Despite the crisis, professionals specializing in energy renovation work are showing optimism

Hellio, a benchmark player in energy management and helloArtisan, a platform for connecting individuals and building professionals, wanted to take the pulse of the activity of professionals.

Analysis of the major trends that emerge: drop in turnover, shortage of materials, price of quotes, diversification of their activity and needs to sustain their activity, etc.

Survey methodology

Survey conducted online between July 1 and September 9, 2022 among building professionals throughout France to which 122 people responded.
The profile of the respondents concerns a majority of RGE-qualified VSEs specializing in energy renovation work.

The activity of building professionals disrupted by the energy and geopolitical situation

First observation: 70% of respondents say they have noticed a drop in their turnover, this even reaching 44% for some craftsmen! An economic deterioration which is explained in particular by the increase in estimates for households, considered as a brake on their signature by 73% of craftsmen.

The majority of craftsmen (78%) have indeed been forced to increase their prices, reflecting the drop in premiums for Energy Savings Certificates (CEE) in the 1st half of 2022 coupled with inflation affecting the building sector. , a consequence of Covid-19 and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict: rising cost of raw materials, supply problems, etc.

The revaluation of quotes remains moderate, however, mostly between 5% and 15%, i.e. slightly below the current trend: according to the FFB, as of July 28, 2022, the increase in averages suffered is 15% to 25% over the all building trades.

78% of craftsmen suffer from the shortage of materials: break in the supply chain of Chinese components during the health crisis, amplified by the war in Ukraine impacting the production of joinery, metal, zinc, aluminum alloys.

State aid neglected by craftsmen

Apart from the difficulty of supplying materials that the health crisis has caused, it has had very little impact on the activity of professionals, quite the contrary! Only 24% of craftsmen have used the Loan Guaranteed by the State (24%). For those who have used it, the sum represents less than 15% of their turnover (55%).

Indeed, Covid-19 has allowed households to reveal their needs in terms of carrying out work, resulting in sustained activity.

Craftsmen confident in the future: 1/3 of craftsmen note an increase in requests for work

Despite this gloomy context, artisans remain optimistic.

Despite the crisis in Ukraine, nearly 1/3 of respondents noted an increase in demand for work, a boomerang effect of individuals becoming aware of taking the lead in the energy transition?

For Arthur Bernagaud, director of Hellio solutions for residential and building professionals: “Renovation and energy efficiency are sustainable solutions for real energy savings. Hellio encourages and supports households in this direction and supports its partner craftsmen, essential links in energy renovation. We play a supporting role for construction companies that we help to bring themselves into compliance, as well as to detect deposits, new markets and interesting opportunities for a professional. Hellio also advances aid to individuals, a brake on the start of work for many of them. »

Another interesting lesson: global renovation finally seems to be becoming a priority choice for households (55%), positive news in terms of the savings it generates. The other types of work most often requested concern heating technologies currently benefiting from an additional State boost of 1.000 euros (MaPrimeRénov'): heat pump (42%) and wood pellet boiler (24 %).

The end of MaPrimeRénov' for the replacement of a gas boiler on December 31, 2022 did not arouse any surge in demand from consumers. The geopolitical context and the rise in energy prices unfavorable to gas have undoubtedly contributed to transferring demand to other heating methods.

The numerous regulatory changes do not seem to be perceived as a hindrance for craftsmen, they rather represent an opportunity: nearly 40% of craftsmen declare that they want to develop their professions, a guarantee of the desire to perpetuate the good health of their activity, and this despite an effort of financial investment and a need for training.

Craftsmen favor the heat pump (53%) and overall renovation (47%). A result in line with the demands of individuals.

Another positive signal: the diversification of the company's activity is the solution favored by 45% of craftsmen to cope with the drop in their turnover, ahead of the dismissal of staff (31%).

To sustain their activity, building professionals express several needs. At the top of the ranking, 55% of them expect more customers. Logical consequence: 42% want more aid to finance energy renovation work, the cost of the site is a brake on its signature.

The need for financing solutions is also acclaimed by 37% of craftsmen, hence the interest for professionals to be accompanied by partners with financial solidity in order to be able to advance aid for energy renovation.

Experimentation with third-party financing of global renovation under study at Hellio

The Hellio R&D teams are working on experimenting with a new economic model for financing large-scale global renovations: third-party financing of global renovation.

Based on an October 2020 note from France Strategy[1], it would be a question of deploying “assembly operators”, i.e. structures capable of pre-financing all the work to reduce energy consumption. Once the work has been completed, the gain made on the energy bill will be recovered by the operator on a monthly basis, until full reimbursement of the advances on the energy saving work carried out.

An economic model which thus makes it possible to remove the financial brake of the remainder to be paid and that of the inefficiency of the financed works. Two experimental projects, both in individual houses and in condominiums, are about to be launched by Hellio in 2022.

[1] https://www.strategie.gouv.fr/sites/strategie.gouv.fr/files/atoms/files/fs-2020-na95-renovation-energetique-logements-octobre_0.pdf