Green Deal

[Steve]

I'm sure as all things government funded, there will be strong opinions both ways on this subject. However, upwards of 15 homes nearby me have had external solid wall insulation fitted by the same company (NWS based in Barnsley). They all look very neat and fresher - like new homes not 100yr old homes.

I am considering it myself given I live in an end terrace the heat loss is horrific, however it seems to me that my energy bills under GD won't go down as this is how I pay back my loan to the govt. Also the windows are about 20 years old and quite draughty for double glazing, so I would want these replaced before having the insulation put on the outside (I assume replacing windows is a lot harder after external insulation is fitted!)

I don't intend to stay here for as long as it takes to repay the loan! I intend to rent the house out in the long term, would my tenants have to pick up the green deal bill? I know the GD loan might make the house harder to sell too, if I choose that option, and prospective buyers might make me pay off the loan, which could incur further charges as the loans are not provided by the govt but by private companies.

It's a minefield! Is it really worth it or is it better just to get a bank loan and pay for it outright?

 

[Deleted member 63160]

Avoid it mate. Minefield.

 

[ajstoneservices]

7% for the green deal loan. 3% for a mortgage. And yes your tenants would continue to pay and you would be obliged to tell them.

 

[AronSearle]

Well, putting aside the specifics of the green deal, you have to remember....

Whilst you will have to pay it off through your energy bill, it only seems wastefull if you assume the price of electricity won't rise, even without green wibble, it's going to rise because fuel is rising in price, and so is generation (and by green wibble I mean CO2, even ignoring that we are putting in place more clean air requirements, coal is cheap cheap cheap, but is going out of fashion regardless). With green wibble, we will see our energy bills going higher and higher, from 5p in 1996 to 18p now (of the top of my head).

In the long run, it's always going to pay of to insulate.

But probably not if you intend to rent, or sell off, as then you won't reap the benifits.

It's going to be a long time until energy costs become high enough, that it forces landlords to insulate, either that or it will force them to lower rents.

And that's where the green deal fails, the point of government intervention is to help people do things, that wouldnt normally make sense to do so, if you intend to live somewhere permanantly, it makes sense to insulated without any subsidies whatsover, and even assuming leccy won't rise in price.

And as aj said, what's the point with those interest rates?

 

[ImperialCompleteSolutions]

At 7% you would be better to get a loan at a better interest rate and pay for it in one go !
Another option to consider is find a company that can get hold of eco funding and get them to quote, we get hold of ECO funding for our customers and they manage to save on average £2500-£3500 per install.
You will only qualify for ECO funding if you have a solid wall house (no cavity)

Make sure you get a few companies to quote as some have been known to add on more due to the fact you will be getting funding towards the job.

 

[conny]

When I lived in Liverpool the houses run by the Housing Cooperative which took over the council stock did this form of insulation.

As you say, they look very nice when it is completed BUT the method they use has its drawbacks. They encase the house in polystyrene blocks, these then have wire mesh placed over them so the top layer of thermal insulation, which is like a rendering, can adhere to the mesh. Ok, no problem so far.

However, the mesh acts like a Faraday cage and blocks out mobile phone signals. It can also interfere with satellite dishes, though not quite sure how.

Another 'fault' that is appearing as the years pass, (its been about 3 since they did these houses), is that on the corners where they have used angle bead for the rendering there are signs of rust showing through.

 

[pred]

They obviously used galvanized exmet & not stainless steel...

I learnt the hard way...

 

[AronSearle]

Another 'fault' that is appearing as the years pass, (its been about 3 since they did these houses), is that on the corners where they have used angle bead for the rendering there are signs of rust showing through.

British builders, using the wrong materials and cack workmenship.

Why I never!