Under the terms of the new scheme, the loans will be attached to the houses themselves, rather than to the owners, who tend to move around every ten years, with occupants then asked to repay the money borrowed over a longer period.

It is hoped that this will allow consumers to avoid the large upfront costs usually associated with fitting some of the more effective energy-efficient measures, including insulation, double-glazing and even home renewable energy devices such as solar panels and wind turbines.

“This new approach will allow people to pay for home improvements after they have had them installed rather than before,” explained Ed Miliband, the energy and climate change secretary.

“More people will be able to get the work they want done.”

It is also estimated that as many as 65,000 jobs in the green home industry will be created through this eco-housing push over the next ten years.
ent has announced the launch of a new pilot project which will see homeowners in the south of England given access to ‘green loans’ so as to allow them to boost the energy efficiency of their properties.

Under the terms of the new scheme, the loans will be attached to the houses themselves, rather than to the owners, who tend to move around every ten years, with occupants then asked to repay the money borrowed over a longer period.

It is hoped that this will allow consumers to avoid the large upfront costs usually associated with fitting some of the more effective energy-efficient measures, including insulation, double-glazing and even home renewable energy devices such as solar panels and wind turbines.

“This new approach will allow people to pay for home improvements after they have had them installed rather than before,” explained Ed Miliband, the energy and climate change secretary.

“More people will be able to get the work they want done.”

It is also estimated that as many as 65,000 jobs in the green home industry will be created through this eco-housing push over the next ten years.

Just because the government is urging everyone to embark on a mass insulation program with generous attractive grants available, don’t be tempted into having this type of work done until you do your homework.

Cavities allow building to breathe, both moisture from inside the home and any damp that enters the wall from the outside has to dry out, bridge this cavity with material that can stay wet and you have the perfect recipe for disaster. Your may not notice the cavity is working until you stem the flow of air with moisture retaining material.

Over the years we have put right a few cavity wall jobs that caused horrific damp problems

We recently repaired a double brick cavity wall that had the mineral stuff blown in, it had been forced in with so much pressure it was just about solid.

The gable was in an exposed location, wind driven rain etc. They had experienced  no problems until they had this work done, soon after they noticed internal damp patches all over the upper sections bedrooms, landing, hallway the lot.

Remedial work: When we opened up the wall we had to remove a mass of sodden insulation material, we replaced 50 bricks, re pointed the gable in natural hydraulic lime, and it’s now a breathable dry wall.

 So If you want to get the cavity of your home filled then go for foam or bonded polystyrene beads, most firms use mineral wool as its cheap, go for foam or polystyrene or if the walls are old just don’t bother having this done, insulated from the inside with dry lining or go for exterior wall insulation, both these methods allow the walls to breathe and leave the integrity of the cavity intact

Chris Beaumont

Director

Wall2wall Solutions.co.uk

 For more information Read this excellent article by the knowledgeable

Ask Jeff

http://www.askjeff.co.uk/cavity.html

2.1 What installations are reduced-rated?

The reduced rate applies to the installation of certain specified energy-saving materials (see paragraph 2.5) in:

• residential accommodation (see paragraph 2.16); or
• a building used solely for a relevant charitable purpose (see paragraph 2.17).

The reduced rate applies whether or not the installation is grant-funded and includes the price of the goods themselves.

If you supply energy-saving materials without installing them your supply is standard-rated.

See

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageLibrary_ShowContent&propertyType=document&columns=1&id=HMCE_CL_000514#P70_4298

See our main site for external wal insulation work
www.wall2wallsolutions.co.uk

What is the reduced rate of VAT for energy saving materials?

If a contractor charges you more than this you paying 12.5% too much & in January 2011 you would be paying 15% more than you should do.

VAT rate for energy saving materials Simplified by Wall2Wall Solutions

Follow this link to get it official HM CUSTOMS AND EXCISE

http://www.hmce.gov.uk

What is the reduced rate of VAT for energy saving materials?

Taken from Notice 700 the VAT extract from 3.3 page 22 of HM Customs & Excise Notice 708/6

Energy-saving materials

August 2006

There are three rates of VAT:

· A standard rate, currently 17.5%;

· A reduced rate, currently 5%; and

· A zero rate.

2.5 What energy-saving materials are covered by the reduced rate?

The reduced rate applies to installations of:

• central heating and hot water system controls (see paragraph 2.6);
• draught stripping (see paragraph 2.7);
• insulation (see paragraph 2.8);
• solar panels (see paragraph 2.9);
• wind turbines (see paragraph 2.10);
• water turbines (see paragraph 2.11);
• ground source heat pumps (see paragraph 2.2.7);
• air source heat pumps (see paragraph 2.2.8);
• micro combined heat and power units (see paragraph 2.2.9); and
• wood-fuelled boilers (see paragraph 2.2.10)

2.8 Insulation

Insulation means materials that are designed and installed because of their insulating qualities.

The reduced rate applies to installations of insulation for:

• walls;
• floors;
• ceilings;
• roofs or lofts; and
• Water tanks, pipes or other plumbing fittings.

The reduced rate does not apply to essentially decorative products such as curtains and carpets

2.2 Installation

Installation, in this context, means putting in place energy-saving materials.

This involves some process, by which materials are permanently fixed in place,

although loft insulation may simply need to be unrolled and positioned in place to be

installed.

2.3 Incidental work

Any work that you undertake as part of the installation process is eligible for the

reduced rate.

This includes minor building works, such as planing doors or windows, enlarging loft

hatches, and painting or plastering to make good.

But if the installation of energy-saving materials is incidental to another supply you

are making – such as the building of an extension or the replacement of a roof – you

are making a single supply of construction services (see Notice 708 Buildings and

construction).

2.4 New dwellings

If you install energy-saving materials during the course of construction of a new

dwelling, your supply is zero-rated. If you are involved in the construction of new

dwellings you should consult Notice 708 Buildings and construction.

2.16 What is residential accommodation?

The installation of energy-saving materials is only reduced-rated if they are for use in

the following types of residential accommodation:

• houses, flats or other dwellings;

• armed forces residential accommodation;

• children’s homes;

• homes providing care for the elderly, disabled people, or people

who suffer or have suffered from drug or alcohol dependency or

mental disorder;

• hospices;

• institutions that are the sole or main residence of at least 90% of

their residents;

• monasteries, nunneries and similar religious communities;

• school and university residential accommodation for students

and pupils;

• self catering holiday accommodation;

• caravans that are sited on permanent residential caravan parks.

They must be either longer than 7 metres or wider than 2.3

metres, excluding towing bars and similar apparatus used solely

for the purpose of attaching the caravan to a vehicle; and

Notice 708/6 Energy-saving materials

August 2006

Page 7 of 12

• houseboats that are designed or adapted for permanent

habitation and have no means of self propulsion, or other boats

which are used as a person’s sole or main residence, such as

canal boats and Dutch barges, on which the boat owner pays

Council Tax or domestic rates.

 See

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageLibrary_ShowContent&propertyType=document&columns=1&id=HMCE_CL_000514#P70_4298

Do I need to follow building regulations for rendering if my house is listed or in a conservation area?

If you are replacing or applying 25% or more of the surface area of your exterior render or applying any other wall cladding to the exterior of a dwelling then you require Building regulations approval. Basically what they (the government) want you to achieve is improved thermal properties to the walls (or Envelope as they like to call it).

Other factors could mean you don’t have to do it for instance if it’s not technically feasible all this is a bit of a grey area see the condition on page 23 of the Part L1b PDF link below, they may allow a relaxation on the thermal efficiency of a building if its build is not suitable i.e. weight load factors.

This is not the case if the walls are just to be painted, cleaned (classed as decorating) or pointed, but you may still require permission for the colour if you are in a conservation area, its best to check and get something in writing before you do anything.

If your house is grade 2 or grade 1 listed or in a conservation or National Park then the appropriate local authority will deal with the  building regs, your project may still require the inclusion of thermal improvements, they will take into account the building style and assist you in this matter.   

Suggested reading download the PDF Part L1B see sections 54 55 and 57 also table 5 all on page 23 for more details.

Failure to comply with this law a fine of up to £5000, both contractor and homeowner can be accountable so don’t ignore this law.

http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&source=hp&q=part+l1b+building+regulations&aq=2&aqi=g4g-m3&aql=&oq=part+L1b&gs_rfai=&fp=fc89fa3b5367ab18

Links to the government web site

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/government/buildingregs/

Although the buzzword today is ‘Blog’ we think that they are sometimes abused a little we feel that some ‘Blogs’ are a little pretentious, self centred and opinionated. ( Rant over!! )

This section is here as a repository for current and past questions thereby creating an ongoing library growing with each and every post. As this section grows more people will add to it and hopefully posts of previous experiences and problems solved will become a godsend to those that are currently ‘head scratching’ over their dilemma.

(We have only recently launched this Blog so apologises for the initial lack of postings, if we get anywhere near as many postings as we do emails asking us for help and advice, we expect this section of the site to expand vastly & blossom into a good source of reference)

Please read through the ‘Your Comments’ section which can be found in the above link, this is where you can leave a question or read through other posts and also read our answers to postings, you may even find the solution to your query from someone who has already ‘been there’

We will answer all your questions on a personal basis (well we may copy and paste some bits!)

Our intentions are to always offer you the best unbiased advice, based on over twenty years “hands on” experience in the external wall renovation business

The link-box on the right is what is termed a ‘blogroll’ (why new terms have to be invented beats us) but anyway its a list of companies and organisations that we believe will be able to offer you services or products that may be of use to you during your project

If you have a site yourself and would like your readers to view our content, then feel free to subscribe to our ‘RSS’ feed found top right.

Regards

W2W