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Home Upgrade Checklist

Get a tailored shortlist of high-value upgrades for your home, ordered by typical payback.

Short answer

The right order for a UK home retrofit (per PAS 2035): 1) Airtightness & ventilation, 2) Loft + cavity insulation, 3) Glazing if single-glazed, 4) Heating controls, 5) Solar PV, 6) Heat pump or new boiler, 7) Battery storage. Doing it in this "fabric first" order avoids oversizing the heating system and maximises savings per pound spent.
Step 1 of 10%

Your property

Calculation method, coverage and version

Inputs used
Property age, Current EPC band, Main heating.
Calculation approach
The calculator applies the rules and assumptions described in “How it works” to the values you enter. Rounding can cause small differences from an official or provider calculation.
Coverage
Home Grants & Energy. UK nations, tax treatment, local rules and provider criteria can differ; check the official sources shown below before acting.
Content version
No page-specific review date is currently published. Treat the result as indicative and verify current rules independently.
Not included unless explicitly requested: personal circumstances not entered, provider discretion, future rule changes, professional fees and case-specific exceptions. Read the full calculator methodology.

Primary sources and official verification

Use these official sources to verify current rules before acting. Coverage and dates can differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

See the sitewide source policy.

How it works

The checklist takes your home's current state and produces a prioritised 3-stage plan (quick wins, mid-term, long-term) with rough costs and grant routes for each measure. It uses PAS 2035 sequencing to avoid common mistakes — like installing a heat pump before insulating, then needing to upsize radiators a year later.

Worked example

Band D 1980s 3-bed semi: Stage 1 (£500) — loft top-up, draught-proofing, smart thermostat. Stage 2 (£3,000) — cavity wall, MVHR extract fans, A-rated boiler. Stage 3 (£10,000 net) — heat pump + solar + battery. Final EPC: B; bills cut by 60%.

Who should use this

  • •Anyone planning a 5–10 year retrofit journey
  • •Homeowners deciding what to do first
  • •Landlords planning to hit MEES band C
  • •Buyers of older homes pricing future works

Common mistakes

  • ×Heat pump before insulation — oversizes the system and wastes money
  • ×Skipping ventilation when airtightening — causes condensation and mould
  • ×Replacing a working boiler too early — wait until the end of its life
  • ×Forgetting to update the EPC after each measure

Frequently asked questions

What is PAS 2035?▾

The UK standard for whole-house retrofit. It requires a coordinator to plan measures in the right order to avoid unintended consequences.

Do I need a retrofit coordinator?▾

Required for ECO4 and most government-funded works. Optional but valuable for self-funded deep retrofits over £20k.

Can I do it all at once?▾

Yes if budget allows — a single retrofit project is more efficient and avoids repeated disruption.

Related calculators

EPC Improvement Planner →ECO4 Scheme Checker →Heat Pump Cost Calculator →Insulation Grant Checker →