Green Deal Cash-Back Scheme | Free Home Improvements

Cash Back for Home Improvements

A Green Deal cash back scheme will be launched in early 2013. It will reward households that take early action to improve the energy efficiency of their property through the Green Deal, with direct cash rewards from the Government. A first-come, first-served offer is available to householders who can claim cashback from Government on energy saving improvements such as loft, cavity wall insulation, front doors, double glazed windows and energy efficient boilers. Packages could be worth over £1000 - the more you do, the more you get. It is available from 28 January 2013 for households in England and Wales. Community groups will be able to register with the scheme, enabling customers to donate their cash-back to the group or charity of their choice. This money can then be used to support other projects that will benefit the community.

Cashback is a limited offer while funds last. The Cashback is open to any householder making energy saving improvements under the Green Deal, after 28th January 2013. This includes owner-occupiers, those renting privately or in social housing. Landlords, both private and social, are also eligible where they pay installation costs, up to certain limits. In all cases, Cashback will be capped at 50% of the householder’s contribution to costs.

Insulated external doors are just one energy saving benefit when applying for the green deal plan as part of your home improvement.

Here are some of the energy saving measures available with a cash back grant in £

Loft insulation (incl.top up) £100

Cavity Wall insulation £250

Solid Wall Insulation £650

Flat roof insulation £390

Room in roof insulation £220

Floor Insulation £150

Hot water cylinder insulation (top up) £10

Draught Proofing £50

Heating controls (roomstat and/or programmer & time/temperature zone controls) £70

Condensing oil boiler from non-condensing oil heating or other £310

Energy Efficient Gas Boilers Upgrade boiler to condensing gas boiler from non-condensing boiler or other. £270

Flue Gas heat recovery (condensing combi boiler) only alongside replacement boiler £90

New or replacement storage heaters £150

Replacement warm-air unit £60

Waste water heat recovery systems £60

Double Glazing Double/Triple Glazing (old single to A) £20 per m2 up to a maximum of £320

Secondary glazing £15 per m2 up to a maximum of £230

Insulated Doors High performance replacement doors £40

Some terms and conditions apply. Check with your local green deal provider for advice.Householders will need to apply for a voucher which they use to claim the Cashback when work is completed.
To qualify for the Cashback householders must:

have a Green Deal assessment carried out on the property

get and agree quotes from a Green Deal Provider (this could be directly with a national brand or through a local tradesperson linked with a Provider)

apply for Cashback voucher online or by phone. To make things easier some Providers will be able to apply on behalf of their customers

receive voucher confirming the Cashback

complete works within specified period

redeem voucher, along with evidence of works completed, for Cashback.

Householders can fund improvements through a Green Deal Plan, or however they wish, and get the Cashback but they must use a Green Deal Provider to arrange the work. The more improvements a householder makes, the bigger the Cashback. The homeowner must use an authorised green deal installer to benefit from these energy saving measures for the home.

Media and Press Releases

Green Deal Marketing and Strategy http://uk.prweb.com/releases/2013/1/prweb10365407.htm

UK Biodiesel sales and trends http://uk.prweb.com/releases/2013/2/prweb10463144.htm

Forums

Energy assessment of domestic and commercial buildings forum http://energyassessorsforums.co.uk/ 

Green Deal May Be Hard To Sell To The Public

The UK Government's flagship initiative known as the Green Deal was rolled out with a low profile reception this month, and as expected the press and media didn't pay much attention to the announcement either. Some newspapers featured small columns about the plan so once again the public remains in the dark about what it is all about. Scouring the DECC website for a  news press release revealed little, so it was left to the great British press to print some downbeat comments about the scheme.

Marketing strategy will be key if Britain's homeowners are to take on the green deal plan

A similar event happened in 2007 when the then Labour Government launched the Energy Performance Certificate; once again this was quietly launched on an unsuspecting public. As regards the green deal, after years of wrangling and thrashing out the details we are left with all the cards being held by the "big six" energy companies. It looks like the small independent traders will have a tough time competing against the corporate might of the energy giants. Raising public awareness of the plan is key to its success and it will have to be marketed successfully to avoid public suspicion about the Green Deal. Back in the day, Home Information Packs got a hot reception from homeowners who had to pay out to put their home on the market. As usual the press prints out plenty of negative views regarding the plan, however there's no escaping the fact that this initiative will create thousands of much needed jobs around the UK.

Early predictions suggest that installing energy efficiency measures into around 20 million homes will be a 10-year plan, however, in reality this may be an underestimate. With so much at stake let’s hope that the Government ramps up the marketing strategy in the short term. We suspect that if you stopped people in the street today and asked them "Do You Know Anything About The Green Deal Scheme" 9 out of 10 would respond with "No I Don't - What is it?". The press, TV and other media could help things along by at least featuring a positive news story periodically to inform the masses that something is happening. They could pose the question to members of the public such as "Are you worried about your energy bills going up every year?" now I think everyone knows the answer to that one. You can get more Green Deal News at www.greendealadvisersuk.com

How To Become A Green Deal Provider

Under the scheme a provider is the counter-signatory to the Green Deal Plan and provides both finance and for arranging the energy efficiency works for the household.

As providers they will be able to carry out assessment of homes and the supply of materials including  installation using their own employees, or instruct sub-contractors to do the work. If your planning on being a green deal provider you must first gain accreditation, this also applies to installation contractors.

What does a Green Deal Provider do?

They are responsible for the supply of the Green Deal Plan to consumers, the plan is based upon  recommendations from an accredited energy assessor. The plan stipulates the financial terms of the agreement with the householder and includes measures of consumer protection including warranties to cover the work and the installation of materials and equipment.

The provider will arrange for the energy efficiency work to be undertaken, this must be done using an approved installer, the provider will also handle any complaints regarding installation, workmanship and will offer advice on resolution of such matters. More information is available about the Green Deal Registration, and the launch of the Green Deal Provider authorisation process on the GD ORB website. Find out more about the Green Deal www.greendealadvisersuk.com

How To Get Free Double Glazing With The Green Deal

There are various options available to home owners, landlords and tenants under the Governments green deal scheme. One such grant under the plan is free double glazing, however there is a catch.

A large proportion of Britain's housing stock has single glazing fitted, as a result the energy performance rating of the home would be lower than houses fitted with "A" rated double glazed windows which have better thermal performance and keep your home warmer on cold winter days and nights.

The good news is that under the scheme if you meet the "golden rule" eligibility criteria set out by the Government (the rules are explained by your local green deal advisor) then you can have new UPVC double glazing fitted as a replacement.

Ensure you get a recommended installer

 Having double or secondary glazing can help you reduce your energy bills, cut carbon emissions and save you money. Most installers will conduct an initial survey of your home and on delivery most homes can have a complete installation carried out in a couple of days. Thereafter you can reap the benefits of staying warmer in winter and the extra piece of mind that your heating bills will also be cut.

So what's the catch - well unlike the other home improvement options available through the plan in the case of Double Glazing the property owner will have to pay a proportion of the cost of the supply and installation for this upgrade. The final amount that you would have to pay has not been decided as yet, however it will be substantially less than buying double glazed windows outright. If your interested in improving the energy efficiency of your home then find out more about Home Improvements.

For more information about the Green Deal www.greendealadvisersuk.com

Energy Saving Central Heating Improvements - Green Deal

There are many types of appliances on the market today that can make your home more energy efficient and can help you save money on your fuel bills. Many homes are still fitted with old style back boilers, which usually have an integral gas fire, this in turn heats domestic hot water and supplies a cylinder to store the hot water.

This type of installation can be quite inefficient as a large quantity of water is stored but in some instances may never be used. In addition, the boiler itself is quite inefficient with a rating of around 60 per cent. Condensing modern combi-boilers by comparison are 90 per cent efficient as they only heat the water on demand so there is no need to store it for use later. The design features a heat recovery system, which extracts heat from the waste gas flue and reuses this energy to supplement the heating of the central heating system. As a replacement they can provide significant benefits over an older conventional boiler, for example, it is less likely that repairs are required, an with improved reliability you wont have to call a gas engineer to attend to breakdowns in the winter.

They also require less maintenance than older models and use less fuel so you can save all round. Spares are also becoming more difficult to obtain for older models. If you are looking for a significant home improvement then the good news is that there are a range of models available that can meet your particular needs, in rural areas and remote locations there is no mains gas supply. However an eco-friendly biomass boiler which uses wood based fuel from sustainable sources can be fitted in your home with the added simplicity that many appliances now have automatic wood pellet feeds saving you time from manually charging the boiler, fireplace or stove. LPG and Oil boilers are also available, which perform just as well as natural gas models.

Further information and to find out more about energy saving Home Improvements and local installers for LPG, Oil and Gas Boilers UK or an introduction on how to get a grant under the Green Deal scheme for Boiler Installers www.greendealadvisersuk.com

All of these appliances look and operate in a similar way to your conventional boiler. If you do opt for replacing your boiler ensure you get a Gas Safe fitter or qualified plumber to carry out the work, you will also get a guarantee of good workmanship and recourse if something go wrong. For biomass installations it is best to call MCS certified tradesmen for this type of installation. You may qualify for a grant under the green deal scheme if the eligibility criteria are met.

Specialists are available in your local area

Green Deal Advisors