Common myths about retrofitting

29 million. That’s how many UK homes there are which need retrofitting before 2050, to achieve the UK’s net zero target, according to the UK Green Building Council. (Retrofitting is taking steps to improve the energy efficiency of your home.)

Right now, there’s quite a few myths around retrofitting. Because of these misconceptions, it can be tempting to put off making plans for retrofitting your home. But there could be environmental, financial and health benefits from taking steps now to improve the energy efficiency of where you live. And given the nation’s net zero objective, it’s something most of us will have to plan for over the coming years.

So, let’s explore some of the common myths about retrofitting. To do so, we’re joined by industry expert Dr Kate Morland from Leeds Sustainability Institute at Leeds Beckett University.

An architect, Kate’s research focuses on the behavioural science aspects of the retrofit process and take up of low-carbon technologies. Along the way, she has worked with housing associations to evaluate the success of their retrofit projects, as they make hundreds of their homes more energy efficient.

Myth 1 – Retrofitting is always expensive

We’ve all felt the effects of the cost of living crisis. And the cost of borrowing money to fund home improvements can still be very high compared to a couple of years ago. So it’s understandable if you feel you have bigger financial priorities than retrofitting your home. Especially with some horror stories out there about how much it has cost some people.

So is retrofitting expensive? “It doesn’t have to be, but often the most effective retrofit measures are,” explains Kate. “It depends on the measures you install and what is most important to you. However, the more expensive measures tend to save more energy and carbon than low-cost measures.”

Kate also points out that the cost of doing nothing now could actually prove costly in the long run. “Up to a quarter of retrofit costs come from repairing a home before retrofit measures are installed. Carrying out this general maintenance now stops it from becoming a serious problem, potentially saving you thousands of pounds compared to if you have to fix it later.

“While the more expensive measures may not pay back any money, most things we buy do not pay you back either. Like comfortable shoes, smartphones, and new cars. The reasons for retrofit are not always to save money. They are to provide comfort, keep warm in winter and cool in summer, remove damp, condensation and mould risk, and to improve indoor air quality.”

Kate concludes that effective changes don’t always have to cost a lot. “If you have a loft, one of the cheapest and simplest measures you can take is to make sure you have at least 27cm of insulation up there. This works best when it isn’t squashed by Christmas decorations and the like.”

Myth 2 – Retrofitting is a huge activity

So how can you do it in a cost-effective way? Well, Kate argues that it doesn’t have to treated as one large project. Something that you need to do in one go. “One way to spread costs over time is to plan retrofit measures in stages so that the work is not done in one hit.

“It’s also worth considering improving the energy efficiency of your home first before changing your heating system. If your home is well insulated, your new heating system will be smaller and cheaper to run. Alternatively, your home may be eligible for government grants, like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

“Getting your home assessed by a Retrofit Assessor is a useful first step. Together with a Retrofit Coordinator, they can advise you on what would work best for you and your home and take it from there.”

Myth 3 – Retrofitting is really complicated

Cavity wall insulation. Air-source heat pump. Battery storage. Some of the phrases and solutions around retrofitting certainly sound confusing – including the term ‘retrofit’ itself. How on earth do you know what to do for your home, and what difference it might make? Luckily, Kate is here to break it down.

“It depends on the number of measures to be installed, the order in which they’re being installed and what your home is like. As they all play a part in how complicated it can be to improve your home’s energy efficiency,” Kate states. “If you are getting one measure installed, it’s likely your home is in a good state of repair. And if your home isn’t listed or in a conservation area, it should be straightforward.

“It is more complicated if your home is listed, you need to carry out repair works, or if you install multiple measures.”

Myth 4 – You need an architect to retrofit your home

It’s true that a lot of people use the services of an architect to retrofit their home. This enables them to install solutions tailored to the property. Kate is one such architect, but she confirms you don’t necessarily need to employ the services of someone like her.

“Again, it depends. A key first step is to have your home assessed and work out what your aims are. This will give you an idea of the most appropriate retrofit measures, considering what you want to achieve. You can then assess whether you need additional professional support.”

Where won’t you need an architect? “You probably won’t need one if you are installing a single retrofit measure or aren’t planning on doing additional work to your home,” Kate reveals. “Many manufacturers of retrofit measures can design a system for your home and have a list of approved installers that can carry out the installation work competently, backed up by a warranty.

“However, if you’re installing many retrofit measures, or want to carry out additional changes to your home – such as an extension – you may want to appoint a qualified retrofit specialist or architect.”

Myth 5 – Retrofitting is really messy and disruptive to your home

If you’ve ever lived in a home where building work is taking place, you’ll know it isn’t always easy. So does retrofitting turn your house upside down?

“It depends on the measure,” Kate confirms. “A measure like installing loft insulation doesn’t take long and involves someone carrying rolls of insulation up the stairs, up a ladder, through the loft hatch and into the loft. At the other end of the spectrum, fitting external wall insulation can take weeks, involve scaffolding, and be messy – but the mess stays mostly outside.

“We’ve found that how disruptive a retrofit is depends on several things. For example, the measures to be installed, how long it takes, and how stressful your life already is. In some circumstances, it may be better to do the work in stages, or move out while the work is being done. For example, if the work is likely to last a long time, you have younger children and pets. Or if have someone in the family who suffers from ill health or has mobility issues.”

Myth 6 – Retrofitting doesn’t make a difference to the energy efficiency of your home

This runs right to the heart of what we’re doing at Skipton Building Society. We’re retrofitting a house on Regent Road, Skipton that has a low energy efficiency rating. This involves testing different retrofitting ideas and sharing what we learn. We’ll assess the impact it has on the property’s energy efficiency – and the cost savings. However, most evidence to date does indicate that installing retrofit measures in your home will improve the energy efficiency of the property when done by a skilled and accredited tradesperson.

Kate is one of the experts who is helping us on our retrofit journey. She concludes, “Our aim is to better understand what drives decision-making at different points in the retrofit process, and how this effects the cost and impact of the retrofit.”

Keep visiting our ‘Let’s talk retrofit’ hub for our latest updates – or follow our dedicated social media channel @regentroadretrofit.