New Green Homes Grant to give up to £5,000 in vouchers for insulation and double-glazing

tek-monkey

mpet said:

ic said:

mpet said:

Finally received my voucher after almost 6 months for flat roof insulation. I then received an email from my installer........

‘A mandate issued by TrustMark in January 2021 insists that ALL wet rooms in a property having insulation fitted under the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme are fitted with a working extractor fan. (Wet rooms include kitchens, utility rooms, bathrooms, shower rooms and ensuites.)

 

If extractor fans are required to be fitted in your property, you can either resubmit your quote to GHGVS to include them or self-fund the installation of the fans.’

So unless you have extractor fans in all these locations, you can’t have any insulation work done. I do have extractors in all but my utility room. Unfortunately, the only outside wall space is fully taken up by my CH boiler, so it looks like I won’t be getting the work done. Given the GHG have thrown all sorts of obstacles in the way of applications, I’m surprised they haven’t used this as a criteria to refuse/delay applications.

I've just reached out to my installer as their quote was approaching expiry.  In response they also told me about this ventilation requirement in connection to my cavity wall insulation installation.  They included the trustmark file giving details which I've quoted below this post.

Fundamentally for CWI you need to have "background ventilation" which is trickle vents in habitable rooms such as bedrooms and living rooms, and "active ventilation" which is extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens.

We're in the process of planning a lot of extension work, which will include replacing windows and full refits, which would naturally include fans and I can specify I want trickle vents.  I simply wanted to get the insulation done and out of the way before the work happened (it might complete after the scheme is finished). 

Looking it up, it is possible to retrofit trickle-vents, plenty of people on ebay sell them.  I'm even thinking I could buy vents and fit them.

The ventilation requirements in the GHGVS have been identified as critical to risk management within the scheme.

The ventilation requirements for the GHGVS require all the elements identified within PAS 2030:2017 be applied and evidenced within a lodgement.

Within other funded schemes a different approach has permeated, this approach is not suitable for GHGVS.

This guide is designed to help installers understand common areas around ventilation misunderstanding within GHGVS, this guide does not replace the requirements of PAS 2030 2017 and the PAS should always be consulted.

• All habitable rooms must have a minimum of 6500sq mm of background ventilation.

• Habitable room is a room used for dwelling purposes, not a

  Kitchen/utility/bathroom/cellar or sanitary accommodation.BR Part F Page 8

• Background ventilation is a small ventilation opening designed to provide

  controllable whole building ventilation.BR Part F page 7 diagram 1

• Background ventilation is not a vent designed to provide air for a combustion

  appliance, an opening window is not background ventilation.

• All kitchen and utility rooms must have a minimum of 6500sq mm of background

  ventilation.

• Kitchens must have extract fans that extract 30 litres per second for cooker hoods

  and 60l/s for all other fans.

• All kitchen cooker hood fans must exhaust externally.

• Utility rooms must have a 30 l/s fan.

• All bath and shower rooms must have a 15l/s fan.

• All fans must be in working condition.

• Where any of these elements are faulty and or missing, they must be replaced or

  installed as part of the GHGVS.

• Where a complete installation fails to meet these requirements and or a customer

  refuses to have them the installed, the installation is deemed not be compliant with

  the GHGVS requirements and the voucher can be withdrawn.

• Evidence to meet the requirements within PAS 2030 2017 must be supplied as part

  of a compliant lodgement, a lodgement without suitable evidence will be deemed

  not be compliant with the GHGVS requirements and the voucher can be withdrawn.

• Ventilation requirements are published in PAS 2030 2017 Table A5 / A4 Pages 29-32.

Has anyone actually had flat roof insulation completed under this scheme? If so, did you have to comply with these ventilation requirements.
I am currently in the position that my utility room doesn’t have a fan and doesn’t have space on an outside wall for one. I know there is the option to go through the ceiling, but I don’t want to do this for something I have managed quite well without until now. I don’t have a sink in my utility room, so I would also be interested In what the official definition of a utility room is 

Mine will cover a downstairs bathroom, it has no fan.  I'll let you know if I have the same issue.

Reed_Richards

I was given to understand that if you do any modification work to a bathroom then an extractor fan must be fitted to comply with building regulations.  

mpet

Reed_Richards said:

I was given to understand that if you do any modification work to a bathroom then an extractor fan must be fitted to comply with building regulations.  

I believe you are right. However in my case the flat roof insulation is being fitted over the existing flat roof, so no internal work. Also the utility room is not part of the flat roof structure, so is not affected at all by the work.

tek-monkey

mpet said:

Reed_Richards said:

I was given to understand that if you do any modification work to a bathroom then an extractor fan must be fitted to comply with building regulations.  

I believe you are right. However in my case the flat roof insulation is being fitted over the existing flat roof, so no internal work. Also the utility room is not part of the flat roof structure, so is not affected at all by the work.

So your utility room does not sit under the flat roof, at all?  Yet it's an issue for the people fixing the flat roof?

mpet

tek-monkey said:

mpet said:

Reed_Richards said:

I was given to understand that if you do any modification work to a bathroom then an extractor fan must be fitted to comply with building regulations.  

I believe you are right. However in my case the flat roof insulation is being fitted over the existing flat roof, so no internal work. Also the utility room is not part of the flat roof structure, so is not affected at all by the work.

So your utility room does not sit under the flat roof, at all?  Yet it's an issue for the people fixing the flat roof?

That’s right - apparently it’s ‘the rules’ - you couldn’t make it up! I also had to confirm I had extractors in my kitchen bathroom and separate toilet- again none of them are under the flat roof.

tek-monkey

Just contacted three people off the trustmark site to get another door quote, two replies so far say they aren't able to do work under the GHG due to lack of credentials.  It's like they want to make it hard!

Jinglish

Hi all success face / good news story... 
I applied for my GHG on Monday 29th March and received my voucher on 21st April. My installer is starting the work on 7th June and it should take about a week. My experience has been hassle free. FYI I’m getting an ASHP Valliant 7kW plus system for a total £10,500 installed in Lincolnshire replacing my old oil system. With 5k from the voucher and 5.5K funded on a 0% credit card coupled with the RHI payments this just make a sensible investment as I will be paid back in full after 7 years (so have a free ASHP system). Thank you GHG team! (and to MSE for letting me know this grant even existed.)

Reed_Richards

Jinglish said:

With 5k from the voucher and 5.5K funded on a 0% credit card coupled with the RHI payments this just make a sensible investment as I will be paid back in full after 7 years (so have a free ASHP system). 

You do realise that the value of the Green Homes Grant is subtracted from the RHI payments, don't you?  

Jinglish

Yes I am very aware that the 5K is subtracted but my MCS calculation still comes out breakeven or even a small profit due to the space/water heating of my property at the and the efficient SCOP and low flow temperature.

tek-monkey

Anyone know what certification is needed to fit a front door?  Maybe then I can just contact firms that could do the work, rather than all the ones that cant.