Contractor FAQ

Please click on the links below to go directly to the corresponding answer

What Level of Funding is available?

* Multi-unit apartment blocks will be subject to a different grant allocation.
** New boiler must have efficiency greater than 90%
*** Minimum requirement for heating controls upgrade is : 2 zones (space and water) with 7 day programmer (time and temperature) control and boiler interlock, time and temperature control of electric immersion heater and either 1 more zone control or 3 TRV’s 

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What are the new requirements for registered contractors?

With the introduction of  integrated BERs under the HES scheme contractors now have a number of new or changed obligations:

• There are new Declarations of Works (DOW) forms which have revised data completion requirements including the condition of the house prior to the works you completed
• There is a new form called a BER Confirmation and Request for Payment form on which you as the registered contractor must provide the data regarding the condition of the house prior to upgrade works

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How have the Declarations of Works forms changed?

The Declaration of Works forms have been changed to capture information from contractors about the condition of the home (roofs, walls, heating system and heating controls as appropriate) PRIOR to upgrade works. Contractors must also provide related information on the new BER Confirmation and Request for Payment form. At the time of completing the BER, the BER assessor will use this information to estimate the energy performance of the home before HES upgrade works.

The energy performance data includes, as relevant:

• Estimated U-value of the walls prior to the installation of measures
• The exact surface area covered by new attic and/or wall insulation. (Note:  The U-value will be higher for attics and walls before HES works reflecting the absence, or lower quality, of insulation before new works have been installed. Guidance on U-value estimates for wall and roofs prior to HES grant works are provided in the respective DOWs.

Contractors must also record information related to the heating system controls and the heat source itself prior to HES works being carried out.

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When do I complete the DOW and BER Confirmation and Request for Payment forms?

You can only complete the DOW and BER Confirmation and Request for Payment forms after you have completed and been fully paid for the works undertaken by you. In the event that this requires you to take the DOW forms away with you, then you  will be expected to act expeditiously and to return the completed forms to your client as soon as physically possible.

Based on the information you provide, the BER assessor is required to complete and sign the BER Confirmation and Request for Payment form so that the homeowner is in a position to submit their paperwork within the six month grant offer period. This can only be done if a contractor provides the information in a timely fashion.

Contractors should note that failure to fully complete the DOWs and relevant sections of the BER Confirmation and Request for Payment form will hamper the BER assessor in their efforts and in turn impede the homeowner in claiming their grant. Failure to provide all required information in a timely manner will be taken very seriously by SEAI and may lead to sanction up to and including suspension from the HES Registered Contractors list.

What documents do I need to read and understand before registering as a Contractor on the HES scheme?

All Contractors who wish to register must read and understand the Code of Practice & Standards and Specifications Guidelines. When signing the registration form you are confirming to SEAI that you have read, understand and will adhere to the Code of Practice & Standards and Specifications Guidelines both as they apply to yourself and your Nominated Personnel.

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Can I register as a Contractor for more than one measure?

Yes, you can register for multiple measures within the one registration form. Tick the relevant measure boxes that you wish to register for, however for the registration to be accepted you must meet or exceed the technical competency requirements per measure as detailed on the registration form and in the Code of Practice & Standards and Specifications Guidelines.

I am an installer of external wall insulation and I am listed as a certified installer with NSAI. Is there anything else I need to do to register with HES for external wall insulation?

Once the external wall insulation system you are using is NSAI Agrément certified and you are a registered installer of this system with NSAI Agrément (ETICS) and you select external wall on your application form then your application will be processed accordingly.

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I am an installer of external wall insulation and I have made a valid application to NSAI Agrément for ETICS. Is there anything else I need to do to register with HES for external wall insulation?

Once the external wall insulation system you are using is NSAI Agrément certified and you have applied to NSAI Agrément to become a registered installer of this particular system, but are currently awaiting an audit (this is verified by SEAI with NSAI Agrément) then from the 1^st of July 2010, your contractor profile will only continue to include external wall insulation in order to facilitate your full registration with NSAI Agrément ETICS.  You will thus be permitted to retain external wall on your profile for ONE further job beyond this date. This job must be notified to the NSAI for audit purposes with a view to achieving ETICS registration. SEAI will be working in close collaboration with NSAI Agrément to ensure full compliance with this new requirement, in particular in respect of audit requests by contractors pending full registration.

Should you fail to submit your first property to the NSAI, SEAI will remove external wall insulation from your profile and this measure will not be added back until such time as you have achieved certification in accordance with Option 1. If this is the only measure for which you are registered with HES then your registration will become de-active until you achieve NSAI registration.

Please note that once you have achieved registration with NSAI you must notify SEAI by sending an email to hescontractor@seai.ie to notify us of this change and we will update your profile accordingly. 

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I wish to register with HES to install external wall insulation

The product which you are installing must be NSAI Agrément certified you must have validly applied to NSAI Agrément to become a registered installer of this particular system, and are currently only awaiting an audit (this is verified by SEAI with NSAI Agrément). Once you have a valid application accepted by NSAI you must notify SEAI by sending an email to hescontractor@seai.ie to notify us of this change and we will update your profile to include external wall insulation accordingly. 

Your contractor profile will only continue to include external wall insulation in order to facilitate your full registration with NSAI Agrément ETICS. You will thus be permitted to retain external wall on your profile for ONE further job beyond this date. This job must be notified to the NSAI for audit purposes with a view to achieving ETICS registration. SEAI will be working in close collaboration with NSAI Agrément to ensure full compliance with this new requirement, in particular in respect of audit requests by contractors pending full registration.

Should you fail to submit your first property to the NSAI, SEAI will remove external wall insulation from your profile and this measure will not be added back until such time as you have achieved ETICS certification. If this is the only measure for which you are registered with HES then your registration will become de-active until you achieve NSAI registration.

Please note that once you have achieved registration with NSAI you must notify SEAI by sending an email to hescontractor@seai.ie to notify us of this change and we will update your profile accordingly. 

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What happens if I don’t send in all the required documents?

The registration will be rejected and all documents will be returned to you along with a letter detailing the reason for rejection.

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What are the next steps once I send my registration form and documents to SEAI?

If all your documentation is present and correct, you will receive notification from SEAI that you are registered as a contractor for the HES scheme for the relevant measures. Please note that this communication will be via email.

Does my registration on the HES scheme expire?

Two months prior to the expiry date of your insurances or TCC, whichever is the earliest, you will receive a reminder of this expiry date.

If documentation is not received prior to expiry date de-registration will automatically take place.

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Can I be de-registered from the HES Scheme Registered Contractor list?

Yes. If a contractor does not maintain up to date Insurance documentation and Tax Clearance Certification with SEI they will be de-registered from the HES contractor list.

Also if it is found during the course of the scheme that a contractor is not adhering to the up to date Terms and Conditions and the Code of Practice & Standards and Specifications Guidelines they will be de-registered from the contractor list.

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Can I do any works in the meantime?

You can continue to carry out works however these will not qualify for the HES scheme unless the homeowner has grant approval.

You should notify customers of the HES scheme and that they should not commence any works prior to grant approval in order to be eligible for a grant under this scheme.

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What Customer Service Requirements are there for the HES scheme?

The professionalism and good business practice requirements for the HES scheme are detailed in the Terms and Conditions on the Registration Form and also in the Code of Practice & Standards and Specifications Guidelines. To register and remain registered on the HES scheme you must adhere to these requirements at all times.

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When might a homeowner NOT qualify for a Home Energy Saving scheme grant?

Depending on the scale or type of works being undertaken, the HES grant may not necessarily be appropriate for all homeowners.  Homeowners will not qualify for a grant:

• If their first grant application is for less than €500.  So if they only wish to do attic insulation (€250) or blown cavity wall insulation (€400) on their own then they will not qualify for a grant
• If you are installing a boiler with a typical efficiency <90% then you will not qualify for a grant
• If you decide to simply install a boiler but not upgrade the heating controls to the minimum prescribed standard then you will not qualify for a grant
• If they decide to simply replace their boiler but not upgrade the heating controls to the minimum prescribed standard then they will not qualify for a grant

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Am I allowed to use the SEAI logo on my marketing materials?

Marketing guidelines for HES contractors are posted within the 'I am a Contractor' section of the website. Please click here to review these guidelines.