Considering solar and heat pump, new build property with help to buy loan - advice please?

Feyla

Hi,

I am in a new build property with a help to buy loan and am considering solar and a heat pump from octopus energy, both of which sound like they will work well for my property as apparently my heat loss is very low and my roof is quite large and south facing with no shade.

Firstly, I am not 100% sure if I am allowed to do either of them because I'm aware that I'm not allowed to make structural changes to the property with a help to buy loan, but do either of these count as that? For the heat pump I will need to get building regulations approval as the pump would be installed next to a public pavement. Also, I am not sure if I need to get permission from help to buy for either of them to go ahead? I have contacted them regarding the above but no response yet.

It's not very clear on the gov website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-make-structural-alterations-to-your-help-to-buy-home#how-to-apply 

If I do go ahead with either or both of them, the house value would go up meaning I'll have to pay more back. 

My solar quote is £9700 with 15 panels and a 5kwh battery and a generation of 235% based on our usage, so we would get money from selling back to the grid, I've been told we would get around £660 back yearly on the flux tarrif, but this is an estimate.

The heat pump quote is £950 after the £7500 government grant, however there would be extra costs to be confirmed, probably around £1500 in total

I also have an electric car so both of these would be a benefit from that

Has anyone had either of these installed with a help to buy loan and can offer any advice?

Can anyone with solar confirm if the amount we would get from selling back to the grid sounds accurate?

My thinking is that if they work as I expect, the solar would cover all of our electricity usage including the heat pump and car, so we would essentially have no gas or elec bill and also get money back from the grid so it seems like a no brainer, it's just a lot of money to invest so I need to be sure, opinions appriciated! Would you go with either of them? Both of them? 

Thanks in advance

MikeJXE

Any thing that needs planning permission needs approval or you face the cost of the improvement being included in a new valuation 

Feyla

MikeJXE said:

Any thing that needs planning permission needs approval or you face the cost of the improvement being included in a new valuation 

I thought that might be the case, well that's good if they approve both and they don't take the increased value into account. I'm just worried that if I request approval and they consider it a structural change and say no. I really need to get ahold of them.