What you need to get a commercial EPC quote
Updated 19 October 2026 · SEO Dons Editorial
Why do assessors ask for details before quoting?
Because the building sets the price. GOV.UK says the cost of an EPC depends on the building being assessed, and that the type of assessor needed depends on the complexity and features of the building. Government guidance adds that the cost is likely to vary with the size, location and age of the building.
There is also a legal angle. Under the 2012 regulations, an EPC only counts as commissioned when a request goes to an assessor accredited for that category of building and contains the information usually needed to produce a certificate. A clear quote request is the first step towards that, and it lets each assessor confirm the right assessment level before pricing.
How much do floor area and building use matter?
Floor area is the starting point, and an approximate figure is enough for a quote. The legal measure is the total useful floor area, which the regulations define as the gross floor area measured in line with RICS guidance, and government guidance describes as the area of all enclosed spaces measured to the internal face of the external walls. The assessor will measure or check it, and the certificate shows an estimate of that area.
Use matters as much as size. The assessor models the building zone by zone, according to the activities in each zone, such as retail space, office space, kitchens or storage. Tell them what each floor or area is used for, and whether part of the building is a flat or other dwelling, because separate dwellings need their own domestic EPC.
If you know the building's authorised planning use class, include it. The non-domestic EPC conventions say the assessor is not responsible for establishing it, but will use it if it comes from a suitable source. Otherwise the building type is based on what the assessor sees on the day.
Two situations change the job and are worth flagging at the start:
- An unfitted unit. For a shell and core building, the EPC is based on the most energy-intensive fit-out allowed by Part L of the Building Regulations.
- Part of a building. Whether one EPC can cover several units depends partly on whether they share a common heating system or have independent ones.
Do you need plans or drawings?
Floor plans save time. The government guide says the zones and their dimensions may be readily provided from building plans, and that up-to-date information and plans make the process less time-consuming. Where there are no plans, the assessor has to survey the building and gather the information on site.
Plans do not replace the visit. Even where detailed plans exist for an existing building, the assessor must validate the information with a site inspection. For a new or recently altered building, send the "as built" drawings rather than design drawings: the conventions say it is not acceptable to rely on design documentation alone.
What should you say about heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting?
The services are what separate Level 3 from Level 4: government guidance says heating, ventilation and air conditioning are currently the only distinction between those two levels. A short description therefore helps an assessor quote accurately. The government guide lists the information required, including the heating and ventilation services for each zone (the type of system, metering, controls and fuel used) and the lighting and its controls.
| What to tell the assessor | Why it matters for the quote |
|---|---|
| Boiler type and total output | Simple boiler systems under 100kW are a Level 3 characteristic; the guidance treats two linked 75kW boilers as Level 4 |
| Any air conditioning, and its type | Small comfort cooling up to 12kW is Level 3; multi-split, VRF and central air conditioning are Level 4 |
| How the building is ventilated | Opening windows and basic extract-only ventilation are Level 3 characteristics; other mechanical ventilation can mean Level 4 |
| Lighting type and controls | Lighting is part of the rating and has to be recorded zone by zone |
| Atria, automatic blinds or unusual glazing | These features can mean a Level 5 dynamic simulation assessment |
You do not need model numbers for a quote. A sentence such as "gas boilers in a ground-floor plant room, split air conditioning in two offices, LED lighting throughout" gives an assessor most of what they need. The levels themselves are explained in SBEM Level 3 and 4 versus DSM.
Why do access and your deadline matter?
Say how the assessor will get in and who will meet them. The conventions expect assessors to make every effort to gain access to heating and cooling generators, and where details cannot be confirmed the assessor works on a worst-case basis. Roof plant, locked plant rooms and areas only reachable through a tenant's space are worth mentioning up front.
If the building is occupied, the law helps. Regulation 45 says everyone with an interest in, or in occupation of, the building must give the appointed energy assessor the access reasonably necessary to inspect it.
Give the date you are working to and the reason for the EPC, whether that is a sale, a letting, a new building or a check against the minimum standard for lettings. If you are selling or letting, the regulations require the EPC to be commissioned before the building is put on the market. You must then use all reasonable efforts to obtain it within 7 days of first marketing, with a further 21 days allowed if it cannot be obtained despite those efforts.
Should you check for an existing EPC first?
Before asking for quotes, search the government register. GOV.UK's Find an energy certificate service lets you search for business properties by postcode, street name and town, or certificate number.
A commercial EPC is valid for 10 years from lodgement and can be reused within that period, so a valid certificate for the same accommodation may mean you do not need a new one. Where more than one exists, the most recent is the valid one. If the building has been refitted since, government guidance says an updated EPC would be preferable even where one is not strictly required. Tell the assessor the certificate number either way, because the earlier assessment shows what was recorded last time.
What should a quote request include?
- address and postcode
- approximate floor area, and whether it covers the whole building or one unit
- what each area is used for, and any flats in the building
- planning use class, if known
- floor plans, as-built drawings for newer buildings
- heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting in a sentence or two
- any atria, automatic blinds or unusual glazing
- access arrangements and whether tenants are in occupation
- why you need the EPC and the date you are working to
- the number of any existing EPC
You can send these details through the commercial EPC quote form. Requests made through the form are passed to companies that can carry out the assessment. For what affects the fee itself, see the cost guide, and for the visit that follows, see how to prepare your building for an assessment.
Sources
- Energy Performance Certificates for your business premises, GOV.UK, checked 19 October 2026
- Get a new energy certificate, GOV.UK, checked 19 October 2026
- Find an energy certificate, GOV.UK, checked 19 October 2026
- A guide to Energy Performance Certificates for the construction, sale and let of non-dwellings, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (GOV.UK), updated 11 December 2017, checked 19 October 2026
- The Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, regulation 2, legislation.gov.uk, checked 19 October 2026
- Regulation 7: energy performance certificates on marketing, legislation.gov.uk, checked 19 October 2026
- Regulation 9: energy performance certificates, legislation.gov.uk, checked 19 October 2026
- Regulation 45: duty to cooperate, legislation.gov.uk, checked 19 October 2026
- Non Domestic EPC Conventions for England and Wales, Issue 9, Non-Domestic EPC Conventions Group (published on the National Calculation Methodology website), checked 19 October 2026
Common questions
Do I need an exact floor area to ask for a quote?
No. An approximate figure is enough to start. The assessor measures or checks the total useful floor area, which the regulations define as the gross floor area measured in line with RICS guidance, and the certificate records an estimate of it.
What if there are no plans of the building?
The assessor surveys the building and gathers the information on site. Government guidance says up-to-date plans make the process less time-consuming, so a building without plans usually involves more survey work.
Does the building's location affect the quote?
It can. Government guidance says the cost of an EPC is likely to vary according to factors including the size, location and age of the building, and GOV.UK says the cost of an assessment varies by assessor and the size of the property.
Can one EPC cover several units in the same building?
Sometimes. Government guidance says that where a building has a common heating system, an EPC can be prepared for the whole building and used for any part when sold or let. Where units have independent heating, each unit generally needs its own EPC when it is sold or let.