Retrofit and energy
Whole-house retrofit for social landlords
Fabric-first upgrades planned as a whole: insulation, ventilation, heating and windows in the right order.
Whole-house retrofit means improving a home's energy performance by planning insulation, airtightness, ventilation, heating and controls together, in the right order, rather than fitting single measures in isolation. For publicly funded social housing retrofit in the UK, the standard framework is PAS 2035, which requires a retrofit assessment, a coordinator and a ventilation strategy.
How do we approach whole-house retrofit?
We deliver retrofit works on social homes, and we are clear about who does what. Where your funding requires PAS 2035, TrustMark or MCS, each measure must be designed, coordinated and installed by people who hold the right certification. We confirm in writing, before you appoint us, how every measure in your scope will meet those requirements.
What is included?
- Coordination with your retrofit assessor and retrofit coordinator
- Fabric measures: external, internal and cavity wall insulation, loft and floor insulation
- Windows and doors, draught-proofing and airtightness details
- Ventilation upgrades to match the improved airtightness
- Heating: heat pumps, controls and emitters where specified
- Solar PV where it is part of the design
- Resident liaison through a disruptive programme
- Handover data for lodgement and post-installation evaluation
What do we hand over at the end?
- Stage photographs for each measure
- Installer certificates and guarantees
- Ventilation commissioning records
- Data needed for scheme lodgement
Who is this service for?
- Landlords delivering a Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund project
- Asset teams working towards EPC C
- Main contractors needing a delivery partner
Process
How does each job run?
Assessment and design
Your retrofit assessor and coordinator set the improvement option. We price against it and flag buildability issues early.
Programme
Measures are sequenced fabric first, with ventilation upgraded alongside airtightness.
Installation
Each measure is installed by appropriately certified installers, with photo evidence at every stage.
Handover
Certificates, photos and data for lodgement, plus resident guidance on using new heating and ventilation.
Rules by nation
Which rules shape whole-house retrofit in each UK nation?
The legal duties sit with the landlord. These are the rules that set the timescales and standards we work to, as checked on 31 October 2026.
Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 (£1.29bn for 2025–2028, plus up to £295m more for 2026/27) requires delivery under PAS 2035/2030, TrustMark-registered installers and, for heat pumps and solar, MCS certification. The fund is closed to new applications. Separately, social rented homes must reach EPC C on one reformed EPC metric by 1 April 2030.
PAS 2035:2023 sets the whole-house retrofit process (assessment, coordination, design, installation and evaluation), and PAS 2030:2023 covers installation. Most government-backed retrofit schemes require both, with TrustMark lodgement. We confirm in writing, before appointment, how each measure in your scope will meet those requirements.
Replacement windows, heating systems and some electrical work are controlled under the Building Regulations. In higher-risk buildings (18 metres or 7 storeys and above, with two or more homes), building work needs Building Safety Regulator approval before it starts unless it is exempt. Most repairs and like-for-like replacements are exempt, but heating systems, fuse boxes and glazing units are not.
Decent Homes Standard (England)WHQS 2023 asks Welsh social landlords to set a Target Energy Pathway for their homes by 31 March 2027, informed by a whole stock assessment.
PAS 2035:2023 sets the whole-house retrofit process (assessment, coordination, design, installation and evaluation), and PAS 2030:2023 covers installation. Most government-backed retrofit schemes require both, with TrustMark lodgement. We confirm in writing, before appointment, how each measure in your scope will meet those requirements.
Replacement windows, heating systems and some electrical work are controlled under the Building Regulations in Wales, and are self-certified by a competent person scheme installer or approved by building control.
WHQS 2023 (Wales)Scottish social landlords work to EESSH2, which is under review. Interim guidance was issued in March 2026, and decisions on a Social Housing Net Zero Standard are expected by spring 2027.
PAS 2035:2023 sets the whole-house retrofit process (assessment, coordination, design, installation and evaluation), and PAS 2030:2023 covers installation. Most government-backed retrofit schemes require both, with TrustMark lodgement. We confirm in writing, before appointment, how each measure in your scope will meet those requirements.
In Scotland, building work, conversion or demolition needs a building warrant unless it is exempt, with a completion certificate at the end. The council's building standards service is the verifier.
SHQS (Scotland)Retrofit funding in Northern Ireland is set by the Department for Communities and the Housing Executive's own programmes.
PAS 2035:2023 sets the whole-house retrofit process (assessment, coordination, design, installation and evaluation), and PAS 2030:2023 covers installation. Most government-backed retrofit schemes require both, with TrustMark lodgement. We confirm in writing, before appointment, how each measure in your scope will meet those requirements.
Building work in Northern Ireland is controlled by the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), administered by council building control.
Decent Homes Standard (NI)Guide prices
What does whole-house retrofit cost?
Rounded planning figures with their sources and VAT basis. Your price depends on the survey, your specification and the region. Use our programme budget tool for a regional estimate.
| Item | Unit | Guide range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-house retrofit towards EPC C | per home | £13,500–£23,600 | Published figure: Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 1 evaluation (DESNZ, December 2024): about £13,500 actual for homes starting at EPC D, bid-stage mean £23,610. VAT basis: not stated. |
Prices checked 31 October 2026. See all guide prices and regional factors.
Questions
Whole-house retrofit: common questions
Are you PAS 2035 or TrustMark registered?
We do not make certification claims on this website. Before you appoint us, we confirm in writing how each measure in your scope will be delivered by appropriately certified people, which is what your funding conditions will check.
Why does ventilation matter in retrofit?
Insulating and sealing a home without improving ventilation can trap moisture and cause condensation and mould. PAS 2035 requires a ventilation assessment for that reason.
Can you work with our existing retrofit coordinator?
Yes. Most social landlords appoint the assessor and coordinator directly, and we deliver the works they specify.
Do residents need to move out?
Rarely. Most measures are installed with residents at home. Where a measure is very disruptive, we discuss options with you in advance.
Related
Which services often go with whole-house retrofit?
External wall insulation
Insulation boards and render systems on solid-wall and hard-to-treat homes, with detailing done properly.
Learn more
Loft and cavity wall insulation
Loft top-ups, cavity fill and extraction of failed fill, with ventilation checked alongside.
Learn more
Heating upgrades and heat pumps
Boiler and system replacements, heat pumps, controls and emitters, with engineers' registration confirmed before appointment.
Learn moreFurther reading: Frameworks, dynamic markets and direct awards · Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and EPC C · Resident liaison on planned and occupied-home works