GREEN INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR HOME
Newsletter Edition 12Autumn 2018
Your complimentary copy, keep me to read at your leisure or pass to a friend
THE FUTURE IS GREEN
IMPROVEMENTSHELLO FROM PLOUGHCROFT
WELCOME TO THE AUTUMN EDITION 2018OF THE PLOUGHCROFTNEWSLETTERWhether you’re an eco conscious type or are ahead of the curve when it comes to innovation, there are changes afoot, driven by government initiatives that could affect your plans for the future.
These days we have so much information at our fingertips to help us make lifestyle decisions to improve how we live. One area that we can guarantee will keep us on our toes is how our life choices affect the environment and our pocket.
With many homeowners still to jump on the solar band wagon in a bid to reduce their carbon footprint and reliance on the grid, recent news about the Feed-in Tariff (“FiT”) might come as a bit of a blow. However, if you’re already using solar then we’ll take a look at what’s next to make the most use of the tech you already have installed.
If you don’t have or can’t install solar we’ll take a look at the benefits of ‘insulating before generating’ and how considering re-roofing as an energy saving measure could pay dividends in the long run.
Enjoy the issue
Chris Hopkins
Divisional Director Ploughcroft
Before you start looking to generate your own energy, it’s worth remembering that up to 40% of heat is lost through the roof of your property if it isn’t properly insulated.
The most effective way to reduce your energy bills is to insulate before you generate.
Investing in our innovative ECO ROOF™ or one of our stunning solid conservatory roof systems is a great way to future proof your home, making it weather-proof and a lot more comfortable and energy efficient. After all - there is only one-way that energy costs are going!
INSULATE BEFORE YOU GENERATE
Mrs Walker, Filey
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We rate our ECO ROOF™ as one of the best improvements that has been done to our bungalow. We were impressed
with the advice we were given and the price. Our heating bill is now so low, to the point that the energy supplier wanted to check the meter was working correctly!
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SOLAR
If you already have solar PV installed then the next ‘big thing’ is battery storage.
Even though your energy supplier will pay you for every KW you send back to the grid, if you need to buy this energy back because your own supply isn’t meeting demand, you will be charged at a significantly higher rate.
A solar hybrid system can replace your current inverter and enables you to store surplus energy generated during the day for use whenever you need it, and this means you won’t need to pay for energy during peak rate times.
SOLAR
SO-LARSO-GOOD
We are working with our parent company, Avonside, to provide Ploughcroft customers with a battery storage system that has sensational energy efficiency to ensure that energy gets from your roof to inside your home with minimal loss - ensuring you can enjoy clean, inexpensive energy when you need it.
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ROGUE TRADERS ROGUE TRADERS
IF IT’S CHEAP, THEN
One re-occurring trend that we see is where a homeowner has taken on a contractor and the building work has gone wrong and the contractor is unable, unwilling, or not available to rectify the job. It could be an item missed when quoting the job, an underestimation of the time it will take to complete or simply lack of experience, and once the contractor realises this they tend to disappear off the face of the earth, leaving you with a half finished job, a loss
of hard earned money and the difficultly of trying to source another contractor to complete someone else’s work – which can often mean undoing all their work and starting again, for more than double the cost.
Things can always go wrong, however it’s important you choose a contractor you can trust. A contractor with a reputation to preserve is more likely to be honest and be around should you have a problem.
Our 20 years of expertise in the building trade has taught us a thing or two. Over this time we’ve seen huge changes to our industry and the companies that operate.
A homeowner came to Ploughcroft after having a new roof installed six years ago. Since installation there had been repeated problems however the contractor would not come back to fix those problems. Unfortunately, the shoddy work done was irreparable so the homeowner had to fork out on the installation of a brand new roof. This resulted in lots of wasted time, money and frustration for our customer, however she now has an insurance backed guarantee on her roof giving peace of mind for the long term.
THE COST OF A CHEAP QUOTE
Before you embark on any home improvement or maintenance project, follow these simple rules:
1 Invite quotes but never make ‘price’ the deciding factor. There will always be someone willing to do a job cheaper but in the long run you usually get what you pay for.
2 Ask about similar completed work. Check out any references and make sure it is your contractor that actually carried out the work.
3 Make sure the contractor is a specialist in the work you need. This is particularly important for heritage buildings and substantial works.
4 Make sure that re-roofs are covered by an insurance backed guarantee. Traders do go out of business which makes their own guarantee worthless.
5 Be clear from the outset exactly what you want the contractor to do and stick to it. Changing your mind too often will prove expensive.
6 Check the contractor is working to the correct, current British standards.
7 Make sure that you are aware of and understand the contractors payment terms before you award the contract.
8 Never agree to pay upfront in cash. Letting people know you have cash lying around your property leaves you vulnerable to unscrupulous individuals.
it’s cheap
It is estimated that only 15% of those targeted by rogue traders report the incident. By reporting experiences with a rogue trader to the relevant official bodies, you will be helping to prevent other people being a victim. Further information can be found at www.trustatrader.com/rogue-trader-victim-advice/
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CASE STUDY - BRITANNIA HOUSE, BRADFORD
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CASE STUDY - BRITANNIA HOUSE, BRADFORD
A NEW ROOF FOR A BUSY OFFICE BUILDINGAs trusted roofing and solar specialists, Ploughcroft were instructed to renew the flat roof of Britannia House in Bradford using SIKA Liquid Plastics, the UK’s leading manufacturer of seamless, cold-applied liquid roof membranes, ideal for waterproofing flat roofs, balconies and associated walls.
We began by removing all solar panels from the roof to be reinstated once the roof replacement was completed.
At Ploughcroft we only specialise in installing the highest quality commercial and residential flat
roofs with warm roof construction that is extremely energy-efficient and delivers lower energy consumption with lower costs in the long term. Our flat roofs are highly durable and easy to maintain with a life expectancy of up to 30 years.
If you are thinking about a roof replacement that already has solar panels installed, our work is fully guaranteed through ‘competent roofer’ with the re-installation of your solar system in accordance with best practice.
In 10 years, our fully qualified and highly professional team has installed over 10,000 solar panels.
TIME IS RUNNING OUTIf you’re thinking about installing solar PV panels to earn money from selling your unused electricity back to the grid, then you have until March 2019 to apply.
Although the government are making noises about replacing current FiT payments with an alternative scheme, it’s still not clear what the alternatives will be. Therefore if you’re keen to reduce your carbon footprint by installing solar then now is the time to do so. Don’t leave it until after April 2019,
as there’s a good chance you will end up financially worse off than had you installed during 2018!
Alternatively, you could invest in battery storage (see page 4) to make the most of your energy without feeding it back to the grid!
Already receive the FiT payments?
Don’t worry! You will continue to receive these for 20 years from the date you had your technology installed – or 25 years for those who first benefited from the FiT scheme.
HERITAGE
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INVESTING IN OUR TRADE & OUR PEOPLE
HERITAGE
Here at Ploughcroft we have a real love for heritage properties. It takes expert knowledge, skill and patience to repair and renovate such unique structures using building techniques of bygone eras.
One of our experienced heritage roofers, Adam, is in the process of achieving the Wales National Roof Training Group’s first NVQ 3 Heritage Course in Derbyshire to develop his already vast heritage roofing techniques.
Heritage roofing services aren’t just limited to listed buildings. We believe that all older buildings and buildings of special interest warrant every effort to preserve them. Here at Ploughcroft, our roofing specialists have worked on many old and prestigious properties where only the best, traditional roofing methods would do.
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What happens if you need roofing work and you already have solar panels?This is a question we get asked a lot. In these
circumstances you cannot instruct a roofer
who is not experienced and qualified in solar
panels. For any work to be carried out on a
roof with existing solar panels, it is important that the solar panels are safely and
properly removed and then reinstalled after the works are complete to the
‘competent roofer’ standards.
Visit us online:www.ploughcroft.co.uk
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01422 202 919
Follow us on twitter: @ploughcroft
Like us on facebook:/ploughcroft
GET IN TOUCH: Address:Ploughcroft Ltd, Whitehall Chambers,Halifax Road,Hipperholme,Halifax,West YorkshireHX3 8EN
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Roofing Heritage Roofing Conservatory roofs Eco Roof Warm flat roofs
Part of the Avonside Group
York: 01904 295 148Harrogate: 01423 275 099
Huddersfield: 01484 290170Wakefield: 01924 637 228
Leeds: 0113 347 0284
DID YOU KNOW?If you own a historic building in a national park you can claim funding to restore your property. To find out more visit the news section on www.ploughcroft.co.uk
