From 10 to 100 Installs: How to Scale Faster

Installers

The low carbon retrofit industry is growing fast and the opportunity is real. In 2024 alone, more than 260,000 MCS-certified installations were completed, with heat pumps up growing over 40% year-on-year.

Yet scratch beneath the surface, and a surprising story emerges for new entrants to the industry (installers who submitted their first BUS grant in the last 6 months prior to Feb 2025). Less than 10% of new heat pump installers accounted for over 50% of installations during the same six-month period, or in order words, 90% of all new installers failed to make up half the number of heat pumps installed in the same 6 month period. The demand is there but too many businesses are not scaling fast enough to meet it. If you’re an MCS-certified installer wondering how to grow sustainably and get your share of the market, here are five core areas to focus on today.

1. Stay Up to Date: Know What’s Coming, Not Just What’s Required

2025 will mark the rollout of MCS 2025, a new set of standards with an increased focus on delivered quality. It should create a shift toward outcome-based assurance not tick boxing, and it should raise the bar for compliance and performance.

Top-performing installers we spoke to are already speaking to their certification bodies to:

  • Understand implementation timelines
  • Get support through the transition
  • Ensure internal processes are future-ready

If you’re not getting that level of support, it may be time to switch. Certification bodies like The IAA can onboard new installers in as little as 12 days, making change easier than many expect.

2. Manage Leads Effectively: Filter for Quality, Not Just Quantity

Getting leads isn’t the problem. Turning them into paying jobs and knowing where they come from is. That’s where effective CRM and marketing discipline make the difference:

  • Track leads from inquiry to invoice
  • Identify which sources deliver real revenue (not just noise)
  • Diversify your pipeline if it’s too reliant on one source

Renbee’s CRM was built specifically for low-carbon installers. It tracks conversion rates, lead value, and even lets you categorise sources like developers or contractors so you know what’s working and what needs adjusting.

In addition to this, don’t overlook your website. Many installers lose out on organic traffic simply because their sites aren’t optimised for search. Getting started with basic SEO doesn’t require a huge investment (see SEO useful tips), but it can pay long-term dividends. Providing useful content about what you do, how you operate and what are some of the pros and cons of different technologies you offer is also an effective filtering mechanism to get to more serious homewoners.

3. Optimise Your Supply Chain: Price Is Just the Starting Point

In today’s market, flexibility and reliability matter as much as price. With inflation, interest rates, and global supply chain volatility all in play, selling at today’s price but installing at tomorrow’s cost is a real risk.

Smart installers are:

  • Locking in prices via contracts where possible
  • Quoting with live pricing tools
  • Thinking beyond discounts to full delivery performance

Ask your suppliers for OTIF (On-Time, In-Full) metrics—and demand a commitment, especially on large contracts. A 5–10% discount won’t matter if delays lead to paying standby labour. Always ask what happens when OTIF targets are missed. Is there an escalation process and penalty to avoid repeat OTIF failure? 

4. Protect Your Business: Insurance Is Not a Checkbox

As your operation grows, so do your risks. Having the right level and type of cover is essential not just for MCS compliance, but for your long-term sustainability and client assurance.

Questions to ask:

  • Do you have the right type of liability cover?
  • Are you overpaying for excess or under-covered on exclusions?
  • Are your subcontractors and admin processes protected?

An FCA-approved insurer or broker can help you evaluate your cover properly and get it right the first time, not after you need it.

5. Streamline Your Workflow: Admin Is Where Growth Stalls

The most common bottleneck in a growing installation business? The paperwork.

Every job involves dozens of process steps from DNO applications, MCS uploads, commissioning reports, planning approvals through to the customer. Some installers manage this with large admin teams (costly), others with bespoke in-house CRMs (complex and hard to maintain), and many more with outdated platforms or patchwork software stacks.

Renbee’s installer platform is designed to meet businesses where they are:

  • Customisable workflows that grow with your team
  • Integration-ready via APIs and Zapier to sync with your existing tools
  • Constantly evolving in line with industry needs and standards

The goal isn’t a silver bullet platform. The goal is clarity, where are your bottlenecks? Whether it’s in design, DNO applications, or invoicing, fix the process first. Then choose tools that fit your business and budget.

Want a free walkthrough? Register here and one of the team will show you how Renbee could work for your business.

Final Thought: Off-Site Efficiency Is Your Growth Engine

The installation side of your business may already be top-notch but if your back office can’t keep up, you’ll struggle to grow and possibly risk burnout. Successful installers have a growth mindset and ask how they will get from 0-10 then 10-100 and before you know it, 100+ versus those that want to try and see how it goes, having a clear ambition and planning for growth rarely fails to win.

Do now! Set aside one hour this week to review your workflow. Where do you lose time? Where do jobs get stuck? Don’t just look at what’s frustrating, focus on what’s slowing growth or increasing costs. Then ask: Is there a fix?

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If you want help thinking this through, email support@renbee.co.uk we’re here to support installers that are serious about scaling.

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