Where are you located and do you travel?
How do I participate in New Jersey's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program or other programs?
Are the training and testing fees reimbursable through NJ's HP Program?
What do I need to do in order to get BPI certified?
What BPI certifications do you train and test for?
How much does it cost?
What about HERS Rater discounts?
How long does it take?
Where is the training?
What materials are required?
Do you accept credit cards?
Do I need my own equipment?
What's the difference between BPI certification and BPI accreditation?
Do you perform home energy audits?
What if I don't pass the test(s)?
Do you offer technical support?
What if my question is not on this list?
Where are you located and do you travel?
Refresh Homes is located in Newark, NJ in the Ironbound --great restaurants! We often travel to surrounding states for training and testing. Travel time is invoiced at the hourly rate of $125 per hour (for one-way time only) based on actual round-trip average; overnight stays are extra based on actual expenses.
How do I participate in New Jersey's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program or other programs?
Kelly Hansen is your contact for participating in NJ's HP Program. You must sign a Participation Agreement, go through an "orientation", and perform several other tasks. Your company must be BPI accredited. Other programs may have differing requirements and you must contact them directly for specifics.
Are the Refresh Homes' training and testing fees reimbursable through NJ's HP Program?
Only the BPI testing fees may be partially reimbursable (up to $375) through NJ's HP Program and only if you strictly follow the requirements as outlined by Kelly Hansen . Our training fees are currently not reimbursable.
What do I need to do in order to get BPI certified?
Basically, you need to apply, pass the written/online test and field test for each certification with a 70%. BPI does not offer or require prior training and we can certainly test you without training. We recommend that you know the BPI Standards for the applicable certifications and have a good understanding of the material in Residential Energy by Krigger and Dorsi. We recommend that you review BPI's policies and procedures for certification. It is your responsibility to acquire the knowledge necessary; training classes are not a guarantee of passing scores.
What BPI certifications do you train and test for?
Refresh Homes trains and tests for BPI's Building Analyst and Envelope Professional certifications. We offer the online testing for any BPI certification.
We also offer BPI-recognized Continuing Education sessions for those already BPI-certified.
How much does it cost?
Prepayment is required to reserve dates on our schedule.
BASE (BA and Shell/Envelope) Package $2500 plus travel: One-on-one custom training packages are available at a rate of $2500 per person for training and testing for two certifications. This price includes BPI testing fees (which may be reimbursable), use of our equipment for training and testing, several pre-training quizzes, an intensive 2 1/2 day training to review and clarify concepts, and one day of field training and testing.
Refresh Homes also offers individual written tests for $250 each and field tests for $400 each for those who wish to take the tests without our training or who need to re-test a failed prior test.
Travel fees for all options are invoiced via email at the hourly rate ($125) for one-way time based on actual round-trip average; overnight stays are extra.
You can instantly reserve dates on our Schedule page and complete the reservation with a credit card. It is a secure transaction through Paypal and we do not receive your credit card information. A complete BASE Package may require a Paypal verification of an account.
Optionally, payments may also be made by check or money order payable to "Refresh Homes" and sent to:
Refresh Homes
PO BOX 28035
Newark, NJ 07101-2482
Please let us know if you have sent payment so we can coordinate scheduling as soon as possible.
What about HERS Rater discounts?
We pass along any and all BPI's discounts to HERS Raters taking the Building Analyst online and field tests. Currently, HERS Raters get $50 off each BA test.
In order to receive this discount, you must send proof of the valid RESNET certification to BPI on or before the test date. The proof should be scanned and emailed to: certification@bpi.org. If they do not receive the proof of certification as of the test date, you will not be eligible for the discount.
We will refund any rater discounts along with final invoicing.
How long does it take?
In addition to how long it takes you to read Residential Energy and study the BPI Standards, our training (primarily review and clarification of concepts) takes approximately 3 1/2 consecutive days of training and testing. Optionally, you may choose to skip a day to practice with our rented equipment (or your own equipment) before the final day of testing. Additional or separate custom training is available at $125 per hour plus travel expenses.
BPI can take 3-6 weeks to grade the field tests; online test results are immediate.
Where is the training and testing?
"Classroom" training,
field training and testing is performed in a house that you provide. Optionally, you may train and take the written/online test at our facility in Newark. Field testing must be performed at a house provided by you. We highly recommend field training in a house you provide.
What materials are required?
We require that you read (and largely understand) Residential Energy by Krigger and Dorsi, the appropriate BPI Standards, and perform a few simple exercises PRIOR to the training.
We have equipment (blower door, etc.) available for training and testing.
Do you accept credit cards?
YES, finally. You can instantly reserve dates on our Schedule page and complete the reservation with a credit card. It is a secure transaction through Paypal and we do not receive your credit card information.
Optionally, payments may also be made by check or money order payable to "Refresh Homes" and sent to:
Refresh Homes
PO BOX 28035
Newark, NJ 07101-2482
Please let us know if you have sent payment so we can coordinate scheduling as soon as possible.
Do I need my own equipment?
We recommended that you have your own equipment (blower door, combustion analyzer, combustible gas sniffer, smoke pen, etc.), however we can provide equipment for training and testing. A contract is available for those wishing to rent equipment for limited time and based on availability for practice sessions.
What's the difference between BPI certification and BPI accreditation?
Individuals become BPI certified and companies become BPI accredited. Refresh Homes can provide all of the forms necessary for an individual's BPI certifications and a company's accreditation, review your applications, and submit them for you at our hourly rate.
Do you perform home energy audits?
We are not currently available for home energy audits; however, if you are located in NJ, the best deal right now is to schedule an audit through a contractor in NJ's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program. Please visit njcleanenergy.com or contact any contractor for more details about energy audits and other programs.
What if I don't pass the test(s)?
We only proctor the tests; BPI grades them. According to BPI, you may retake a test two times within a year; if you fail a third time you must wait a year and re-apply. You must wait a minimum of eight hours between taking the same online test. You must prepay for all tests; travel time will be invoiced. If you fail a field test, you must wait 3-6 weeks for the official notification from BPI before retesting.
If you fail a field test, you may purchase additional training or additional testing from Refresh Homes. We will not offer both due to a potential conflict of interest.
Do you offer technical support?
We offer technical support via email and telephone at our hourly rate of $125 per hour in 1/4 hour increments. We respond within 24 hours.
What if my question is not on this list?
For BPI-related questions, the answers are almost certainly somewhere on their site.
For NJ Home Performance with ENERGY STAR questions, Kelly Hansen is the contractor's contact person and there is information on their site.
For Refresh Homes questions, please send us specific questions!