pricing a ber cert

fogibear

hey guys looking to get a ber cert done on a 3 bed terrece house in drogheda looking for the cheapest price any recomendations

No6

Look up the assessors register on SEI.ie and ring a few people might be a start but beware cheapest may not be the best!!

Quazzie

No6 wrote: »

Look up the assessors register on SEI.ie and ring a few people might be a start but beware cheapest may not be the best!!

Is a BER cert not a BER cert no matter where it comes from. I don't understand what ya mean by "cheapest may not be best". Are you saying some of them are incompetent and will not provide an accurate portrayal of the house, or that some are better at giving advice about improving the building?

fogibear

No6 wrote: »

Look up the assessors register on SEI.ie and ring a few people might be a start but beware cheapest may not be the best!!

for me cheapest is best once i get a cert to allow me to sell my house thats all that matters i dont think prices of houses will be affected by the rating they get

No6

Quazzie2002 wrote: »

Is a BER cert not a BER cert no matter where it comes from. I don't understand what ya mean by "cheapest may not be best". Are you saying some of them are incompetent and will not provide an accurate portrayal of the house, or that some are better at giving advice about improving the building?

In a nutshell yes.

No6

fogibear wrote: »

for me cheapest is best once i get a cert to allow me to sell my house thats all that matters i dont think prices of houses will be affected by the rating they get

You could be right but just imagine you've got MR Cheapo Assessors who does his assessment at the speed of light since you are paying him peanuts and you get your cert with its rating valid for 10 years and then you next door neighbour get someone who may cost a little bit more and spends a bit of time doing the survey and checking everything and the result is a better rating than yours, whose house is going to sell first!! Thats all I'm saying for your own sake cheapest may not be the best, its not just a piece of paper that has no meaning its a tool to allow buyers to compare similar properties.

sydthebeat

Ill do it for €750....

fogibear

sydthebeat wrote: »

Ill do it for €750....

who ya kidding the professionals are charging 250 you going to paint my house for that price aswell ...ha ha

fogibear

No6 wrote: »

You could be right but just imagine you've got MR Cheapo Assessors who does his assessment at the speed of light since you are paying him peanuts and you get your cert with its rating valid for 10 years and then you next door neighbour get someone who may cost a little bit more and spends a bit of time doing the survey and checking everything and the result is a better rating than yours, whose house is going to sell first!! Thats all I'm saying for your own sake cheapest may not be the best, its not just a piece of paper that has no meaning its a tool to allow buyers to compare similar properties.

cheers thanks for the advice i know what your saying any idea what sort of price i should be paying

Quazzie

sydthebeat wrote: »

Ill do it for €750....

fogibear wrote: »

who ya kidding the professionals are charging 250 you going to paint my house for that price aswell ...ha ha

I think thats what No.6 meant by the cheapest price isn't always the best price. I don't think there will be too many "professionals" that will do it better than syd there. Ya're paying for a service not just a cert and the price reflects this

sydthebeat

i was kidding about that €750 remark..... :pac:

fogi... if theres an assessor local, expect to pay around €250....

if theres a few, you might get a better price....

a lot of teh quote will depend on the distance to travel....

fogibear

Quazzie2002 wrote: »

I think thats what No.6 meant by the cheapest price isn't always the best price. I don't think there will be too many "professionals" that will do it better than syd there. Ya're paying for a service not just a cert and the price reflects this

still think its excessive most web sites with quote you anywhere between 250-450 .... now 750 can get me a return trip to thailand i know where i will be going

fogibear

sydthebeat wrote: »

i was kidding about that €750 remark..... :pac:

fogi... if theres an assessor local, expect to pay around €250....

if theres a few, you might get a better price....

a lot of teh quote will depend on the distance to travel....

no worries dude i guessed that not many offers coming my way time to start haggling over the phone i think

No6

By the time I drove to Drogheda and back from Mayo I think I'd be looking for 750 too!!!:D Seriously though ask for the assessors background as well as the price, check them out make sure you are getting the best assessor and assesment you can get for whatever money you pay!!!

sydthebeat

fogibear wrote: »

no worries dude i guessed that not many offers coming my way time to start haggling over the phone i think

http://193.178.2.42/SearchAssessors.aspx

start phoning

topcatcbr

fogibear wrote: »

no worries dude i guessed that not many offers coming my way time to start haggling over the phone i think

Did ya call that referal i gave you. I know he is competitive. & he is an engineer.

professore

Get mr cheapo and throw him 100 euro and get him to give you an AAA rating or better still a blank cert you can fill in yourself*

*Mods - I'm joking.

No6

How much is a bottle of Tippex??:D

sinnerboy

sydthebeat wrote: »

Ill do it for €750....

Damn .. beat me to it . I'll do it it for €749.99

ben bedlam

No6 wrote: »

Look up the assessors register on SEI.ie and ring a few people might be a start but beware cheapest may not be the best!!

Cheapest IS always best. They are all competent registered SEI assessors.

sinnerboy

Sold .. for €749.99

Quazzie

ben bedlam wrote: »

Cheapest IS always best. They are all competent registered SEI assessors.

In related news, pigs have been seen flying over Dublin and Hell is experiencing a mild patch after the heavy frosts of last week

No6

ben bedlam wrote: »

Cheapest IS always best. They are all competent registered SEI assessors.

An competancy meausred how exactly? Mid 2009 for the SEI exam for all assessors ( I know they'll try and make if fool proof) I think I can safely assume that based on the performance of some of the training bodies in rigoursly vetting peoples qualifications prior to the course starting their marking in some cases will be to an equally high standard. I recall one poster here saying that someone he knew got his results and had passed and he had dropped out of the course on the first day!!! So if that guy has registered he's now a competent registered assessor!! Would you like him to assess your house?

Matt Simis

No6 wrote: »

An competancy meausred how exactly? Mid 2009 for the SEI exam for all assessors ( I know they'll try and make if fool proof) I think I can safely assume that based on the performance of some of the training bodies in rigoursly vetting peoples qualifications prior to the course starting their marking in some cases will be to an equally high standard. I recall one poster here saying that someone he knew got his results and had passed and he had dropped out of the course on the first day!!! So if that guy has registered he's now a competent registered assessor!! Would you like him to assess your house?

I agree that all assessors are not the same, much like paying pittance to a back street doctor is fairly likely not to the same standard as a Doctor running their own practice in Blackrock. I dont believe an accurate assessment can come from a 20-30min site survey.

However, I met someone (an auctioneer) repeating their exam as they tried and failed previously. These people do exist, the examination process in "my" experience is working. Obviously I haven't personally seen the other trainers in action, but they do (all) have to hold records of attendees (and results) for 3 years and the exam results have to be physically "approved" by FETAC dont they?

No6

That would be the training providers exams Matt, some trainers are definately better than others!!!No one has done the SEI exam yet, its not ready.:eek:

Matt Simis

No6 wrote: »

That would be the training providers exams Matt, some trainers are definately better than others!!!No one has done the SEI exam yet, its not ready.:eek:

Yeah, I know. I assumed all the training providers exams were very similar.. shouldnt they be nearly the same, else we arent on a level playing field!?

fogibear

thanks guys for your knowledge and wisdom i managed to get a quailified engineer 200 yo yo,s incl vat nit bad considering most people were quoting between 300-350 euros done in a day and cert produced

sydthebeat

fogibear wrote: »

thanks guys for your knowledge and wisdom i managed to get a quailified engineer 200 yo yo,s incl vat nit bad considering most people were quoting between 300-350 euros done in a day and cert produced

thats a good price...

he did charge 21.5% vat.... didnt he !!!!..??

fogibear

all inclusive ..... deals are out there at the moment for everything and anything

fogibear

oh yea most importantly i got a rating of a b3 ..... better than my leaving cert

topcatcbr

Sounds good to me

muffler

fogibear wrote: »

oh yea most importantly i got a rating of a b3 ..... better than my leaving cert

Some would say that applies to a lot of the assessors

sydthebeat

fogibear wrote: »

oh yea most importantly i got a rating of a b3 ..... better than my leaving cert

thats a good rating..

its a mid terrace, so im guess it newly built, gas boiler, no chimneys, ope front gas fire, room stats.....

sinnerboy

muffler wrote: »

Some would say that applies to a lot of the assessors

Hey ! I resemble taht rimark

Hawk Wing

I do them for 75 all in, just landed 150 units, there are too many of them around Limerick, its dog eat dog at this stage

topcatcbr

Hawk Wing wrote: »

I do them for 75 all in, just landed 150 units, there are too many of them around Limerick, its dog eat dog at this stage

How can you afford to do this. €75 less €30.25 SEI fee leaves you at €44.75 per cert. and assuming it takes you between 2 and 4 hrs per cert travel to and from job. Pay for your insurance (assuming you have some), net connection, phone etc .

Im delighted you posted this becausi i was looking forward to hearing how someone charging this was making money.

Can you let me know. Thanks.:)

Hawk Wing

topcatcbr wrote: »

How can you afford to do this. €75 less €30.25 SEI fee leaves you at €44.75 per cert. and assuming it takes you between 2 and 4 hrs per cert travel to and from job. Pay for your insurance (assuming you have some), net connection, phone etc .

Im delighted you posted this becausi i was looking forward to hearing how someone charging this was making money.

Can you let me know. Thanks.:)

Three developments, all the same units basically, a weeks work at most, whayey! I'd charge 100 normally of course, developer wants to get them all out of the way as he is going renting them out (hopefully for him)

clint_eastman

i think €75 per unit is ok in this case as its a large development, but there's no way in hell that you could charge that for 1 off houses and expect to make money.... open to correction of course!

Hawk Wing

clint_eastman wrote: »

i think €75 per unit is ok in this case as its a large development, but there's no way in hell that you could charge that for 1 off houses and expect to make money.... open to correction of course!

This whole thing is a joke in fairness! I only work in a chipper and passed the chevron course for new build and existing! (i done cad in college though) in a week! any clown could manage it! make rain while it pours! i can't see it lasting for long though..i can only see 2-3 months in it at best..

sydthebeat

Hawk Wing wrote: »

This whole thing is a joke in fairness! I only work in a chipper and passed the chevron course for new build and existing! (i done cad in college though) in a week! any clown could manage it! make rain while it pours! i can't see it lasting for long though..i can only see 2-3 months in it at best..

.."yer 'avin a laugh...."

Hawk Wing

sydthebeat wrote: »

.."yer 'avin a laugh...."

no, working for PH McCarthy for a few years years, now doing this and a few other things, it is not exactly brain surgery is it? any simpleton with a cert as a architectural technician or something could swing it

Quazzie

Hawk Wing wrote: »

no, working for PH McCarthy for a few years years, now doing this and a few other things, it is not exactly brain surgery is it? any simpleton with a cert as a architectural technician or something could swing it

TROLL!!!

muffler

I've seen enough. Hawk Wing has just been muffled.

ben bedlam

Aparently posters here who encourage people to shop around for the cheapest, best value BER will be reprimanded or banned for some reason.

Quazzie

ben bedlam wrote: »

Aparently posters here who encourage people to shop around for the cheapest, best value BER will be reprimanded or banned for some reason.

I think it was more about the way he represented his views in a way that would seem to be enticing a hostile response. This is called trolling and is against most charters on boards and indeed most other online forums.

EDIT: The feedback forum is the proper place for such discussions.

muffler

ben bedlam wrote: »

Aparently posters here who encourage people to shop around for the cheapest, best value BER will be reprimanded or banned for some reason.

If you have a complaint you can either PM one of the mods or post a thread in either the feedback or help desk forums but do not question any moderator or his decisions on thread.

jimmysull

Does anyone know if the expiry date of the qualification is an important factor in choosing a BER assessor?
SEI and the BEr directory both state the expiry date.
Should I only choose one with loads of time left as they have recently been certified? or is it just that they need to "renew" (as opposed to requalify) every year?

sinnerboy

jimmysull wrote: »

Does anyone know if the expiry date of the qualification is an important factor in choosing a BER assessor?
SEI and the BEr directory both state the expiry date.
Should I only choose one with loads of time left as they have recently been certified? or is it just that they need to "renew" (as opposed to requalify) every year?

Assessors have to pay an annual fee to stay on the register . The expiry date only tells you when they have to pay their next fee to SEI to remain on the register. That's all

If you see an expiry date of Jan 2010 - that could be Assessors 2nd year on the register it could mean he is brand new to BER - you can't tell

The Assessors "qualification" does not expire

No6

sinnerboy wrote: »

The Assessors "qualification" does not expire

Alltough as the SEI national Exam for assessors hasn't been rolled out are any of us truly qualified and what happens to those who fail the exam, will they be able to go back to hairdressing or whatever !!!

Green_Man

Like choosing any service always check around for price and expertise, for the BER assessor if they have expired on SEI register they will not be able to get a BER certificate for you property.
Personally I think it is more important for the advisory report to be accurate and to understand the best changes you should make to gain on energy efficiency and cost of changes.

dunie001

what happens to those who fail the exam, will they be able to go back to hairdressing or whatever !!!

Assessors can keep repeating the exam until they pass...mind you though if anyone could fail that exam the first time then maybe they shouldn't have become assessors in the first place!

A multiple choice and open book exam is probably what the exam will be...so how could anyone fail that!