Retrofit assessor, coordinator and designer: roles explained

Retrofit projects involve several professional roles. On small projects one business may provide more than one of them; on funded projects, the roles are defined formally by PAS 2035:2023. Understanding who is responsible for what helps you commission the right services and avoid gaps.

The main roles at a glance

Role	Main responsibility	Commonly cited qualification
Retrofit advisor	Initial advice to the householder about retrofit and the process	Varies by scheme
Retrofit assessor	Records the dwelling, its condition and occupancy; carries out the energy assessment	Level 4 Award in Domestic Retrofit Assessment, usually alongside Domestic Energy Assessor competence
Retrofit coordinator	Manages the retrofit process and technical risk from assessment to evaluation	Level 5 Diploma in Retrofit Coordination and Risk Management
Retrofit designer	Designs and specifies measures, including details and ventilation	Depends on project risk path and complexity
Installer	Installs measures to the design and relevant standards	Measure-specific; PAS 2030 certification or MCS where schemes require
Retrofit evaluator	Evaluates outcomes after installation where required	Depends on scheme and evaluation level

Retrofit assessor

The assessor gathers impartial information about the home. Their job is to record accurately, not to recommend specific products. Their output feeds every later decision, so its quality matters.

Retrofit coordinator

The coordinator is responsible for the project as a whole. They review the assessment, evaluate improvement options, prepare a medium-term improvement plan, decide what level of design input the project needs, and check that risks are addressed as the work progresses. Where a scheme requires lodgement – for example through TrustMark – it is carried out by the retrofit coordinator.

The coordinator is not automatically a project manager or contract administrator. Programming trades, managing the site and administering the building contract are separate roles unless they are expressly agreed.

Retrofit designer

The designer turns the plan into specifications and details – what will be installed and how it connects to the rest of the building. The level of design depends on the project’s risk: simple measures on a straightforward house need less than internal wall insulation on a listed building.

Installer

Installers carry out the work and are responsible for workmanship. On funded schemes they typically need to be certified to PAS 2030 or MCS for the relevant measure and registered with TrustMark.

Why keep the roles distinct?

• Impartiality. Advice on what to install is more trustworthy when it is independent of who sells or installs it.
• Accountability. Clear responsibilities make it obvious who resolves each issue.
• Risk. A coordinator looking across all measures can spot interactions an individual installer might miss.

Individual qualifications versus company accreditation

A qualification belongs to the person who holds it. A scheme registration, such as TrustMark, belongs to the business. When comparing providers, ask who will carry out each role, what their qualification is, and which business holds any registration being relied on.

Sources and further reading