Frequently Asked Questions

You need a valid Energy Performance Certificate whenever you:

• sell a home: the EPC must be in place before the property is marketed, so buyers can see its energy rating
• let a home: landlords must give each new tenant a copy, and privately rented homes must also meet minimum energy efficiency standards
• complete a new-build or conversion: an on-construction EPC is required at completion (see our SAP & On-Construction EPCs service)

An EPC is valid for 10 years, so you may already have one. You can check on the government EPC register. A few buildings are exempt. If you're unsure, ask us.

Floor plans aren't a legal requirement for most sales and lettings, but they're expected by buyers and tenants and are strongly recommended whenever you:

• market a property for sale or to let: listings with a floor plan attract more interest and better-qualified viewings, with less back-and-forth
• apply for an HMO licence: many councils ask for a floor plan with the application
• plan improvements: an accurate plan helps when discussing extensions, renovations or a retrofit

If you need an EPC too, we can do both in one visit.

Typically around 60 minutes. Times can vary depending on the size of the property and whether we're also measuring up for a floor plan.

We walk through the property measuring each room and recording the details that affect its energy rating: the construction and insulation of the walls, floor and roof, windows, the heating system and controls, hot water and lighting. We take photos as evidence for the certificate.

You don't have to be there yourself, as long as someone can let us in and we can get into every room, such as a tenant, family member or your agent.

• Clear access to the loft hatch, boiler or hot water cylinder, and the gas and electricity meters
• Gather any paperwork for non-original extensions, cavity wall insulation, replacement windows, solar panels, etc.

Paperwork matters: if we can't see something, evidence lets us credit it rather than assume a default, which can improve your rating.

Our typical turnaround for both is 48 hours from the visit. Floor plans are usually supplied as a JPG, ready to use in your listing. Once your EPC is lodged on the government register, it's valid for 10 years.

Yes. Booking both together means one appointment and a faster route to market.

Common improvements include:

• loft, cavity wall or solid wall insulation
• better heating controls, such as a programmer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves
• a more efficient boiler or a heat pump
• high-performance or secondary glazing
• low-energy lighting throughout
• solar PV (see our Solar PV Feasibility Study)

Every EPC includes recommendations for your property. For a whole-house plan that puts them in the right order and avoids problems like damp, see our Energy Retrofit Plans.

Get in touch and we'll go through how the rating was reached. If you can provide evidence of something we couldn't see on the day, such as insulation certificates, we'll review it and update the EPC where it changes the result. If you're still not satisfied, you can raise a complaint with our accreditation scheme.

In England and Wales, privately rented homes must currently have an EPC rating of at least E, unless a valid exemption is registered. The government plans to raise this minimum to C by 2030.

If your property is close to the line, get in touch and we can advise on the most cost-effective improvements.

An EPC rates your home's current energy efficiency. An Energy Retrofit Plan goes further: a whole-house, step-by-step plan for which improvements to make, in what order, and how to avoid problems like condensation, damp and mould.

Usually not. SAP calculations, fabric specifications, psi-values and hygrothermal analysis are desktop services carried out from your drawings and specifications, which is why we can offer them UK-wide.

The one exception is the final as-built EPC for SAP work, which requires a site visit. For properties outside Cumbria, this will have to be arranged with a local surveyor.

Yes. We're accredited as a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) and On-Construction Domestic Energy Assessor (OCDEA) through Elmhurst Energy, a government-approved accreditation scheme, and carry professional indemnity insurance. We're also Enhanced DBS checked.

You can check any assessor's accreditation on the government EPC register.

We carry out on-site surveys in and around Carlisle, and across wider Cumbria by arrangement. Desktop services such as SAP calculations, fabric specifications, psi-values and hygrothermal analysis are available UK-wide.