Has anyone got experience of this 'government sponsored firm' offering to install home solid wall lining insulation, free, to my Victorian terrace house?
I had my 'in roof room' (i.e. attic) insulated free by a similar grant some years ago and that was OK, but this new lot are unknown, but persistent.
Look at the grants that might be available to you:
All of these firms advertising 'free' stuff are just claiming those grants.
If they're heavily advertising, it's quite possible they're bodgit'n'scarper merchants - do the minimum to claim the grant and then leg it (or go bankrupt), leaving you with a substandard job. The more suckers they can recruit, the more grant they get.
I'd look for a local firm with decent quality work, rather than some outfit advertising on flyers/bus shelters/lampposts/...
Theo
Last week they were selling double glazing and conservatories, this week they are installing heat pumps, solar and insulation. :(
I had something similar the other day, nicely printed and designed flyer in the post, but the grants are only for people on certain benefits, which excludes most of the population. I got free cavity wall insullation when Gordon Brown was Chancellor, and around the same time I got the loft top-up done for £100, whereas my neighbours got it for free because one of them was over 70. I've seen more noticeable benefit from improving the double glazing but all of them together but enhance the benefit.
Round our way, they all seem to hide behind couldn't-look-dodgier gmail addresses. Hardly inspires confidence.
Also, AIUI, they will turn up, f*ck the job up, and then be dust with the excuse that liability will be with the grantor, not the contractor.
ISTR there was an article recently about someone who had well f***ed cavity wall insulation (the contractors hadn't installed anything to deal with the increased moisture) and no way to get it fixed.
I'll be honest, I wouldn't touch this lot with a bargepole. Something I suspect a lot of posters would echo. What ? Have some cowboys turn up to bodge a job with our sensibilities ?
and a dodgy gmail address ?
I had something a flyer for a similar "eco scheme" earlier in the year. When I had a chat they decided I wasn't eligible but then sent me a packet of tat that went straight into the bin ... not very eco but I guess they got paid something for doing it.
There is a backgrounder here.
After you've had a few cowboys show up at the house, you will notice the speech pattern after a while. Everything is "quick" and "easy" and "I won't even have to leave my truck". Even the guy who mows lawns here, has to leave his truck :-)
Paul
A elderly relative (70+) got a free top up of the insulation in the loft. A few years later when I went into the loft there was no evidence anything had been done. 60% of the loft floor was boarded with no additional insulation on top of the boards. The rest of the area had the thinnest one layer of insulation. I was informed that there had been insulation beforehand and the installer of the free insulation was there for less than an hour.
I suppose the first question would be "What materials did they bring into the property?".
I get frequent cold calls offering me free checks of either the loft, or my solar installation.
I usually enquire if they are a charity or a commercial outfit. Being the latter, I then ask how the company makes its revenue. The conversation seldom goes any further.
Chris
Fraud and theft are no longer crimes but business strategies.
The Filth are far too busy fining speeders and chasing drug users to protect the populace from criminals.
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