an overhaul.

Until now, there's been no reason to improve the energy efficiency of the houses while doing this refurbishment. Now when you come to sell a house, it's there for all to see.

Those '70's houses with poor insulation and ratings are approaching being "fixer uppers". Give it five years and you'll start seeing '70's houses with better energy ratings.

Technically I think you’re right, but you’re tending to assume that the HIP is done scientifically. I really don’t feel that a bored teenager with a clipboard is going to detect the difference.

I also feel that desirable houses anywhere will be bought regardless of the HIP contents. Currently the rules are that you must have applied for the HIP to go on the market. A lot of property here (west Surrey) sells before the HIP exists. My neighbour said not one single viewer asked about the HIP, and when it sold, nobody wanted a copy of it. The buyer’s solicitor did all the searches etc over again.

Still, it’s only money ain’t it?

bandraoi

Technically I think you’re right, but you’re tending to assume that the HIP is done scientifically. I really don’t feel that a bored teenager with a clipboard is going to detect the difference.

Again, that's the current situation. I don't see it being long term. It's very difficult to work out what is in the walls of a house or what the U-Values of windows/doors/roofs are by inspecting a completed property. The necessary details are hidden.

With new houses, these details are readily available and an accurate energy rating can be compiled. Even in relatively new build houses it can be more accurately compiled as the regulations about construction records have been tightened up alot in recent years.

With older houses it's literally a stab in the dark, with people employing worst case scenarios and "best guesses". As these houses are refurbished though I'd expect the energy ratings for individual houses to be refined and become far more accurate.

I'm not assuming that energy ratings are done scientifically, I'm assuming that they will be done scientifically.

not_loaded

I'm not assuming that energy ratings are done scientifically, I'm assuming that they will be done scientifically.

I can’t see what’s going to change to make that so. It’s already an expensive waste of everybody’s time.

Please understand I mean no offence with my POV on this. I look at it like a car MOT. It’s no guarantee of anything of any use when you’re pulling money out of your wallet.

The professionals are not even vaguely interested in HIPs, and it appears that the buyers aren’t either. This thread pretty much confirms that.

You can of course say that the cost of correcting HIPS issues can be ‘knocked off’ your offer, but an astute buyer would not hesitate to pay what the house is worth.

brixham

I live on the upper floor of a converted Georgian villa. Walls are 3ft thick and single glazed sash windows.
I am as snug as a bug thank you and pay less for heating than my sister in a 1960's terrace.
Not that I would dream of changing anything and I would hope I wouldn't be allowed to as the place is listed.
My walls and windows are 250 years old and work just fine !!!
brixham

moggylover

Topov wrote: »

Here is a link to a green building forum that discussed the advantages/disadvantages of various types of insulation for stone buildings:

http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=241&page=1[/quot


Thanks for that Topov - but I'm afraid that some of what was on there was still a lot of twaddle!

Old stone houses are actually best off with as little in the way of rendering of any sort thereon. Rendering stops them "breathing" naturally, and causes problems with condensation and thus dampness which will make them cold and clammy.

My own cottage was pretty much re-built from the ground up about 15 years ago at a cost of around £70,000.00 - and has double glazing in only the extension rooms - due to building regs - as this also causes a hermetically sealed environment which is unproductive in these houses - and again you get condensation on the walls. This was no problem to me anyway, as I dislike being "shut in" and always have windows open, so double glazing would be a waste of my original dosh.

I get very little condensation on any windows - except the kitchen if I forget to put the extractor fan on whilst boiling. We have no damp, no chill, and very low heating costs.

My biggest dislike of the "scientific" approach to building, rather than those that speak from real experience is that they come up with half-baked ideas and print them as facts, and it can be too late once you have spent the money to then try to find an alternative.

My own approach before spending my dosh was to travel around many of these buildings and see which ones were done how, and which ones, imo, were giving the best living conditions. Major arguments with my builder and architect then ensued, although to be fair the guy from the Buildings Inspectorate (who was much older and had grown up in such a house) backed me up as far as regulations would allow - and I ended up with a house which through understanding ITS needs, and finding ways to make them fit in with mine - is a joy to live in - and which costs us very little to heat. It gets slated on its energy efficiency report - but then no-one has asked to see my HIP anyway and they do discuss heating costs with me and are shown bills which give them a true indication of its running costs - not some whimsical imaginery fluff which a trained monkey can offer.

Davesnave

Thanks topov and moggylover for some really useful info & ideas. I'm heading to Wales shortly & expect to buy something period in nature eventually. The threads here and on the greenbuilding forum have really made me think.

moggylover

Davesnave wrote: »

Thanks topov and moggylover for some really useful info & ideas. I'm heading to Wales shortly & expect to buy something period in nature eventually. The threads here and on the greenbuilding forum have really made me think.

I'm already down here mate - so give us a wave when you come.:D

Topov_3

moggylover wrote: »

Thanks for that Topov - but I'm afraid that some of what was on there was still a lot of twaddle!

Old stone houses are actually best off with as little in the way of rendering of any sort thereon. Rendering stops them "breathing" naturally, and causes problems with condensation and thus dampness which will make them cold and clammy.

You're welcome moggy.

I think if you use a lime mortar based product, it allows the building to breathe, it also soaks up CO2 while it dries, which is much better for the environment. Looks like the old time building methods were much more sensitive to the environment than the new ones. I certainly can't imagine my upvc windows lasting 200 years like brixham's

Davesnave

moggylover wrote: »

I'm already down here mate - so give us a wave when you come.:D

I'll certainly do that if I end up in Ceredigion. Meanwhile I can relate to what topov is saying because, down here in the Westcountry, I had to repair a Bath stone wall many years ago. I remember being advised to use lime mortar and crushed stone rather than moderrn equivalents, so I did. The repair is still sound 24 years on, which is more than can be said for work done by my contemporaries at the time.

Northern_girl_2

Mamamia wrote: »

Please tell me if I am wrong, but I was under the impression, that cavity wall insulation is not that expensive to have done???:rolleyes:

Cavity wall insulation is relatively cheap at approx £500 according to this website: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/home_improvements/home_insulation_glazing/

However, the issue is that many older houses aren't suitable for cavity wall insulation. Our house has solid walls and the insulation methods for these walls is significantly more expensive. To add external insulation would be approx £4,500 or it can be added internally at £42psqm (plus the cost of plaster boarding over it and redecorating!).

Obviously the payback time on that is much longer and as our energy prices are relatively low it just wasn't worth it. We stuck to getting the loft up to the right levels, which has really helped keep bills down.