Resident FAQs
First of all, congratulations on beginning your retrofit journey with Domna
We are looking forward to coming by to survey your home, and get to work making it more comfortable for you! We have put together some notes to help make the process easy for you
Have another question we haven't answered below? Email us at info@hestia.homes and we will come back to you as soon as possible!
What is a retrofit assessment?
A retrofit assessment is a type of survey which assesses the energy efficiency of your home. We'll look for where you're losing heat, how the heating system could be better, and if there are any ventilation issues. We then put together a comprehensive assessment report, with quick wins you can do immediately, and longer-term works to consider. This includes estimated timelines, costs, energy bill savings, and CO2 emissions reduction.
What should I do before you visit?
How do I schedule?
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Good news - you don't have to wait at home all day! We will work with you to schedule a precise time for your assessment using our online booking system. The survey will take about 30 minutes to complete
Do I need to provide any information?
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We may have a phone call with you to get some more insight into how you use your home including how many people live with you, how warm you like to keep it, how many hours per day you are using the heating
What can I expect during your visit?
Who will come to my property?
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The survey will be conducted by a surveyor from Domna or one of our partner organisations - we will inform you of their details in advance. The surveyor working at your property will carrying appropriate identification.
Do you have any safety measures in place?
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Your health is our priority. The team will adhere to the latest government guidelines on COVID-19, wear appropriate PPE, and maintain social distancing during the survey where requested. No work will be carried out by any operative who has experienced any coronavirus symptoms
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All surveyors will carry appropriate identification, which they will show you when they arrive.
What's involved in the survey?
We start inside the house
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We will look around and take photos and measurements, to confirm the makeup and condition of your home – updating what we’ve collected outside-in, and confirming the location of the services (gas supply, water supply, fuse cupboard)
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Expect the surveyor to inspect your property's ventilation, loft (if safe and accessible), heating source, and property size
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We will check the ventilation system (any extractors, rooms with window openings, and door undercuts). We will also look for any existing ventilation, damp, and mould issues. If relevant, we will do a humidity test. Better insulated homes need better ventilation, so we are extremely careful with this.
Then we will survey externally
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If relevant, we will measure and inspect each elevation .
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We may drill the wall externally with a small hole in the mortar joint to inspect the cavity – this will be resealed after. This is done to check the status of any cavity wall insulation. This may create a small amount of noise and dust.
What will happen after your visit?
Will you leave my house tidy?
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Yes of course! All used PPE and materials will be securely disposed of, ensuring no mess is left behind
What happens next?
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We will produce a detailed report, with costed options for energy efficiency improvements, estimated energy savings, and estimated CO2 emissions reductions. Based on what works you decide to go ahead with, we will then work together on planning the installation.