I’m in the middle of a deep retrofit with extensions and a full suite of sustainable technologies—ASHP, DHW, UFH, MVHR, solar, batteries, air‑con, the lot. What’s surprised me most isn’t the technology, but how difficult it is to get even a basic cost indication from many installers.
Across the dozens of companies I’ve contacted, a few have been great and provided ballpark figures straight away. But a large number won’t give anything—not even a rough range—unless I first pay for heat‑loss calculations, 3D thermal modelling, MVHR design, or other upfront work.
The irony is that I’ve already done my own heat‑loss calculations using freely available tools, cross‑checked them, and produced a detailed set of U‑values and room‑by‑room figures. I’m also very capable with DIY, electrical work, and plumbing, so I’m not coming to this blind. Yet instead of engaging with the information I’ve already produced, some companies insist on charging for their own version before they’ll even talk numbers. It’s hard not to feel pushed toward paying for “professional” services that don’t add value at the early stage—and it honestly makes me less inclined to use those companies at all.
In most industries, an estimate is the starting point. Builders give ballparks before architectural drawings. Car garages quote before diagnostics. Even solicitors outline likely costs before you sign an engagement letter. Yet in the renewables sector, the default seems to be: “Pay us first, then we’ll tell you what the job might cost.” It’s often justified with “MCS rules” or “we can’t quote without full modelling,” but from a customer’s perspective it feels like a barrier to entry—and a convenient way to charge for what is essentially pre‑sales work.
I’m not against paying for design once I’ve shortlisted a supplier. That’s completely reasonable. But paying multiple companies just to find out who is vaguely affordable isn’t. It’s no wonder so many homeowners give up before they start.
Interested to hear how others have navigated this and whether this pay‑to‑quote culture is just the norm now in the renewables world.
Across the dozens of companies I’ve contacted, a few have been great and provided ballpark figures straight away. But a large number won’t give anything—not even a rough range—unless I first pay for heat‑loss calculations, 3D thermal modelling, MVHR design, or other upfront work.
The irony is that I’ve already done my own heat‑loss calculations using freely available tools, cross‑checked them, and produced a detailed set of U‑values and room‑by‑room figures. I’m also very capable with DIY, electrical work, and plumbing, so I’m not coming to this blind. Yet instead of engaging with the information I’ve already produced, some companies insist on charging for their own version before they’ll even talk numbers. It’s hard not to feel pushed toward paying for “professional” services that don’t add value at the early stage—and it honestly makes me less inclined to use those companies at all.
In most industries, an estimate is the starting point. Builders give ballparks before architectural drawings. Car garages quote before diagnostics. Even solicitors outline likely costs before you sign an engagement letter. Yet in the renewables sector, the default seems to be: “Pay us first, then we’ll tell you what the job might cost.” It’s often justified with “MCS rules” or “we can’t quote without full modelling,” but from a customer’s perspective it feels like a barrier to entry—and a convenient way to charge for what is essentially pre‑sales work.
I’m not against paying for design once I’ve shortlisted a supplier. That’s completely reasonable. But paying multiple companies just to find out who is vaguely affordable isn’t. It’s no wonder so many homeowners give up before they start.
Interested to hear how others have navigated this and whether this pay‑to‑quote culture is just the norm now in the renewables world.
