Improving upon BER Rating

While looking at properties to purchase I have come across wildly different BER ratings for properties that look very similiar to the untrained eye.

I would be very interested in seeing some case studies that show {BEFORE} property and its BER rating and {AFTER} when work has been done its new BER rating and what was done to achieve it and the cost involved.

Do you know of any websites showing this transition?

You can improve your BER by ensuring that there are energy-efficient lightbulbs in place.

This is nonsense in my view in the context of the cost of a house purchase.

Yeah, the BER system as it stands is too open to interpretation and gaming. Switching lightbulbs as above will make a decent impact. Putting some lagging around water tanks, likewise. Two assessors can also give very different scores for the same property, and many of the values they enter into the DEAP software are based on their knowledge and judgement. Do you know the uValue of your windows for example?

A good assessor with lots of industry experience will likely do a better job, and over time the requirements to become an assessor have become more stringent, but in the early days it was easy enough to become qualified.

If it is that easy to game the rating they why would anyone slap a BER G rating on their property for sale despite the property looking decent?

That makes me think there would be a lot of issues, it would be expensive to heat and I'll have to deal with damp and mould.

Ask the agent for the BER advisory reports - the recommended actions might give you an idea of what will quickly make an impact.

If it's any help, I changed from a D2 to C3 in a 1950's house by;
Replacing single glazed windows with A rated double glazed throughout. Doors were already A rated.
Upgrading gas boiler and adding heating controls.
Replaced open gas fire with stove.
Internally insulated walls in main living area.
Added insulation to attic.

Total cost was about 10k. Improving materially any further would have required external insulation. It's difficult to get a 60 year old house higher than a C without huge expense.

B.A.C. said:

If it is that easy to game the rating they why would anyone slap a BER G rating on their property for sale despite the property looking decent?

That makes me think there would be a lot of issues, it would be expensive to heat and I'll have to deal with damp and mould.

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A 'G' rating would suggest it's in near original condition so you'd need to at least look at putting in a heating system, replace windows, and insulate. Again the advisory report would help.

Any 'tricks' can't change a G to a D or C.

B.A.C. said:

If it is that easy to game the rating they why would anyone slap a BER G rating on their property for sale despite the property looking decent?

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Because most purchasers aren't that bothered about BER ratings on older properties.

B.A.C. said:

That makes me think there would be a lot of issues, it would be expensive to heat and I'll have to deal with damp and mould.

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My wife and I owned two very similar properties in Crumlin, one end of terrace, the other mid-terrace. The end-of-terrace one was much better insulated, cost a lot less to heat, yet got a BER of F versus a D2 for the other house.

RedOnion said:

Ask the agent for the BER advisory reports - the recommended actions might give you an idea of what will quickly make an impact.

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These reports can sometimes be viewed here
https://ndber.seai.ie/pass/ber/search.aspx

The BER number is usually listed on Daft with the property

Thanks @Easel
I knew I was able to get reports from the cert number, but couldn't remember where.

I think also that if the BER can’t be verified the agents slap a G or F on it.

We’re currently in a bidding war on a turn of the century cottage that has gFCH, open fireplaces and the only insulation is the rubble filled 5 ft thick walls.

I think having a BER system is a good thing, but sellers believing it adds value is a false economy. This is based on what I’ve seen in our search for a new place to date.

I have an existing B2 from nine years back, they last ten, I added Solar Pv with battery and needed a BER for the SEAI grant, they returned B3 after me spending over €11k inc grant on the PV , no changes with boiler or such in the interim, ...I found an obvious error, told them, they huffed and puffed and changed it to B2.

So, no change to BER after adding PV which is not correct.

They are a big outfit and have no interest in discussing this further with me, suggesting I get another assessor, ah no thanks matey, too expensive as they well know, I have gone to the SEAI and will ramp up to a formal complaint, I don't have the time to be chasing this having been at home for 1.5 hours to facilitate the Assessors review.

BER nay have its merits but I am not the one to sing its praises.

em_cat said:

I think also that if the BER can’t be verified the agents slap a G or F on it.

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That would be a risky thing to do considering they must provide the assessment number upon request, and the details can be reviewed online.