Energy Performance Certificates in Crayford

Common property types

• Victorian and Edwardian terraces: Concentrated along Crayford Road, Old Road, and the streets around the town centre, these two- and three-bedroom terraced houses were built from solid 9-inch brick with no cavity wall. Many have had uPVC windows and new boilers fitted over the years, but the solid wall construction remains the dominant factor in their EPC rating. Most score E or F without additional work, and solid wall insulation is the main recommendation that comes up on assessments.
• 1930s semi-detached in Barnehurst: The area around Barnehurst Road and the streets east of Crayford town centre developed heavily between the wars. These three-bedroom semis have cavity walls, making them good candidates for insulation if it hasn't already been installed. Many have had rear extensions added, which we assess separately. Loft insulation is often present but sometimes inadequate. topping up to 270mm is a quick win.
• 1950s and 1960s council-built housing: Postwar development brought semi-detached and terraced council housing to parts of Crayford. These properties vary considerably depending on whether they've been modernised. Some still have the original electric storage heaters, which score significantly worse than gas central heating in RDSAP calculations and are one of the most common causes of E and F ratings in this stock.
• Barnehurst bungalows: A pocket of detached and semi-detached bungalows in the Barnehurst area, mostly built in the 1950s and 1960s. Single-storey construction means accessible loft spaces that are straightforward to insulate. Many have had rear extensions with flat roofs that the assessor records separately.
• Converted flats above shops: Along Crayford Road and near the town centre, some commercial properties have residential flats above. These often have non-standard heating arrangements and shared walls with the commercial unit below. Each self-contained flat needs its own EPC when let or sold.
• Newer riverside and development properties: More recent development near the River Cray has added a number of modern flats and houses built to current building regulations. These typically achieve C or B ratings thanks to high insulation standards and efficient heating systems.

Typical EPC issues we find in Crayford

• Solid walls in Victorian terraces: The pre-1920s terraced houses along Crayford Road have no cavity to insulate. Internal or external wall insulation is the main route to improvement, though external insulation is rarely practical on a mid-terrace due to boundary constraints. Internal insulation reduces room sizes slightly but can shift a property from E to D or C.
• Electric storage heaters in ex-council stock: Economy 7 storage heaters score poorly under RDSAP methodology. Replacing them with gas central heating. where a gas supply is available. or modern electric panel heaters with individual thermostatic controls can make a significant difference to the EPC rating.
• Flat-roof extensions on 1930s semis: Rear extensions with flat roofs are common across Barnehurst. These often have minimal insulation compared to the main pitched roof and are recorded as a separate roof element in the assessment, pulling the overall insulation score down.
• Mixed window types: Many Crayford properties have had some but not all windows replaced over the years. A house with uPVC double glazing at the front but original single-glazed windows at the rear scores worse than one that has been fully upgraded. The assessor records each window type separately.
• Unfilled cavity walls in 1930s semis: Many Barnehurst semis have never had their cavity walls filled despite being straightforward candidates. Cavity wall insulation is one of the cheapest and most effective improvements available, and is often cited in the recommendations section of an EPC alongside its estimated cost and rating impact.