What Skills Do Retrofit Contractors Actually Need?

Retrofit work is growing quickly, but there is still plenty of confusion about what makes somebody competent to carry it out. A new CITB skills plan aims to make the training route clearer. It does not introduce a new legal requirement or mandatory qualification, but it is a useful reminder that attending a course is only one part of competence.

Why is everyone talking about retrofit skills?

Domestic retrofit is becoming everyday construction work.

Builders are increasingly being asked to install insulation, improve ventilation, replace heating systems and upgrade windows and doors. This work may look straightforward, but changes to one part of a building can affect another.

Insulation installed without considering ventilation can contribute to condensation and mould. Using unsuitable materials on a traditional solid-wall property can trap moisture. Poorly detailed work around cavities, fire stopping or service penetrations can create wider safety problems.

The question is not simply whether somebody holds a certificate. It is whether they understand the measure, the building and what could go wrong.

What has CITB announced?

On 8 July 2026, CITB and the Federation of Master Builders launched a new Repair, Maintenance and Improvement Sector Skills Plan.

CITB says domestic repair, maintenance and retrofit represents a £40.7 billion market covering more than 30 million UK homes. Its research found that training is fragmented, demand for retrofit skills is inconsistent and employers do not always have clear competence standards to work towards.

The new plan has £3.8 million allocated to training strategies and projects covering domestic retrofit and traditional buildings. Its aims include:

• making retrofit training easier to understand;
• creating clearer standards for workers and employers;
• improving practical competence across the industry; and
• directing funding towards training that businesses genuinely need.

It is important to be clear about what this means. This is an industry skills plan, not a change in the law. It has not created a new retrofit card, licence or qualification.

What it does show is where the industry is heading. Clients and principal contractors will increasingly expect better evidence that workers are competent for the particular measure and building type.

Who needs to pay attention?

The plan is relevant to anyone involved in domestic improvement and energy-efficiency work, including:

• builders and specialist subcontractors;
• insulation, roofing, glazing and ventilation installers;
• heating and low-carbon technology contractors;
• supervisors and contracts managers;
• retrofit assessors, designers and coordinators;
• social landlords and local authorities; and
• businesses tendering for funded retrofit programmes.

Smaller contractors should not assume this only applies to national schemes. Ordinary private retrofit and refurbishment work is still subject to the relevant health and safety and building regulations.

What does the law already require?

Under CDM 2015, contractors must have the skills, knowledge and experience needed to carry out their work safely.

They must also make sure the people they appoint have the right skills, knowledge, experience and training. Someone who is still gaining these must receive suitable supervision.

The HSE’s guidance for contractors explains that the level of competence required should match the complexity of the work and the risks involved.

In England, building regulations dutyholders carrying out design or building work must have the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours. Businesses must also have suitable systems, resources and supervision in place. The Building Safety Regulator’s dutyholder guidance describes this as organisational capability.

These are existing legal duties. They do not depend on the new CITB plan.

Is completing a course enough?

Usually, no.

Training is important, but somebody still needs to show that they can apply what they have learned. That takes relevant experience, practical assessment and, where necessary, supervision.

For example, an installer may be experienced in fitting insulation to modern cavity-wall houses. That does not automatically mean they understand moisture movement, ventilation and suitable materials in an older solid-wall property.

A supervisor should be looking at:

• relevant qualifications and training;
• experience of comparable work;
• familiarity with the building type;
• manufacturer or system-specific training;
• understanding of moisture, ventilation and fire risks;
• the person’s ability to recognise when something is wrong; and
• whether further supervision is required.

A certificate can support this assessment. It should not replace it.

Where does PAS 2035 fit in?

PAS 2035 provides a structured approach to domestic energy retrofit. It covers the assessment, design, coordination, installation and evaluation of work using a whole-house approach.

It is commonly required on government-funded programmes, alongside relevant PAS 2030, TrustMark or MCS requirements.

PAS 2035 is not legislation and is not automatically mandatory for every privately funded home improvement. However, it may be a contractual requirement, particularly where public funding is involved.

Current government proposals for home-upgrade schemes also point towards clearer competence frameworks and stronger accountability for retrofit professionals.

Before starting work, check what the contract and funding conditions require. Do not assume that the requirements are the same on every project.

What should contractors do now?

Start by listing the roles involved in your retrofit work. For each role, decide what training, technical knowledge and practical experience are needed.

This can be recorded in a simple competence matrix covering:

• the work the person is allowed to undertake;
• required qualifications or manufacturer training;
• relevant experience;
• work they have completed under supervision;
• any limits on their role; and
• when their competence will be reviewed.

Use construction and in-house training to address genuine gaps rather than sending everyone on the same generic course.

Supervisors also need enough knowledge to recognise poor preparation, unsuitable materials and departures from the design. Workplace-based supervisory and management NVQs can help experienced supervisors demonstrate their wider management competence, although measure-specific training may still be needed.

Keep practical evidence. This might include photographs, supervised-work records, manufacturer certificates, quality inspections, toolbox talks and examples of completed projects.

Mistakes we regularly see

Assuming a card covers everything

A card or qualification may demonstrate competence within a defined occupation. It does not prove that somebody understands every retrofit system or building type.

Using the same approach on every property

A modern cavity-wall house and a traditional solid-wall property may require completely different materials, details and controls.

Confusing PAS requirements with legislation

PAS 2035 may be compulsory under a particular contract or funding scheme without being a general legal requirement for all retrofit work.

Forgetting about other trades

Insulation, ventilation, heating, fire stopping and moisture management affect each other. Changes should be coordinated rather than left to individual trades to resolve on site.

Giving trainees too much freedom

Newly trained workers need suitable supervision until they can demonstrate that they are able to work safely and correctly without it.

Reusing generic RAMS

Risk assessments and method statements should reflect the property, occupants, materials, access arrangements and actual sequence of work.

Our Professional View

The best competence checks are based on the work somebody will actually be doing.

Ask for examples of similar projects. Discuss the problems they encountered and how they dealt with them. Check whether they understand the limits of their own knowledge.

A genuinely competent person should be able to spot when the property does not match the survey or design. They should also be prepared to stop and ask for advice rather than quietly improvising.

Where a business does not have the necessary knowledge in-house, independent health and safety consultancy or site-audit support can help identify gaps before they become defects or incidents.

Retrofit competence checklist

List the roles involved in the work.

Define the competence needed for each activity.

Check experience on comparable buildings and systems.

Separate legal duties from contract and funding requirements.

Record qualifications, training and practical evidence.

Set limits for people who are still gaining experience.

Assign a named supervisor where required.

Review asbestos, moisture, ventilation, fire and structural information.

Check how different trades and measures will interact.

Update the RAMS when conditions or designs change.

Review competence after defects, inspections or changes in standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do retrofit installers need an NVQ?

There is no single legal requirement for every retrofit installer to hold an NVQ. The appropriate qualification depends on the work, contract, card scheme and funding programme. Employers must still make sure the installer is competent for the actual task.

Is PAS 2035 a legal requirement?

PAS 2035 is not legislation. It is a recognised retrofit specification that is generally required on relevant government-funded energy-efficiency schemes. A private client can also make it a contractual requirement.

What does competence mean under CDM 2015?

For contractors, it means having the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the work, together with training where required. The expected level should reflect the complexity and risks of the job.

Does a training certificate prove competence?

Not by itself. It is useful evidence, but practical experience, workplace assessment and the ability to apply the training should also be considered.

Does CDM apply to domestic retrofit work?

Retrofit, refurbishment, maintenance and home-improvement activities can fall within construction work under CDM 2015. On domestic projects, the client’s duties will normally pass to the contractor or principal contractor under the arrangements set out in CDM.

What competence records should contractors keep?

Useful evidence includes qualifications, training certificates, previous project records, workplace assessments, supervised-work logs, manufacturer training, CPD and quality inspections.

Need help reviewing your team’s competence?

If you are unsure whether your current qualifications, training records and practical assessments match the work your team is carrying out, speak to All Star Safety.

We can help you identify training gaps, discuss suitable courses or workplace-based NVQs, and arrange a consultancy call where more detailed support is needed.

Email: info@allstarsafety.co.uk
Phone: 01473 561 402