Stage 5
Your retrofit works are coming to an end. But there’s still one final phase to complete and it’s centred around a simple question: have you achieved your aims?
Go back to your Retrofit Project Brief and look at your goals. What motivated you to get this work done in the first place? The answer should underpin your evaluation.
If your priority was to improve comfort or health, has it worked? Compare temperature and humidity readings now to the baseline figures you took before work began.
Numbers aside, how does your home make you feel? Is it cosy and warm? Are your rooms welcoming and well-used? Is your property more attractive? Are people breathing more easily and sneezing less?
Maybe your goal was to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions. Check your energy usage and fuel bills – have they gone down? By how much? How does that drop make you feel?
This stage of your retrofit journey is all about measuring impact. But it’s also about ensuring a smooth handover from your contractor. As the householder you need to understand how to operate and maintain your retrofit improvements going forward.
‘Handing over’ from contractor to client can be a rushed process. Builders are glad the job is done, and they’ve been paid (minus any retention). Householders are relieved the disruption is finally over and they have their house back. As a result, the time that contractors spend briefing their clients on warranties for different kit or on how to operate and look after systems can be minimal.
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Tips from Helen Grimshaw, People Powered Retrofit’s retrofit evaluation expert. She works with householders to look at the impact of retrofit on their homes and their lives. Here she explains why this stage of process is so important.
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We can help you get the monitoring, handover and aftercare of your retrofit project just right so you can ensure the sustainability of your measures.
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