Stay cosy with retrofit news

The challenges surrounding spray foam insulation have become a – well, sticky subject – for homeowners, especially those trying to sell or remortgage their properties. Mortgage lenders are increasingly refusing loans for homes with spray foam, making it

Making your home eco-friendly isn’t just about saving money on energy bills – it’s about creating a space that’s healthier, more comfortable, and kinder to the environment. Whether you want to reduce your energy use, lower your carbon footprint, or

Calling all landlords and letting agents – come and join us at the Oxford City Council Landlord & Agent Forum! We’ll be there on 6th November 2024 at the free, in-person session from 10am to 12:45pm, and we’d love to meet you! It’s the perfect

Ah, autumn! That time of year when the leaves change colour, the days get shorter, and the air gets that familiar crisp bite. It’s also the season of a classic dilemma: when exactly should you turn the heating on? As soon as the temperature starts to dip,

Don’t wait for the middle of winter to find out your boiler’s on the brink. A simple check-up now could save you from a freezing cold home and a lot of stress later. Before the frost really kicks in, make sure your heating system keeps running when you

We actually love heat pumps. We believe they’re key to tackling climate change and reducing energy costs. But don’t worry – we’re not here to sell you one. Heat pumps are amazing, but they’re just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to

Refurbishment can refresh your home’s look, but retrofitting goes further by adding long-term benefits like energy efficiency and sustainability. We’re here to help you understand the difference so you can make the best decision for your home.

In a recent article, Paul Brown shares his journey of transforming his 1930s bungalow into a model of green living. Describing himself as a “solar nerd,” his enthusiasm for solar panels and eco-friendly upgrades is contagious, and his story

with so many insulation materials out there, how do you choose the right one for your home? Let's take a quick look at the various types of insulation materials, explore their pros and cons, and help you make an informed

Energy jargon can be as baffling as a different language, especially when buying electric products or hiring tradespeople. To ease the confusion, we've compiled a few terms to simplify the language of electricity, from voltage, power, and other energy

RetrofitWorks celebrated a significant milestone at their 10th-anniversary event held at Lord's Cricket Ground. The gathering was a resounding success, uniting industry leaders, suppliers, and enthusiastic advocates.

Discover ways to finance your home retrofit, including through the Energy Company Obligation scheme. Recognising that upfront expenses to improving the energy efficiency of your home might be challenging, did you know that you could potentially access free,

An insightful article by Martina Lees in The Times explores an innovative retrofit project undertaken by the Duke of Westminster. The project involved modernising a typical Victorian semi-detached house on his Cheshire estate. This serves as a prototype with

We work in collaboration with all local government authorities as well as community projects in Oxfordshire. Here, you’ll find some of the bodies we work hand in hand with to help achieve energy efficiency and sustainability across the region. Stay

‘Retrofitting’ became an urgent necessity during World War II when weapons technology was advancing rapidly. Planes and ships were becoming outdated even before their construction was complete, leading to the innovative approach of retrofitting these

Did you know that approximately 33% of carbon emissions in Oxfordshire stem from buildings (with a staggering 46% of emissions coming from street lighting)?  Or that a report from Oxford revealed that a jaw-dropping 81% of the total carbon emissions

Are you worried about the cost of energy bills this winter? Or do you know anybody looking for ways to make their home cheaper to heat and more comfortable to live in?

With the pressing challenge of climate change, households in the UK are a big emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for 26% of total emissions. To address this issue and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, nearly all housing requires some form of

The race to retrofit our homes offers a future of possibility and sustainability. It embodies our commitment to a greener, cleaner world.

True to form, while the rest of the world is experiencing searing heatwaves, this British summer carries on with cool and damp weather. Which makes this perhaps an ideal time to start thinking ahead to the coming winter, and planning a whole house retrofit.

To achieve the UK Government’s net-zero objective enhancing the energy efficiency of homes is critical. New analysis indicates that currently, there are 12.6 million properties in England with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or

We’re proud to share that Cosy Homes Oxfordshire has featured in The Sunday Times article titled "The Ultimate Guide To Insulation." This highlighted our commitment to making homes in Oxfordshire more energy-efficient, comfortable, and affordable to

New research reveals retrofit could boost the sale value of your home by an average of £10,000, and the added value could be even higher for individual properties - depending on the measures and

New research reveals retrofit could boost the sale value of your home by an average of £10,000, and the added value could be even higher for individual properties - depending on the measures and

New research reveals retrofit could boost the sale value of your home by an average of £10,000, and the added value could be even higher for individual properties - depending on the measures and

With energy bills rising, we’re going to look at whether getting a solar PV array could save you money, or even make you money, while also generating clean and green electricity for your

New research reveals retrofit could boost the sale value of your home by an average of £10,000, and the added value could be even higher for individual properties - depending on the measures and

If you’re like many UK homeowners, you might be exploring the idea of installing a heat pump to heat your home more efficiently. But is there space for one in your home? The good news is that there’s likely a heat pump that can work for your space,

Cosy Homes Oxfordshire is delighted to be sponsoring the Clean and Green Award for building traders in Oxfordshire as part of JACK FM’s Brick Awards. Nominees can join us for a glitzy ceremony at the Bodleian Library on 7 October 2022. We’ll be

Like many homeowners in the UK, you might be considering a heat pump for your home. But how loud is it compared to your current heating system? Let’s dive in and find out. We often get asked by homeowners like you about the noise levels of heat pumps, with

On 1 April 2022, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) came into effect providing £450 million worth of government grants to help homeowners in England and Wales upgrade to low-carbon heating systems, such as heat pumps and biomass boilers. The application and

Since 2008, it has been compulsory for landlords to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of ‘E’ for a property they lease. EPCs tell prospective tenants and buyers how energy efficient a property is on a scale of A to G, with A

As the installation of heat pumps increases in the UK, we are often asked what it’s really like living with a heat pump, as opposed to a gas boiler, or other forms of

From the start of the new year, there will only be three months remaining to apply for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), soon to be replaced by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) in March 2022. For some homeowners, it may be in their interest to take part in

The dust has settled post-COP26 and the response has been mixed, although there have been some positive announcements – caveats included. Broadly, most recognise much more needs to be done, acknowledging that the scale of commitments will not go

The long-awaited Heat and Buildings Strategy was just published to a good deal of media coverage, mainly focusing on the boiler replacement grants of £5,000 coming into play next year.  This is welcome news as it will undoubtedly remove a barrier for

“Cosy Homes Oxfordshire allowed me to receive a £5,000 VAT refund from my home retrofit work that I hadn’t expected to ever see again – thank you so much!” said Trish Lunel, one of our early clients. Rules on value-added tax (VAT) – the

Anne and Richard are active members of Abingdon Carbon Cutters, a low carbon community group with a strong interest in retrofitting, which became a Community Advocate Group for Cosy Homes Oxfordshire in 2020. The couple decided to use the services of Cosy

SuperHomes is a network of homeowners who have refurbished their homes (usually old, hard to treat homes) to the highest standard of energy efficiency – meaning that little energy is being wasted in the home, and there is no reliance on fossil fuels for

Our homes have a huge role to play in the climate emergency. To address the climate crisis and meet our carbon reduction targets in the UK, we need to retrofit millions of homes, reducing the amount of wasted energy which is causing excess carbon emissions.

When we talk about home retrofit and our Cosy Homes Oxfordshire service, we often use the term ‘energy efficiency’. But what is energy efficiency, why is it important, and how does it relate to our homes? That’s what we’ll cover in this post. Defining

Our whole house retrofit service has been operational for two years now. These two years (2019-21) have been our ‘pilot phase’, during which we’ve received grant-funding from the UK Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy

Our whole house retrofit service has been operational for two years now. These two years (2019-21) have been our ‘pilot phase’, during which we’ve received grant-funding from the UK Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy

The pilot phase of Cosy Homes Oxfordshire (2019-21) is just the beginning of our journey to create a robust business model for delivering home retrofit that works for both homeowners and contractors - but we’re proud of how far we’ve come and what we’ve

Cosy Homes Oxfordshire client, Andy Pedley, shares his experience so far working with us to make improvements to his home in Kidlington. We are all very aware, from huge publicity, that there is a climate emergency – carbon dioxide levels are increasing

Home retrofit and energy efficiency improvements can transform your cold, draughty house into an energy efficient, Cosy Home - here's

When it comes to home retrofit there is no ‘one-size fits all’ solution, as the age, style, past improvements and upkeep of a house all come into play.  In this series of blogs we talk to owners of different types of home and explore some of the

In March 2021 we’re hosting a Low Carbon Homes online event for Oxfordshire, focused on the key barrier for increasing the uptake of home retrofit – the supply chain. The event will run over three mornings, and sessions will include both speaker

Home retrofit and energy efficiency improvements can transform your cold, draughty house into an energy efficient, Cosy Home - here's

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a UK government incentive scheme which offers homeowners payment for installing systems which generate renewable energy to heat the home – including heat pumps and biomass boilers. The Domestic Renewable Heat

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

In this series of retrofit measures blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, and improve the comfort of your home.

There’s huge opportunity in retrofit for the building and construction industry – here’s why The UK government has set a target committing to become a net zero carbon emissions economy by 2050, as recommended by the Committee on Climate

In this series of ‘understanding retrofit measures’ blogs, we’ll be exploring different ways to improve the energy efficiency of homes – reducing energy usage, cutting energy bills and carbon emissions, and making your home more comfortable all year

Cosy Homes Oxfordshire is a one-stop home retrofit service connecting homeowners with skilled building professionals to deliver high-quality retrofit work, under one seamless programme.  We work with building professionals, contracted as Retrofit

Taking a whole house approach is one of the key factors in ensuring that home retrofit is as effective as possible at reducing the carbon footprint of a property. Whole house retrofit means taking a property to near net-zero energy demand. This likely

In this series of ‘understanding retrofit’ blogs, we’ll be explaining different retrofit measures which can improve the energy efficiency of homes – how they work, what types of homes they will be right for, what installation looks

This home transformation took place in an end-of-terrace cottage in the picturesque village of Hook Norton, located in the Cotswolds.

We can all do our bit to mitigate the effects of climate change by ensuring that our homes are as energy efficient as possible and so reduce carbon emissions.  We know that the UK housing stock is fairly old and inefficient, accounting for an estimated

A new home is a clean slate. Whether it’s knocking down walls, ripping out kitchens, or planning an extension, it’s an opportunity to make this new house feel like your home. And whilst you’re already planning home renovations, it makes sense to get

At Cosy Homes Oxfordshire, we specialise in a whole house retrofit approach to retrofitting homes. We assess your entire house to provide tailored recommendations for maximum energy efficiency. This involves implementing various measures across different

Over the past year we’ve been building up our pool of trusted, local building contractors to work on home retrofit projects through Cosy Homes Oxfordshire. This has been successful and we’ve brought lots of contractors

Once you’ve used our free Plan Builder advice service and submitted your outline plan, which gives you a snapshot of your property’s energy-saving potential, the next exciting step in your retrofit journey is an on-site assessment. This is where things

With the growing threat of COVID-19 and in line with UK Government advice on limiting non-essential contact, we temporarily stopped our on-site Whole House Plan home assessments in March this year – but we are now able to offer these as normal. During

We’re often asked about the most common measures to have implemented on a home during retrofit to improve energy efficiency. So, we’ve created our very own interactive Cosy House to show you what some of these common measures are – as well

If you’re a tenant in a rental property in Oxfordshire and you think the energy efficiency of your home could be

Get expert guidance on retrofitting your home to ensure the work is done in the right order with minimal

In a show of resilience towards the climate emergency, the UK government has made the commitment to become net-zero by 2050. The UK’s net-zero target would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100% of 1990 levels, as recommended by the Committee on

Interested in retrofitting your home and wondering what the role of a Retrofit Coordinator involves?  Spending days filled with home assessment visits, tailored consultations, energy audits, and site visits, Retrofit Coordinators take a hands-on approach to

Owning a period property is a joy, but making it more energy efficient can feel like a challenge. Many homes in the UK, especially those built before 1946, aren’t built with modern energy-saving measures in mind. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make

Nights are getting longer; the air is getting crisper as temperatures continue to drop. These sure signs can only mean one thing – ‘Tis the season to be cosy! As we draw closer and closer to Christmas and to the height of winter, more and more

On the back of recent global declarations and growing awareness around the climate emergency, it is becoming more and more apparent that saving the planet is now everybody’s responsibility.

With record-breaking protests and global declarations of a climate emergency, it has become critical that we do all we can to adapt to climate change and reduce our carbon footprint, including that of our

In the wake of the global climate emergency strikes, most of us are (or should be!) taking stock of our own personal impact on our environment.