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

Ken68

I'm surprised that Attendance Allowance is on the list, it is not  income dependent.

Laneygig

Hello, I have an ancient old 4000x2500mm aluminium sliding double glazed unit, the double glazing is shot and the aluminium frame is extremely drafty. Having emailed 8 double glazing installers in Cornwall (there are none shown on the government's search using my postcode) I received a brief but helpful reply one from supplier in particular. She said that like the others, they weren't joining the scheme either.  She explained that the voucher would only be considered by the government if 1) I'm replacing single glazing with double glazing and 2) my house has been insulated to standards beforehand. 
Well what ridiculous stipulations, what tiny proportion of homes could tick both those boxes. My house has been insulated, but to standards? Who knows!  And failed double glazed units are no better than single glazed units.
I thought that this voucher scheme would be a meaningful way to increase local trade plus benefit the environment in an affordable way - win win - but sadly it seems that's not to be. No wonder there aren't any double glazing installers registered in my area.

arty688

Laneygig said:

Hello, I have an ancient old 4000x2500mm aluminium sliding double glazed unit, the double glazing is shot and the aluminium frame is extremely drafty. Having emailed 8 double glazing installers in Cornwall (there are none shown on the government's search using my postcode) I received a brief but helpful reply one from supplier in particular. She said that like the others, they weren't joining the scheme either.  She explained that the voucher would only be considered by the government if 1) I'm replacing single glazing with double glazing and 2) my house has been insulated to standards beforehand. 
Well what ridiculous stipulations, what tiny proportion of homes could tick both those boxes. My house has been insulated, but to standards? Who knows!  And failed double glazed units are no better than single glazed units.
I thought that this voucher scheme would be a meaningful way to increase local trade plus benefit the environment in an affordable way - win win - but sadly it seems that's not to be. No wonder there aren't any double glazing installers registered in my area.

I’m no fan of this scheme but if we ignore the lack of companies doing it because I think that will get sorted. This scheme is mainly meant for insulation . So have you got cavity wall insulation? What’s your lofts insulation like? Double glazing firms won’t be impressed with the scheme as they won’t be getting much of this gravy train. 

AN64

Despite trying numerous companies since the scheme was announced weeks ago I still cannot get a quote for external wall insulation. Would anyone who has managed to get quotes & have applied for the grant be willing to share the names of the companies they have been successful with please. Also which primary measures they are having done. Many thanks in advance 

empeters

AN64 said:

Despite trying numerous companies since the scheme was announced weeks ago I still cannot get a quote for external wall insulation. Would anyone who has managed to get quotes & have applied for the grant be willing to share the names of the companies they have been successful with please. Also which primary measures they are having done. Many thanks in advance 

What area are you in ?

AN64

empeters said:

AN64 said:

Despite trying numerous companies since the scheme was announced weeks ago I still cannot get a quote for external wall insulation. Would anyone who has managed to get quotes & have applied for the grant be willing to share the names of the companies they have been successful with please. Also which primary measures they are having done. Many thanks in advance 

What area are you in ?

We are in Yorkshire. Having absolutely no luck whatsoever 

Freebeebabe

My daughter moved into a victorian terrace with no insulation at all. Waited for the scheme to start so she could apply. There are only 3 Trustmark installers within 60 miles of where she lives. Finally got a guy to come and quote to board the walls with insulated plasterboard. He said it would be 63mm thick, effectively reducing the size of the rooms by 5.5 inches!!! His quote was 3 times more than a local tradesman who, sadly, was not Trustmark registered. As she will have to put a third of the cost herself there was no financial benefit to get grant from the goverment (vouchers). Also, the scheme doesnt include skimming walls, just boarding out, so you'll have to pay for skimming yourself. The whole scheme is an absolute con. She'd rather boost her local economy by giving the work to a local tradesperson. This scheme is a total misuse of taxpayers money under the disguise of creating 'Greener Homes' and should be scrapped.    

imiy40

Freebeebabe said:

My daughter moved into a victorian terrace with no insulation at all. Waited for the scheme to start so she could apply. There are only 3 Trustmark installers within 60 miles of where she lives. Finally got a guy to come and quote to board the walls with insulated plasterboard. He said it would be 63mm thick, effectively reducing the size of the rooms by 5.5 inches!!! His quote was 3 times more than a local tradesman who, sadly, was not Trustmark registered. As she will have to put a third of the cost herself there was no financial benefit to get grant from the goverment (vouchers). Also, the scheme doesnt include skimming walls, just boarding out, so you'll have to pay for skimming yourself. The whole scheme is an absolute con. She'd rather boost her local economy by giving the work to a local tradesperson. This scheme is a total misuse of taxpayers money under the disguise of creating 'Greener Homes' and should be scrapped.    

Unfortunately most of the companies participating have a very high mark up in pricing a job. 
I live in London and have had 4 quotes from the companies whom participating in this scheme for External wall Insulation, 3 of the quotes came as more than double than what I was quoted privately where as the 4th quote was a bit reasonable which came a third more expensive than the private quote.
Always do your homework it might just be cheaper to do the works privately. 

Julia9CA

2020Craig said:

delmonta said:

2020Craig said:

I applied first thing Wednesday morning as it opened. I also did not receive a confirmation email but did get a reference number. Like others the email that I sent to the address on the page bounced back so I emailed the general enquiries and they passed it on to the relevant department. It’s the department for business, energy and industrial strategy if anyone wants to try. enquiries@beis.gov.uk
I haven’t heard anything back yet and it’s very disconcerting not knowing whether or not the application has gone through. 

I did the same thing and emailed the address you posted, but got no reply. Did they tell you specifically they sent it on to the right department? I dont think they say that to me. 

Yes they told me they sent it on. I emailed them myself as well though. Had an auto reply yesterday saying that they aim to get back within 15 days.

Same here. 
Emailed Enquiries@beis.gov.uk after getting no replies/bounce backs from customer.green-homes-grant@beis.gov.uk.
Received an automated email saying, 'we will aim to respond within our business as usual target of 15 working days'

Yahoo_Mail

Freebeebabe said:

My daughter moved into a victorian terrace with no insulation at all. Waited for the scheme to start so she could apply. There are only 3 Trustmark installers within 60 miles of where she lives. Finally got a guy to come and quote to board the walls with insulated plasterboard. He said it would be 63mm thick, effectively reducing the size of the rooms by 5.5 inches!!! His quote was 3 times more than a local tradesman who, sadly, was not Trustmark registered. As she will have to put a third of the cost herself there was no financial benefit to get grant from the goverment (vouchers). Also, the scheme doesnt include skimming walls, just boarding out, so you'll have to pay for skimming yourself. The whole scheme is an absolute con. She'd rather boost her local economy by giving the work to a local tradesperson. This scheme is a total misuse of taxpayers money under the disguise of creating 'Greener Homes' and should be scrapped.    

The benefit (and I suspect this is what a lot of the qualified installers are relying on) is that she would get a voucher equal to the cost of the primary measures (subject to the £5k limit) for secondary measures and so would essentially get that 2/3rds "free."  The problem is that you've got no chance of finding anyone to do any of the secondary measures and even if you did, they'll probably jack their prices up threefold too.

It's a complete mess.