DEA / EPC Accreditation - Training, Costs, Providers etc

[whinmoor]

I should be able to cope. I hope I can count a few lightbulbs! Not sure what's going to happen when I get to 10 and run out of fingers though.

 

[morpheus75]

I didnt see that discount but will be calling them on monday


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[Markc]

I'm not looking forward to funding another £2K into this and then not needing it (may be) in 12 months time! I think I will see how the land lies and use an independent contracted direct to the client. IF it looks like it's going to work then I will invest in it, but until that time I will keep hold of my cash.

 

[morpheus75]

Hopefully i can offer my services to members on here without any dirty tactics, once i have done the course


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[whinmoor]

I'm not looking forward to funding another £2K into this and then not needing it (may be) in 12 months time! I think I will see how the land lies and use an independent contracted direct to the client. IF it looks like it's going to work then I will invest in it, but until that time I will keep hold of my cash.

True - it may be throwing good money after bad. But, it may give a competitive advantage over rivals who can't offer EPCs as an inclusive service. That's the point of this thread - to debate the pros and cons and share experiences. I may have saved Morpheus a few quid by pointing out the possible discount.

Maybe others can refer each other to training providers and share savings somehow (it may require some creative thinking about the exact nature of our "working relationships" depending on the terms of the deal!). I think these training companies have flexibility on pricing and paying the advertised "list price" isn't always necessary. They are operating in a competitive market as well.

 

[whinmoor]

@ Morpheus - If they won't give you a discount, ask if you can bring a "colleague" with you for free. I'd be happy to fulfil that role and chuck you a grand or so for the privilege! If not, I'd guess you're still in your 7-day cooling off period and you know Stroma down the road in Castleford have a great reputation and training facilities ;-)

 

[morpheus75]

Thanks. Im going to call them on monday. I just saw that discount today on the webpage. Dont know how i missed that yesterday!!


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[Markc]

I'm certain you are right and being able to offer a one stop shop is a good idea. I just feel I want to see how PV is going to go from April then July. If. EPC can be obtained for a matter of £30-£40 then I will be some time on our numbers of PV jobs to justify £2K. And the big guys, I think, will be throwing EPC's about for nothing anyway and probably at a D regardless.

Does the "inspector" have to be the assesor? If not someone on here could make a fortune on a new business venture. If we know what to do and forward the information on and that person then produces the report for a fee. Idea?

 

[SRE]

Like structural reports? The same thing had crossed my mind but I think the person issuing the certificate has to have visited the property. Would quite like to be proved wrong ;-) could solve a problem for a lot of people.

 

[whinmoor]

Does the "inspector" have to be the assesor? If not someone on here could make a fortune on a new business venture. If we know what to do and forward the information on and that person then produces the report for a fee. Idea?

I presume the DEA signing off the EPC will have to sign a disclaimer that they have personally inspected the property. It'd be like signed off an electrical installation where I presume most wouldn't be prepared to accept liability for jobs they hadn't at least seen. This may, at least, have more scope for "manoeuvres" because the principle focus is not safety.

 

[Markc]

Just thinking aloud........say we chip in to fund a n other to take the course and exam etc. Then we as a group have set up a company where we all own shares or similar send in the information as required including pictures etc etc. report is produced and returned via email or own website. As we would all own a share we would all be working for the company and so reduce the abuse aspect. Could be a cooperative set up. A fee for a n others time may be. Fairly secure and as we are all in the same boat it spreads the cost. For example if a report could be done in say ten minutes (apologises as I have no idea what is involved) and a fee of £10 is applied and paid via PayPal? This could cover admin costs if we all did it. Would this then be acceptable as we would all be working on paper for the company and be train (in house) to conduct a inspection?

Thoughts......

 

[whinmoor]

This may be a bit tricky to pull off. Not wishing to put a dampner on it, but I think there must be an EPC national register or something and it would look rather suss if the marvellous and mysterious Mr A.N.Other keeps popping up all over the country perfoming dozens of inspections a day!

 

[Markc]

I understand the thinking however this isn't anything about safety. Say there was a company set up solely to do EPC's every single person in the field would have to have the qualification? Or could they be trained to report back to a person who holds the certificate? After all it isn't the assessment that requires the cert it's the understanding of the information and the assessment of this information. It works like this in many other things. I would find it hard to believe every person inspecting needs the qualification. We are a two man band so this would mean if we both continued in surveying for PV we would both need a EPC qualification.

I feel it would be possible.

 

[morpheus75]

I understand where you are coming from here. Anyone can measure a room count windows etc so if a form was issued out and this info recorded then passed onto the qualified person to compile then why not have a n other doing all the reports. I havent done the course yet but if someone who conducts epc or done the course shed some light?


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[whinmoor]

I'm not sure to be perfectly honest. I suspect it's the DEA who has to do the inspection and it has to be recorded under his/her name. It would probably be acceptable for the DEA to get the data inputted by a different person (e.g. a secretary) into the official register but it would be the DEA's name and registration number on the certificate.

I had a go with the Stroma software earlier. As a novice, I found it pretty tricky to operate in truth. For example, there were about 6 zillion boilers to choose from and if you go into a property where the boiler simply says "Worcester Bosch" or "Vaillant" on it and the owner doesn't have the paperwork, it could take ages to work out exactly which model you're looking at.