ECO4 Scheme for ground floor flat

ButterCracks

I recently applied for the ECO4 since I involuntarily got made redundant and couldn’t afford a new boiler which every now and again stops generating warm water.
I have a ground floor flat (period conversion so once upon a time it was a house but as with most properties in London, converted into now 3 flats) with a garden.
A surveyor visited my property and said although my boiler qualifies under ECO4, they couldn’t do it since I didn’t have a loft. I found this insane since it discriminates against people who don’t have a loft. Basically if I had the top floor, I would get a new boiler. 

My EPC rating is D, I have solid brick external walls and no insulation in either external or the internal cavity walls. Internal walls are timber framed.
My floor is a suspended wooden floor with laminate, no insulation.

That scheme makes no mention that you can only get a new boiler if you have a loft. I’ve been enquiring if they can insulate my floor instead but apparently although initially they offered this, they don’t any more.

Has anyone had this experience and/ or has any advice?

NedS

Did you ask why you need a loft?

Maybe it is needed to locate a water tank, buffer vessels or expansion tanks - do you otherwise have a suitable location for a DHW tank and associated equipment within the property (think the size of a large floor to ceiling walk in cupboard)?

In my experience, some ECO4 scheme providers are looking to cherry pick the easier jobs, as retro-fitting an ASHP is never easy. Try contacting other ECO4 suppliers - I think we had 6 surveys before we found a company we were happy to proceed with (happy to provide details of the company we used if you want to message me - they work nationally)

ButterCracks

They explained the reason for having a loft is so that they could insulate it to take the energy efficiency rating up high enough to justify the grant.
it Sounds like an excuse to me since my home is always freezing and they could insulate my floor instead but apparently this is no longer covered on ECO4 whereby it was previously. I have no idea if the companies I’ve spoken to are just making an excuse to go for the easier jobs.

I’d be very grateful if you shared the details of the company you went with, happy to give them a try.

Chrysalis

The problem with these schemes they seem to have a really narrow window of properties they targeting, they have weird limitations that opts them out.

So basically what you were told, lower rating means less justification for grant.

HillStreetBlues

NedS said:

Did you ask why you need a loft?

Maybe it is needed to locate a water tank, buffer vessels or expansion tanks - do you otherwise have a suitable location for a DHW tank and associated equipment within the property (think the size of a large floor to ceiling walk in cupboard)?

In my experience, some ECO4 scheme providers are looking to cherry pick the easier jobs, as retro-fitting an ASHP is never easy. Try contacting other ECO4 suppliers - I think we had 6 surveys before we found a company we were happy to proceed with (happy to provide details of the company we used if you want to message me - they work nationally)

I haven't looked at the rules but expect you are right.
Loft insulation will be the cheapest, so I expect many companies only want to do work if it includes that, as I expect they will get paid much the same for doing  much less work.

NedS

Because the EPC rating is already a D (relatively good), it's harder to get that up to a B or C. If there are no easy wins (e.g, loft insulation), then they need to look at other areas.

All external cavity walls must be filled as a pre-requisite, so that is the next thing they must consider. I'm not sure how they would classify any non-external cavity walls that adjoin onto an internal area - I guess it will depend if the adjoining space is heated or not (similar with your ceiling - if the flat space above is heated, there is technically no reason to insulate it as there should not be any heat loss between the two assuming they are heated to the same temperature).

Our solid external walls were all treated with internal wall insulation using a high performance PIR insulated plasterboard, and re-plastered.

We had a few companies survey our old pre-1840's property and decline (some were more honest than others about the reasons) before we found a couple of companies that were happy to go ahead under the ECO4 scheme. Don't waste time on those who are not interested, just move on to the next until you find a company that is interested and you like what they are offering. For example, I knew I wanted PIR insulated plasterboard for the internal wall insulation, whereas our neighbour's company provided a framed out system filled with rockwool type insulation on their solid walls.

matt_drummer

How does this ECO4 scheme work?

It seems like you buy a a bit of a dump, make sure your income is below a certain level, maybe by retiring, and then get somebody else to pay to upgrade it, like me!

Is that really how this works?

jamespatterson

The ECO4 Scheme supports insulation in middle-floor homes to improve overall energy efficiency. This includes roof, cavity wall, and underfloor insulation to reduce heating costs.