People Powered Retrofit

People Powered Retrofit We are a new, not-for-profit social enterprise providing a retrofit ‘One Stop Shop. Tackling climate change is the biggest challenge we face as a society.

Until now, there has been a lack of trusted, simple and affordable solutions to making our homes greener and more comfortable places to live. To date, retrofit offers have been seen as poor quality, cheap and have often been delivered by large, faceless and untrusted corporations. People Powered Retrofit is different. We are a new, not-for-profit social enterprise providing a retrofit ‘One Stop Sh

op’, a fee-based retrofit service for householders in Greater Manchester and beyond, offering clear, independent advice and support to help clients plan, procure and deliver their eco-refurbishment project to a high standard. We are ‘people powered’ a member-led organisation subscribing to co-operative principles, motivated by the challenge of tackling climate change and contributing to national and international carbon reduction targets. We believe we can tackle climate change through collective action and put our members at the centre of our development, involving them in formulating and testing our services. We offer a range of services to help clients achieve their retrofit goals including designing their project, helping them procure the best contractors; overseeing quality assurance and offering impartial, expert advice. Helping householders at every step of the way, we can manage the entire process or just help householders with specific phases. Our fees are designed to be with an eye on affordability to open up access to retrofit. Though a new organisation, our development is built on a pilot project, funded by the BEIS Retrofit Supply Chain pilot programme and support from the Friends Provident Foundation with the development overseen by a partnership between community energy organisation, Carbon Co-op and design and research cooperative, URBED (Urbanism Environment and Design) Ltd. People Powered Retrofit will be staffed by a mixture of workers seconded from these organisations and newly recruited staff.

Retrofit doesn’t actually start with scaffolding - as much as it might feel like it should!It starts much earlier, with ...
08/06/2026

Retrofit doesn’t actually start with scaffolding - as much as it might feel like it should!

It starts much earlier, with a clear project brief, an understanding of your goals, and a thorough survey of the home to inform a retrofit strategy.

Knowing what repairs, maintenance and improvements are needed (and in what order) helps you target investment wisely, avoid duplicated work, and get better outcomes.

We regularly hear from homeowners halfway through a project asking for help. By then, some opportunities have already been missed.

That’s where we come in. Start with a Home Retrofit Planner survey with us, and let us help you develop a retrofit roadmap that means you can get work done.

Book a call in with us. Talk to us about your project.

Passivhaus curious? 💡🏡Join our upcoming short webinar with Hannah Dixon, Chartered Architext and Certified Passivhaus De...
14/05/2026

Passivhaus curious? 💡🏡

Join our upcoming short webinar with Hannah Dixon, Chartered Architext and Certified Passivhaus Designer, exploring the Passivhaus approach to retrofit and low carbon buildings.

📍 online, 21 May 2026 17:30-18:30

🔗 in bio!

This webinar is in partnership with the Feel the Benefit Home Assessment Services Hub from Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

We’ve seen a few weeks now of much nicer weather in the North West of the UK, and while that’s great for our weekends an...
29/04/2026

We’ve seen a few weeks now of much nicer weather in the North West of the UK, and while that’s great for our weekends and washing lines, we’re seeing more clients coming to us asking:

‘How can I make sure that my home stays cool in the summer as well as warm in the winter?’

Both seasons can cause huge problems for comfort in British houses. As temperatures in the UK begin to soar every spring and summer, retrofit is increasingly having to contend with overheating as well as dealing with cold and draughty homes.

So how do you solve it?

By speaking to us!

We can help you clarify exactly what is needed to make your home more comfortable for your family - in ALL weathers.
We can help you make the right decisions at the right time - so you’re not wasting money or effort.
We can give you the right advice when you need it.

All our services start with a Home Retrofit Plan Survey, based on you, your home, your needs and your budget.

Clients often come to us with questions - LOTS of questions - having already done a lot of research.We know there’s so m...
14/04/2026

Clients often come to us with questions - LOTS of questions - having already done a lot of research.

We know there’s so much information out there, fragmented, full of contradiction and loaded with opinions, that it often becomes difficult to decipher what’s right and what’s just….someone’s agenda.

So how do you make the right decisions for your home?

❔How do you figure out what measures will improve issues rather than make them worse?
❔What’s actually going to be good value for money, and what’s just a sales tactic?
👀…and is ChatGPT just making up random nonsense about retrofit?

We work with householders across the North West of England, supporting you in creating a strategy for retrofit that will achieve your goals and help you to live exactly as you’d like in your home.

👉We are unbiased, and don’t want to sell you a particular system or particular measure.

👉We are a community benefit society - using our knowledge to help further carbon reduction in homes for a fairer, cleaner and more comfortable future.

✅If you’re planning a home retrofit and want to work with us to create a coherent, whole-house strategy, get in touch.

🌼 Spring heralds in the big clean…After Easter and the bank holidays, many of us are opening windows, clearing out clutt...
07/04/2026

🌼 Spring heralds in the big clean…

After Easter and the bank holidays, many of us are opening windows, clearing out clutter, and taking a good look at our homes. It’s often the time when we begin to notice the little things that have built up over the year:

the draught by the window, the room that’s too cold to be used for anything other than storage, the boiler that’s always on the blink, the issues with allergies, the persistent mould problem.

Spring is a chance to reset… but it’s also a chance to start thinking a bit more holistically about how our homes are performing.

Because those little frustrations are often signs of bigger things happening behind the scenes: things that retrofit is designed to address.

So while you’re taking stock this season, it might be the perfect time to ask:
👉 What do I actually want from my home?
Warmer rooms, a lower carbon footprint, healthier air? Maybe figuring out how best to integrate a kitchen or extension without making your house colder?

Let us help you figure out what needs to be done, in what order and at what cost.

🏡 Retrofit isn’t just about upgrades. It’s about creating a home that works better for you.

17/03/2026

Why is ‘people’ part of retrofit so important?

Our surveyor Mark talks a bit more about the importance of putting people at the heart of retrofit. Two identical houses on the same street could have wildly different retrofit strategies - and it’s important to ensure families needs, priorities and wants are not forgotten when producing a survey and energy efficiency roadmap.

Did you know that we’re a community benefit society? We’re a cooperative working towards benefiting society through the ...
26/02/2026

Did you know that we’re a community benefit society? We’re a cooperative working towards benefiting society through the decarbonisation of homes!

But what does that actually mean? And where does your money go when you take on one of our home retrofit surveys and services? Read more on our blog at the 🔗 in our bio…. It’s a big part of who we are and it guides everything we do.

And if you liked this you'll love the feature on Gogglebox! 😂
17/02/2026

And if you liked this you'll love the feature on Gogglebox! 😂

A retrofit survey isn’t an expensive to-do list, it’s a developed plan that takes into consideration your lifestyle, you...
16/02/2026

A retrofit survey isn’t an expensive to-do list, it’s a developed plan that takes into consideration your lifestyle, your needs, your future plans, and shows you what’s possible for your home.

If you want to:
✅ Understand what measures will actually work in your home
✅ Know where to start in making your home more comfortable
✅ Figure out how to stage work to prevent costly do-overs or expensive installations
✅ Sort out problem areas or rooms in your house
✅ Work out what makes sense to fix now, and what can wait until later
✅ Ensure your plans make sense
✅ Integrate energy efficiency plans into your extension or remodel
✅ Avoid and mitigate risk
✅ Gain clear, unbiased advice from a non-profit organisation

….a retrofit survey is probably for you.

Get in touch and have a chat with our team!

🚨 Did you catch us on the TV the other night? 🚨Guy Martin’s House Without Bills on Channel 4 has been a roaring success,...
11/02/2026

🚨 Did you catch us on the TV the other night? 🚨

Guy Martin’s House Without Bills on Channel 4 has been a roaring success, showcasing (and championing) the energy efficiency and retrofit work possible in British homes. Filmed with many of our friends, colleagues and collaborators in Manchester, the team have managed to unpick a lot of myths and fly the flag for warmer, more comfortable housing with less energy.

Our board member and surveyor Gervase Mangwana even wore his People Powered Retrofit hoody to elevate our profile a bit more! Did you spot us?

Catch up can be found on Channel 4 - but if it’s sparked some questions in you, why not get in touch?

Address

22a Beswick Street
Manchester
M47HR

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441618260141

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