SEAI Alternatives - saving money by not apply for grants

purplefields

We are in the middle of a large extension and renovation. When we started the project we intended applying for grants for External Wall Insulation and a heat pump. We have already put in airtightness, underfloor heating pipes and a mechanical heat recovery system.

However, the heat pump is eye wateringly expensive, so we'll probably stick to oil. I doubt we'll use much of it anyway.

For the external wall insulation, we got lots of quotes all for pretty much the same price of about €30k. It's almost like a cartel. If we do not go down the SEAI route and just buy the stuff ourselves and hire a contractor, it looks like we could save the guts of €10k.

It does not sound right that it's cheaper not to get the grant, but as the grant is a fixed amount, the larger the area you have to cover the less it makes sense to apply. No paperwork is also a huge benefit.

Has anyone done this before? Is there anything I should be watching out for? - for example will it all be okay for BER certification?

Buffman

Almost everything will be cheaper without involving SEAI grants and arranging it yourselves, with the obvious exception of the 'free' schemes for those lucky enough to qualify for them.

I've done it plenty of times with EV chargers and Solar installs with substantial savings, there is no rule that says SEAI have to be involved on the customer side to get BER a rating.

kabakuyu

I did 2 solar installs,1 with grant,1 without,non grant works was approx 35% cheaper.

purplefields

Thanks for the replies!

I'll go ahead with the less expensive option. It seems the Government is making it harder for people to upgrade their homes with their SEAI 'grants'

Paul Kiernan

I wouldn't be too hasty in ruling out a self-installed (non SEAI grant!) heat pump as your heating setup is ideal for it. A basic (heating only, no DHW) heat pump can be got for 2-3k and could reduce your heating costs by 1k per annum or more.

I have gas combi boiler with UFH and am planning on adding a heat pump so that i use the gas for DHW and pre-warming the heat pump and then use the heat pump to keep the UFH going!

graememk

With the ber, as long as you can prove whats on the wall/in the wall is what the ber accessor needs

Ideally an invoice and a spec sheet, maybe some photos too.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122655672#Comment_122655672

You'd get the best efficiency from the HP to run it from cold and use the gas to boost the temperature, rather than do initial heat with gas , unless the HP can't get the ufh up to temperature. (But that's only gonna be likely on the really cold days)