After reading an article in his local paper about the grants available for solid wall insulation, Trevor jumped at the chance of getting a Green Deal assessment done on his house.

Built in 1955, Trevor’s detached three-bedroomed property in Bristol had un insulated solid walls which meant that the house was constantly cold and draughty. Despite the loft insulation and double-glazing Trevor had installed, he has always considered it a difficult house to heat. To ensure that they weren’t constantly cold, Trevor had to keep the heating on for the whole day, resulting in huge energy bills, eating through his life savings.

At the end of January, Trevor came across an article in his local paper on the possibility of securing a grant for solid wall insulation. This involved cladding the outside of the house with special thermal panels. The panels are then treated, rendered and painted.

An initial Green Deal assessment was made and works were carried out under the Bristol Home Energy Upgrade Scheme, which involved external wall insulation with Envirowall Enhanced EPS. ‘I didn’t think it was possible to insulate solid walls’ Trevor commented, ‘When they came to assess the property, they said we were losing about 45% of our heat through the walls.’

Conveniently for Trevor and his neighbours, there was virtually no disruption and as the house already had a rendered exterior, there was no major change to the way it looks.

The new external wall insulation fitted has made a tremendous difference, ‘Now we have a warm house, whereas a month or so ago we had a cold house. Every so often I go out and read the gas meter and whereas before we were using up to four units a day, that’s certainly down below three now.’

Furthermore, Trevor has been told he can expect to save around £600 a year on his energy bills, which could be a cut of over 40%.

Trevor is delighted with the works that he has been encouraging his friends and neighbours to get a Green Deal assessment done on their properties.

We at Ball Contractors of Ashford Kent are so excited about our new business called 'Green Deal Assessors Kent', as this will now put us in an even stronger position, in being able to offer Green Deal Assessors in Kent and surrounding counties, to carry out Green Deal Assessments.

Learn all about how the Green Deal works, and how you can take advantage of this ground-breaking scheme to improve your property, save money on your energy bills and help reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions.

You can follow this government link;

https://www.gov.uk/green-deal-energy-saving-measures

Or you can go to a fantastic site called Green Deal Locator;

http://www.greendeallocator.co.uk/

If you already know about the huge possibilities in retrofitting your property under The Green Deal scheme and are interested in having a Green Deal Assessment undertaken on your property, please complete a pre-assessment form by following the link below;

http://thegreendealassessmentcompany.co.uk/online-pre-assessment/

At the end of the questionnaire you will be asked for your full contact details. We will then get in touch with you to discuss the results and arrange an assessment date with you.

Good luck on your Green Deal journey.

BSI Audit – 6 month assessment and 5 year re-certification

Matthew Ball of Ball Contractors in Ashford is pleased with the recent BSI audit which took place on Friday 27th September.

This visit was to review our entire quality management system as this is our 5 year anniversary.

We successfully passed this assessment and continue to monitor and improve our quality management system to meet the ISO standard and enhance the services we offer.

A great thanks to Mel and the team as I know this was a nervous time for them all, being our very first recertification and as Mel is still relatively new to the role of Quality Manager, she felt the pressure this time.

Ball Contractors are very proud of everyone’s input and involvement in building and maintaining our QMS, as we continue to improve our systems and company reputation as one of Ashford longest and reputable building companies.

Press Ed Davey pushes Green Deal at Lib Dem Conference

Now that Matthew Ball and Green Deal Assessments in Kent are available through our sister Company with their own Green Deal Assessors, Matthew was pleased to see the government stand by its flag ship energy saving plan 'The Green Deal', especially after all the recent negative reporting on it.

Ed Davey has used his speech at the Liberal Democrat conference to push forward with the Green Deal whilst in the background further incentives are being discussed within industry.

At the Lib Dem Conference , Mr Davey used his speech to ask critics to give the Green Deal more time to succeed. He argued that the plan is designed to deliver improvements that will last for “decades”, so it cannot be judged after just a few months.

Extract from speech;

“That’s why the Green Deal is so different. Different to anything that has gone before. First, everyone is included. Every home in your community – every house, every flat – all can benefit from the Green Deal. Indeed, every business can benefit too. Past schemes were full of red tape. If you didn’t qualify for this benefit you weren’t eligible. If you didn’t want the work done in a certain way you couldn’t have it done at all. Well, we won’t save energy and keep people warm by wrapping them up in in red tape. And the Green Deal is creating a new market – a competitive market. Open to all, not just the big energy firms. With local builders and plumbers, DIY chains, boiler firms. 60,000 jobs. The energy of liberal free enterprise unleashed to save the energy leaking from our homes.”

Latest DECC figures, which came out in August, showed that 133 households had signed up by the end of July and that 266 more were poised to embark on a Green Deal Plan after getting a quote. Some 58,124 Green Deal Assessments were undertaken by the end of July.

The UK Green Building Council, has called on ministers to provide further incentives, such as tying energy efficiency improvement to cuts in stamp duty when properties are sold or to council tax breaks.

Mark Bayley, chief executive of the Green Deal Finance Company, said: “We have a great opportunity to help people protect themselves against rising energy bills in the years ahead with our £244m funding package. Many people will be surprised by how much energy they could save in their home, and it makes sense for people to take a second look at Green Deal payment plans.”

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Napit MCS Accreditation – Solar Panel Yearly Practical & Administration Assessment 2013

We at Ball Contractors of Ashford who can install solar in Kent had our 12 month audit  Today 10th September.

We successfully passed our assessment and the Napit assessor commented saying ‘you are still doing great’!

Matthew Ball Managing Director would like to say a great big thank you to James Chapman  Electrical Qualified Supervisor and Charlie Revell our Quality Systems Administrator and their team for another successful assessment in the Electrical Department.

Matthew said 'Here's to another year of installing solar in Kent'

NICEIC Annual Audit – Practical & Administration assessment

Matthew Ball Managing Director of B Ball Contractors Ltd is pleased to announce that we had our 12 month audit  yesterday and successfully passed our assessment for an ninth consecutive year running, we also managed to get full points again.

A great big thank you to James Chapman BBCL’s Electrical Qualified Supervisor and his team for another great years work in the Electrical Department.

Green Deal Government 6 month update

The Green Deal is the Government’s flagship energy saving plan which aims to transform the UK’s building stock to make all properties more energy efficient to run and more comfortable to live and work in at the same time.

Matthew Ball director of Green Deal Assessors Kent Ltd, says,
” The uptake on Green Deal Assessments and the percentage of people that wish to go forward with the work has been very comforting to see and really is having a positive buzz within the construction industry”

Since the end of, all households and businesses have been able to benefit from impartial energy advice and improvements to their properties, with no upfront installation costs, for energy efficiency improvements (covering 45 measures, including everything from replacement boilers and different types of insulation to renewable energy technologies).

58,124 Green Deal Assessments have been completed since the launch of the Green Deal, on 28th January with 13,645 of them being completed in July alone, official Government statistics have revealed.

The DECC report also highlighted that 175 million worth of contracts had now been issued through the ECO (Energy Company Obligation)  system, compared to the 145m at the end of June. View the full report here

Should you require any further information on The Green Deal, please contact Green Deal Assessors Kent Ltd on 01233 628743 where our team will be happy to help.

The Green Deal Assessment Company are the first GDAO in Kent

The Green Deal Assessment Company have had notification from Stroma today that they are now an Accredited Green Deal Assessment Organisation (GDAO). Matthew Ball of Ball Contractors is pleased to be associated with The Green Deal Assessment Company, as this enables them to be in a position of have assessors available.

The Green Deal Assessment Company are the first GDAO in Kent and they are thrilled about the huge opportunities this will give to them and anyone in Kent wanting to have a Green Deal Assessment undertaken.

MD Bill Hawthorne said ‘This is so exciting, we can really now give Kent what they are looking for in GD Assessments, especially as The Green Deal is a NO BRAINER!’

If you a home or business owner, that is looking for an assessment, or an accredited assessor who are looking to lodge with a GDAO, please don’t hesitate to contact The Green Deal Assessment Company on 01233 628743.

Green Deal inspiring energy saving action

Matthew Ball Director of Green Deal Assessors Kent is pleased to forward a press release with some excellent news on The Green deal.

Press notice: 13/064
New research shows the Government’s Green Deal is inspiring people across the UK to install energy saving home improvements.

Research published today found that 47 per cent of households who had received a Green Deal advice report, following a Green Deal assessment, said they either had or were getting energy saving measures installed. A further 31 per cent said they would ‘definitely or probably’ install at least one measure.

The research focused on those households having an assessment before the end of March 2013. The assessment experience was also positive for the majority of households, with 75 per cent rating their usefulness as high, and 77 per cent having confidence in assessors’ recommendations. 68 per cent said their motivation for having an assessment was to save money and 38 per cent said they were motivated to reduce their energy use for environmental reasons.

Research also shows that Green Deal awareness has doubled over the early months of the scheme, increasing from 10 per cent of households being aware in November 2012 (pre-launch) to 22 per cent in May 2013. This follows a separate study of over 300,000 property sales in England published last week showing that making energy saving improvements to your property could increase its value by 14 per cent on average – and up to 38 per cent in some parts of England.

Speaking at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Green Deal, Energy Secretary Edward Davey will say: “All the signs are that British householders are motivated by energy efficiency. In an era of rising energy prices, the benefits are obvious. “Last week we saw evidence that energy efficiency adds a premium to property values. Now we have evidence that Green Deal assessments are leading to householders investing in energy saving measures. “The Green Deal has only just got underway, but it’s already inspiring consumers to take action to keep their homes warm and bills down. “This is great news for the energy efficiency industry as well, because this shows a genuine appetite among householders for more energy efficient homes.”

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker will say: “It’s fantastic to see that Green Deal assessments are leading to people taking action to make their homes more efficient. This new research clearly shows that the majority of people are finding assessments a valuable experience that can usefully help them both understand where they are wasting energy and importantly what they can do to deal with it. “It’s also encouraging to see awareness of the Green Deal growing. This is a long term programme that will last for years and decades, but we’re already seeing evidence that people are aspiring to improve their properties, make them more efficient and take control of their energy bills.”

Domestic Green Deal and ECO in Great Britain, Monthly report 14/05/13

This presents the third monthly statistics on the Green Deal (GD) for the domestic sector and theEnergy Company Obligation (ECO). This release includes summary figures on the number of GD Assessments, the GD supply chain and information on ECO brokerage, all to the end of April 2013.

The Green Deal launched on 28 January 2013 in England and Wales and on 25 February in Scotland. ECO started on 1 January 2013 for Great Britain.

Key points (to the end of April)

• 18,816 GD Assessments had been lodged to date (Chart 1), up from 9,294 at end of March (with 9,522in April alone, compared to 7,491 in March and 1,729 in February).
• 152 GD Assessor Organisations and the1,274 GD Advisors they employ had been accredited, up from 108 and 1,003 at end March respectively.
• £85.5million worth of contracts had been let through the ECO brokerage system, compared to £68.9 million at end March.

For the full report please go to DECC's page;
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/198669/statistical_release_green_deal_eco_may_2013.pdf

Thsi information was taken From Ball Contractors Ashford from their Green Deal Information

Ball Contractors are Accredited Green Deal Installers with The BBA - Certification ID: BBAI4265

Ball Contractors in Ashford Kent are extremely proud to announce that as of Friday 26th April they are officially a Green Deal Accredited Installer with our second body The British Board of Agreement - BBA.

This takes Ball to over 15 measures that can now offered to customers thru The Green Deal.

Matthew Ball says ‘it has meant lots of effort but well worth it’.

He also says 'since becoming a Green Deal accredited Installer a couple of weeks ago with the NICEIC we have started getting enquiries off the Green Deal Orb.'

You can find Ball Contractors on the Green Deal Orb www.greendealorb.co.uk

Ball Contractors are Accredited Green Deal Installers - Certification ID: NICI00272

Ball Contractors are extremely proud to announce that as of Friday 5^th April they are officially a Green Deal Accredited Installer with the NICEIC. You can find them on the Green Deal Orb www.greendealorb.co.uk

They have their remaining measures (insulation and glazing) on site assessment with BBA on the 25^th April. This should take them up to over 15 measures that we will be able to offer their customers.

Matthew Ball says ‘all the hard work from winning the Technical Strategy Boards Retrofit for the future competition in 2009 and our continued diversity to energy saving measures and our brand new division The Green Deal Installer Company, has been worth all the hard work’.

He also says at his manager’s bi-weekly meeting ‘this is where we need to be in the market today, to be able to offer the consumer what the market is demanding. And the best thing about the The Green Deal, is the measures we are offering is work that we do week in week out - we are not reinventing the wheel’

To find out more on the succes of Ball Contractors 'The Green Deal Installer Company' please visit www.ballcontractors.co.uk

Ball Contractors BSI Audit - 6 month assessment - Thursday 28th March 2013

It was Ball Contractors 6 month audit yesterday.

They successfully passed this assessment and will continue to monitor and improve their quality management system to meet the ISO standard and enhance the services that they offer.

This continual improvement with their QMS has helped them massivly with PAS 20:30 and The Green Deal.

Matthew Ball presents at the Lewisham SME's Green Deal Event tomorrow

Matthew Ball has been asked to speak to Lewisham Borough Councils SME's on how he has found The Green Deal process as an installer.

This will be the 3rd Green Deal event that he has been asked to present and is excited but also nervous at the same time, as in his words 'I am a humble builder like you and am not a public speaker'

This is fantastic for B Ball Contractors Ltd – As  Matthew Ball and BBCL /The Green Deal Installer Company have been working tirelessly now specifically with retrofitting energy saving measures and The Green Deal since 2009.
It is Ball Contractors hope that all this hard work will enable them to gain a premier position in this market and when the consumer in Kent is looking to having Green Deal measures installed in their homes, they come to Ball Contractors first.

Ball Contractors Green Deal Assessment with the NICEIC

Today was B Ball Contractors second Green Deal Office and Practical Assessment and they successfully passed them with the NICEIC.

MD Matthew Ball says  'another great big thank you to Charlie Revell Quality Systems Administrator, Melanie Ball Quality Manager,  James Chapman Ball Contractors Electrical Qualified Supervisor and Mark Hawkins our Gas Supervisor, for all their efforts in producing another great PAS20:30 QMS and for their efforts today in their respective assessments.'

He also says 'Hopefully we will be on the Green Deal Orb in the not too distant future!'

Ball Contractors Green Deal Assessment with British Board of Agrément

Today was B Ball Contractors Green Deal Office Assessment.

They successfully passed their assessment with only 1 observation. The BBA Assessor complemented us by saying its the best Green Deal Assessment that he has seen so far.

Matthew Ball MD said 'a great big thank you to Charlie Revell Quality Systems Administrator, Melanie Ball Quality Manager and James Chapman Ball Contractors Electrical Qualified Supervisor for all their efforts in producing a very good PAS20:30 QMS and for their efforts today in the assessment.'

Their second Green Deal Accreditation Body the NICEIC, will be at their head office to carry out their 2nd Green Deal Assessment on Friday.

Greenov Energy Fair County Square Ashford Kent 19th January 2013

Saturday 19th January 2013 will see us showcase our interactive exhibition featuring the exciting new government incentive- ‘The Green Deal’.  Ball Contractors are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners ABC, Greenov, Travis Perkins, Structherm, Toriga Energy, Benchmarx, Donaldson’s and local businesses, offering shoppers green and economic improvements for their properties.  This week has been busy at Ball HQ in Ashford, with The Green Deal Installer Company team prepping their ‘dolls house’ model that will be used to give examples to consumers about the kind of choices available to them.

The event will run all day but from 9–5pm  and TV presenter Kaddy Lee Preston will be on hand from Noon, to talk visitors through the exhibition stands, to encourage people to get involved and learn why it’s worth the effort to save energy.  We are hoping to get a nice picture with Kaddy on our stand!

So what is our involvement at Saturday’s fair?  It centres on ‘The Green Deal’, a government-backed incentive to help you increase the energy efficiency of your property by making positive changes to your home. Advice is available on what measures would work best for you from the experts at Ball’s ‘Green Deal Installer Company’ who are contactable on this site, or even better still, available at the Energy Fair to talk to face-to-face.  In addition, shoppers are invited to come and explore our inter-active model of a room in a home, to see what the Green Deal Measures look and feel like at first hand!

This is an exciting event for people living in the area, where they can find out more from our team, alongside the other exhibitors, about how they may be eligible for grants to improve the efficiency of their homes.  Our aim is to make this simple, show people what it looks like with our model and ultimately help people save money and energy, while at the same time creating work opportunities for local people.  With energy bills rising and demand ever increasing, this event in the County Square aims to give you commonsense ideas on how to save money while at the same time being more energy efficient.