Frequently Asked Questions

Retrofitting focuses specifically on improving a property’s energy efficiency, while renovating generally involves any type of home improvement, including aesthetic changes.

Costs vary widely based on the upgrades chosen, the size of your property, and your location. A HEA (Home Energy Assessment) provides estimates to help you access grants to reduce costs. These are delivered by Registered One Stop Shops.  A Desk base HEA is also avaiable from some BER Assessors.

A Free Energy Upgrade costs nothing, a shallow retrofit can cost from hundreds to the low tens of thousands depending on how far you go.

Shallow retrofits can be as little as a few thousand if your heating system & controls do not need to be changed. Insulation payback can be as short as 1-2 years.

Deep retrofits typically start at just under €30,000 (although there are low-cost exceptions), and a quarter of them cost more than €75,000.

The timeline depends on the scope of work and the grant type. Simple upgrades like insulation might take just a few weeks between application, work and BER, while a comprehensive retrofit could take several months.

Most homes can be retrofitted, though certain properties, like historic buildings, may require specialised approaches or permissions to maintain their character.

Some upgrades, such as installing insulation or replacing windows, may cause minor disruptions. Our team can work with you to plan the retrofit around your schedule and minimise any inconvenience.

Many grants cover specific upgrades, such as insulation or renewable energy systems. This Website can help you explore which grants apply to your home’s needs.

It’s impossible to give an exact answer to this as it depends on many different variables, including home energy upgrade measures taken, building age and fabric, number of occupants, and how much time is spent in the home.

However, you’ll find some handy figures on the difference in house running costs based on BER ratings in SEAI’s Guide to Building Energy Rating for Homeowners here.

There are many different home energy upgrade options to consider, and a variety of grants and funding support available. Retrofit plans are always designed in accordance with your budget and needs in mind.

It’s also important to take into account that over time, your retrofit will pay for itself and start saving you money. Payback, even with loans can be quite short depending on the measures undertaken. Even with longer payback, you may consider the benefits of improved comfort, health and quality of life to be worthwhile.

One concern that we often find is that homeowners are worried about rising electricity bills. However, this needs to be taken into account with the fact that other energy bills are either entirely removed or significantly reduced.

In some cases, mortgage owners also find that their mortgage rates are improved after undergoing a home energy upgrade.  For householders interested in a deeper retrofit using a One Stop Shop, there is a low interest loan avaiable (details here). Credit Unions and Banks have some low interest loans available for Retrofit. Check with your lending provider.

Retrofitting really is an investment in your property's future.

We understand that change can be challenging, even if it’s for the better. However, there are great home energy upgrade options to consider, even when switching from an open fire. For example, many retrofitters enjoy replacing an open fire with a welcoming stove.

For the One Stop Shop Grant, to reach the building performance target, it may be necessary to include some renewable technology (e.g. Solar PV).

You do not need renewable energy when doing an Individual Grant but you may decide that it is desirable.

When considering a Heat Pump, you must first undergo a Technical Assessment for a Heat Pump which costs more than a BER and ideally a Home Energy Assessment which costs a bit more again. To run a Heat Pump, ideally, you need the Heat Loss of the Building to be below a certain threshold (Heat Loss Indicator Score of < 2).  This is a score linked to your BER.  More recently, SEAI has relaxed the requirement for Heat Pump bonuses out to < 2.3, however, the lower this score, the cheaper your Heat Pump will be to run.  

It’s natural to feel uncertain when considering new technologies for something as personal and long-lasting as a home upgrade. However, incorporating new tech in your home retrofit can provide significant benefits, including increased energy efficiency, reduced utility costs, and improved comfort and safety.

Modern technology is often designed with user-friendliness in mind. Many smart devices are now easy to control from your smartphone or tablet, and they’re intuitive even if you’re not particularly tech-savvy. In fact, these devices can simplify everyday tasks, like adjusting temperatures and monitoring energy use.

Retrofitting helps to improve a property’s energy efficiency, through the addition of new technology or features, saving you money in running costs and reducing environmental impact.

There are multiple quality-of-life benefits including improved health, cheaper bills (sometimes substantially so), greater comfort, future-proofing your home (from high energy prices) and helping the environment.

In addition to reducing your bills (via insulation, improved ventilation, better heating systems and controls), how you heat your home can significantly contribute to your environmental footprint, e.g. using a heat pump emits no local emissions, and if powered from renewable sources, can avoid fossil fuel pollution and its associated greenhouse gas emissions.

To learn more about how different BER-rated houses affect the environment, check out SEAI’s Guide to Building Energy Rating for Homeowners here.

Most homes are suitable for a retrofit. Some householders have already completed a lot of work to improve their energy usage, but some of these homes are still suitable to make further improvements

There may be some buildings where architectural regulations prevent retrofit from taking place. .