External insulation

hi i was wondering can someone please explain to me how the grant works for external insulation do i have to hire someone to do a ber ratign then get thr insulation work done then pay the guy then apply for my grant? many thanks

dory

I just got a guy over to give a quote and he told me all about it. Just call up anyone who specializes in it, they'll have gone through the process many times before.

Victor

Realise that you may need planning permission if using external insulation, which the suppliers may not be so quick to point out.

the_syco

Victor wrote: »

Realise that you may need planning permission if using external insulation, which the suppliers may not be so quick to point out.

Can you provide any links to back that up? Have looked into it, and it seems very grey area, as it doesn't change the look of the house for the most part.

Victor

It may change the appearance, setting and footprint of the building.

Ray Palmer

I have had it done on more than one property and in Dublin I was assured I did not need planning permission. That was by the Dublin City Council and 3 different companies I used. Essentially it is considered like re-plastering your house assuming you don't choose to put crazy paving on it which does require planning permission.. While it does bulk out the house it wouldn't really be considered increasing the foot print.

The way it is worked out on the grant system was meant to changed. It used to be a flat rate and according to the website it seems to be the same. They are guys who administrate it so they are the ones to trust.
http://www.seai.ie/Grants/Better_energy_homes/homeowner/What_Grants_Are_Available/

On one property I was able to avial of 3 full 4k grants as each flat was a different residency. So it cost less than my own home and is twice the size. LL were crazy not to avail of it and if it is the same they should do it now before it does change.

The comfort change it has made to my own home is amazing. You won't regret it but it isn't cheap.

Fol20

Ray Palmer wrote: »

I have had it done on more than one property and in Dublin I was assured I did not need planning permission. That was by the Dublin City Council and 3 different companies I used. Essentially it is considered like re-plastering your house assuming you don't choose to put crazy paving on it which does require planning permission.. While it does bulk out the house it wouldn't really be considered increasing the foot print.

The way it is worked out on the grant system was meant to changed. It used to be a flat rate and according to the website it seems to be the same. They are guys who administrate it so they are the ones to trust.
http://www.seai.ie/Grants/Better_energy_homes/homeowner/What_Grants_Are_Available/

On one property I was able to avial of 3 full 4k grants as each flat was a different residency. So it cost less than my own home and is twice the size. LL were crazy not to avail of it and if it is the same they should do it now before it does change.

The comfort change it has made to my own home is amazing. You won't regret it but it isn't cheap.

If you are a landlord, and you do not live in the house,can you apply for these grants.

Are you meant to apply before or after the work is done?

Ray Palmer

Fol20 wrote: »

If you are a landlord, and you do not live in the house,can you apply for these grants.

Are you meant to apply before or after the work is done?

Yes you can apply as LL and you do have to apply before hand no matter who you are. Residency is not required for the grant only ownership. If the property is broken into more than one unit once they each have a seperate meter gas, elctricity etc.. they are considered seperate households therfore you can get seperate grants.

It actuallymakes it worth while to split a property if you can for the right price.

D3PO

Ray Palmer wrote: »

Yes you can apply as LL and you do have to apply before hand no matter who you are. Residency is not required for the grant only ownership. If the property is broken into more than one unit once they each have a seperate meter gas, elctricity etc.. they are considered seperate households therfore you can get seperate grants.

It actuallymakes it worth while to split a property if you can for the right price.

That doesnt make sense to me. If its true its another example of how this countries government cannot manage its finances at all.

Fol20

D3PO wrote: »

That doesnt make sense to me. If its true its another example of how this countries government cannot manage its finances at all.

It actually does make sense..if you split a house into 2 seperate entities, you can apply for seperate grants for the 2

Ray Palmer

D3PO wrote: »

That doesnt make sense to me. If its true its another example of how this countries government cannot manage its finances at all.

THe grant is based on households, seperate meters basically breaks it down as seperate households. Low and behold one property can be two households. It can actually mean if a house is a number of bedsits you could get quite a few grants. As bedsits need to be changed by the end of the year it could be very handy.

D3PO

Fol20 wrote: »

It actually does make sense..if you split a house into 2 seperate entities, you can apply for seperate grants for the 2

I get that but that still doesnt make sense from a practical perspective. I see how the loophole works but its still a stupid one for the government to allow exist.

D3PO

Ray Palmer wrote: »

THe grant is based on households, seperate meters basically breaks it down as seperate households. Low and behold one property can be two households. It can actually mean if a house is a number of bedsits you could get quite a few grants. As bedsits need to be changed by the end of the year it could be very handy.

yes I understand the application of it but this is clearly a loophole and not as intended. I dont blame anybody for availaing of it. But my point is its rediculous that this kind of loophole could exist. Seriously we are being run by a bunch of bufoons who wouldnt last a week in employment in the private sector.

If you put them on the apprentice and they would make Breffni seem like Donald Trump

Ray Palmer

D3PO wrote: »

yes I understand the application of it but this is clearly a loophole and not as intended. I dont blame anybody for availaing of it. But my point is its rediculous that this kind of loophole could exist. Seriously we are being run by a bunch of bufoons who wouldnt last a week in employment in the private sector.

If you put them on the apprentice and they would make Breffni seem like Donald Trump

As with most things it is how it measured. Effectively it looks good on a report that so many households have improved efficency. I am pretty sure it links into some eurostats. Accountants are the biggest

The new system that was meant to come in was to be based on the actual savings made to the household rather than a flat rate.

Victor

D3PO wrote: »

That doesnt make sense to me. If its true its another example of how this countries government cannot manage its finances at all.

Not quite. If you take a large Georgian building broken into 3-4 flats, those flats may be of comparable size to some small houses. The original building may have had no insulation.

Also, energy consuption tends to be proportionate to number of households, not population, - one fridge, one cooker, one TV.

D3PO

Victor wrote: »

Not quite. If you take a large Georgian building broken into 3-4 flats, those flats may be of comparable size to some small houses. The original building may have had no insulation.

Also, energy consuption tends to be proportionate to number of households, not population, - one fridge, one cooker, one TV.

what has energy consumption got to do with anything ?

as for being broken up so what. Are you trying to suggest its credible that if somebody was to go with insulation they would do a partial job if they didnt get a grant for each flat ?

Thats unrealistic

Victor

D3PO wrote: »

what has energy consumption got to do with anything ?

Why do you think people are insulating? To cut down on energy consumption, per chance?

D3PO

Victor wrote: »

Why do you think people are insulating? To cut down on energy consumption, per chance?

energy consumption yes in terms of heating. But you mention fridges etc.

Tigger

Victor wrote: »

Also, energy consuption tends to be proportionate to number of households, not population, - one fridge, one cooker, one TV.

how does this effect how much it costs (euros or energy) to heat it
its simply a pro landlord loophole like many fina fail leftover disgraces

Ray Palmer

Tigger wrote: »

how does this effect how much it costs (euros or energy) to heat it
its simply a pro landlord loophole like many fina fail leftover disgraces

Not really it helps individuals who live in older buildings that have been broken into seperate units. It also allows older appartments avail of the offer.

Ultimately the tenant is better of by having better quality places to stay which is part of the idea of the BER in the first place. Improve all the rented property in Ireland is not a bad idea. The LL doesn't really benifit directly off the scheme as they could just leave the property as is.

Tigger

Ray Palmer wrote: »

Not really it helps individuals who live in older buildings that have been broken into seperate units. It also allows older appartments avail of the offer.

Ultimately the tenant is better of by having better quality places to stay which is part of the idea of the BER in the first place. Improve all the rented property in Ireland is not a bad idea. The LL doesn't really benifit directly off the scheme as they could just leave the property as is.

the land lord ends up with a better property!

Ray Palmer

Tigger wrote: »

the land lord ends up with a better property!

To realise it they would have to sell so it isn't a direct benifit. It directly benifts the tenant in saving and comfort.

Considering people are complaining about quality of rented places I think it is a good thing. Even without it LL can claim the tax back as an expense.

LL could simply not spend any money and it still costs money

tara73

Ray Palmer wrote: »

To realise it they would have to sell so it isn't a direct benifit. It directly benifts the tenant in saving and comfort.

??

the tenant benefits in saving and comfort as you correctly say, so the LL would raise the rent as the living condition has improved and the heating costs have reduced.
so the LL benefits, and should, otherwise the whole scheme, as you mentioned, makes no sense as nobody would insulate:)

Ray Palmer

tara73 wrote: »

??

the tenant benefits in saving and comfort as you correctly say, so the LL would raise the rent as the living condition has improved and the heating costs have reduced.
so the LL benefits, and should, otherwise the whole scheme, as you mentioned, makes no sense as nobody would insulate:)

If they increase the rent which I didn't.

antiskeptic

Ray Palmer wrote:

On one property I was able to avail of 3 full 4k grants as each flat was a different residency. So it cost less than my own home and is twice the size. LL were crazy not to avail of it and if it is the same they should do it now before it does change.

Given that the presence of additional electricity meters constitutes additional households in a single premises and given the fact I'm looking a a large-ish old property in need of a fair bit of external insulation:

- how much does it cost to get an electricity meter installed?

- will they give me any money back for the meters when I take them back out right after getting a shed load of "full 4k grants"?

Ray Palmer

antiskeptic wrote: »

Given that the presence of additional electricity meters constitutes additional households in a single premises and given the fact I'm looking a a large-ish old property in need of a fair bit of external insulation:

- how much does it cost to get an electricity meter installed?

- will they give me any money back for the meters when I take them back out right after getting a shed load of "full 4k grants"?

I do know that a household is consiting of somewhere to cook under other guidelines. For some reason the seprate metre is what they used to qualify them on application. They might notice the meters are newly installed but who knows. They have to decide somehow and all I had to do was provide metre numbers. The fact they were seperate residents for over 20 years is probably shown somwhere else.

I know new metre installation is about €300 and it is mostly labour costs and similar to get them removed.

Every system can be cheated and every cheat can be discovered. Some loopholes stay so go figure. Ring them and ask.