How long does an EPC assessment take?

You’ll need to get an Energy Performance Certificate if you’re renting out a property, selling it, or even if you’ve constructed a home from the ground up (EPC). An accredited Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) issues this certificate, which rates the energy efficiency of your home. Before the property is put on the market, EPCs must be ordered. 

The length of the EPC survey is influenced by the size of the property. However, our residential energy assessor will normally spend an hour or two in your home inspecting its various rooms.

You won’t be required to move anything or be present because the residential energy assessment is a non-intrusive examination at your home.

Which aspects of the Survey will the EPC Assessor Consider?

They will sketch out a basic floor layout showing the property’s total floor space. After completing this, they will go around each room and record all pertinent information, including:

• The front of the property: Please attempt to locate the certificate or guarantee pertaining to the insulation and present it to the assessor at the time of the assessment if the cavity of the exterior walls has been insulated and subsequently rendered over, or re-pointed.
• Age and type of property.
• Construction materials: If you can, attempt to show the assessor part of the insulation that was installed during a renovation of the home. Alternatively, you may give the assessor formal evidence of the work done at the time of the assessment.
• Thickness of walls.
• Heating controls and systems.
• Details of hot water cylinder.
• Floor construction.
• Type of window glazing.
• Lighting: If your low-energy light bulbs are hidden by coverings, think about taking some of the coverings off so that photos may be taken.
• The rear of the property: If it has been expanded or the loft has been converted, attempt to determine when the work was done and acquire the Building Control Completion Statement (this is particularly important regarding loft conversions). The assessor is obliged to input the date as the house’s original construction date if a completion statement for a loft conversion is not available. In this case, the EPC software will apply the insulation levels in line with the building rules in effect at that time.
• The loft: If the loft is mostly boarded and there is insulation behind the boards, you might want to remove part of the boards so the assessor can take measurements.
• Electric and gas metres.

What To Prepare Before The EPC Assessor Arrives?

• Every room in the house must be accessible to our assessor. This comprises (where appropriate) the loft hatch, the attic space, additions, conservatories, and the electric and gas metres. Please establish a route to the assessor if these rooms are not accessible.  
• You should complete any house upgrades you have in the works before scheduling the survey. The assessor examines the home’s effectiveness at the time of the survey. They are not allowed to contain upgrades that are not currently in place.
• Only energy-efficiency measures that are visible to them or that can be verified may be included by our assessors. Therefore, if you’ve had cavity or underfloor insulation put, have any supporting documents close to hand for the assessor to go at. If a registered fitter installed your windows, please bring the FENSA certificate with you on the day of the inspection. This will prevent them from inferring anything about you based on the age of your home.

WHAT SHOULD I AIM FOR IN AN EPC ASSESSMENT?

An EPC evaluation takes 1 average-sized property around an hour to complete. The Domestic Energy Assessor will consider elements including the age, kind, and size of the property, the heat sources, the windows, and the lighting fixtures.

The Domestic Energy Assessor must inspect each room, ideally including any loft spaces. There is no need to offer access within walls or beneath flooring because the evaluation procedure is meant to be non-intrusive.