Just had a re-read of the whole thread.
The NEF one day course is 299+vat for the "early bird" one day course. Plus a days wages, possible night in a travellodge and diesel. Then a lot of work on evenings and weekends (in other words time when not earning) to finalise QMS and prep for an audit.
Your way is £1100 - 1200 as stated to Dontknowitall in an earlier post. You say Seminar is not a requirement. As your product is bespoke to the individual business how many hours are required from the individual business for yourselves to be able to create the bespoke package?
Renewables are the way to go, especially where I am, very limited gas, solid fuel and oil are the predominant fuels. Already I have had one customer drop the oil boiler for an electric combi (not my choice). If you are correct in what you have said earlier with regard to the material costs plummetting all well and good.
But, I am a sole trader in what appears to be a very similiar position to many who contribute on here and as such the costs involved in gaining MCS accreditation play a major role in when / if you would decide to proceed. I am lucky (Business is very good at the minute and the foreseable future)to be in the position where I can invest some time and money into achieving this, hopefully by the end of the year.
However I would find it of greater benefit to myself to go down the route of the NEF course. Yes it's cheaper and the risks of a failed assessment are greater but the amount of time I will have to put into this on my own, will mean I will know the process inside out, something that I would hope would be apparent to an assessor. I would find this of greater benefit than having it handed to me on a plate and having to refer questions and queries back to yourselves.
Hope this clears up where I have been coming from.
