With the 50% home energy price increase, and another expected in October, insulating your home is one of the most effective measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient.
But with so many different types of insulation with varying costs, how can you be sure you are choosing the most effective measures that will have the biggest impact on your energy bills?
In this guide we look at typical insulation cost examples and the potential savings you could expect, as well as the potential risks, choosing an insulation installer, and how to check if you are entitled to any government insulation grants.
Cost to insulate a house
The cost to insulate a property can vary depending on many factors, including:
- where you install insulation in your home
- the type of insulation and the quality of the materials
- your current level of insulation
- your home’s current EPC rating
Below we look at the cost of professionally installing some of the most common insulation measures in a typical 3 bedroom semi-detached property.
Ineffective or incorrectly installed insulation at best won’t have any impact on your home’s energy efficiency, and at worst could cause damage to your property.
We highly recommend consulting with a professional who can make recommendations based on the unique aspects of your property.
Cavity Wall Insulation Cost Example
Installing insulation in your cavity walls is one of the most effective measures to reduce heat loss, saving up to 35% heat loss.
Cost per square metre – £15
Typical wall area – 85m2
Total cost = £1,275
Underfloor Insulation Cost Example
Insulating your ground floors can help you reduce draughts and heat loss by up to 25%. This form of insulation is particularly recommended for houses with easy access to the crawl space under the property.
Cost per square metre – £35
Typical floor space – 125m2
Total cost = £4,375
Pitched Roof Insulation Cost Example
With up to 25% of heat loss through your roof, pitched roof insulation can make a significant impact on your home’s energy efficiency.
Cost per square metre – £35
Typical roof area – 80m2
Total cost = £2,800
Loft Room Insulation Cost Example
UK houses lose around 25% of their heat from the roofs alone. Room in roof and loft insulation will make your property more energy efficient and potentially create cosy living spaces on the upper levels of your house.
Cost per square metre – £50
Typical roof area – 80m2
Total cost = £4,000
How much could you save by insulating your home?
How effective is home insulation? The Energy Saving Trust estimates that 25% of a home’s heat loss is through the roof, 35% is through the walls and 25% is through air leakage or draughts. The correct insulation prevents heat from escaping and allows you to keep your home warm in winter, and cool in summer without using too much energy.
Insulation savings example
Looking again at the example of a typical 3 bedroom semi-detached house, and typical energy bills of £1,980 a year, the table below outlines potential annual savings as well as savings over the lifetime of insulation products.
| Insulation Measure | Cost | Annual Savings | Lifetime Savings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cavity wall | £1,275 | £693 | £17,325 |
| Underfloor insulation | £4,375 | £495 | £12,375 |
| Pitched roof Insulation | £2,800 | £495 | £12,375 |
| Room in roof insulation | £4,000 | £495 | £12,375 |
*Based on minimum 25-year product guarantee
Taking into consideration the current and coming energy price increases, it’s clear to see the potential savings far outweigh the cost, and installing insulation can start to look very attractive.
But in order to get the most of home insulation, it is important to consider the unique aspects of your property.
Choosing the most effective insulation for your property
There are many factors in determining the most effective measures to improve your home’s energy efficiency, including:
- age of the property
- how exposed to wind-drive rain it is
- type of walls
- thickness of walls
- floor & roof type
Taking into account the unique aspects of your property, and with new technologies becoming available all the time, it can become very confusing very quickly.
Insulation ‘experts’ are only too happy to promote their particular services; measures you may not even need, and often failing to reveal any reasons why they may not be suitable for your property.
Impartial, independent advice
Get the full picture with a free home heat loss audit. Our independent, certified auditors will conduct a full-house assessment of your property. They will recommend the most effective insulation measures specific to your property as well as provide a cost/benefit analysis of installation costs vs potential savings.
Do you qualify for free government funding?
In a drive to improve the energy efficiency of Britain’s homes and reduce our carbon footprint, government initiatives can provide £1,000s in grants to make energy efficiency improvements to your home.
However, exactly what you are entitled to and eligibility requirements can become baffling, especially as new schemes are released and can vary region to region. This can often result in many households making contributions where they don’t need to, or worse, missing out on funding entirely.
Working with industry regulators, we’ve helped Britain’s households apply for more than £3,000,000 in government funding. Our auditors assess your personal circumstances in order to secure the maximum amount of funding across all available government-backed schemes.
It is important to be wary of claims of 100% free insulation. Whilst there are currently government schemes that may contribute towards the cost of installation, they are unlikely to cover the entire cost of insulating your home.
Find out exactly what you are entitled to by applying for a free insulation audit.
Home insulation contractors & installers
With many years’ experience in the energy services sector, we continue to help thousands of homeowners across England, Scotland, and Wales improve their energy performance and slash their heating bills.
We have built up a reputable network of professionally trained energy auditors, installers, manufacturers, and suppliers to offer consumers practical help, resources, and advice with all their energy issues. From free home energy audits to securing funding, Smarstone is your one-stop shop for all your insulation/energy needs.
Our work meets the highest standards for installation and all our products come with a 25-year Insurance Backed Guarantee (IBG). We are members of the NIA, EEA, Trustmark, and Green Deal Approved Installers. We are also a PAS2030-19 and PAS 2035 retro-fit accredited company certified by the British Assessment Bureau and are ISO9001 compliant.
- Tools & resources
Get your free home insulation audit
- Which types of insulation may or may not be suitable for your home
- Cost benefit analysis of installation vs realistic potential savings
- Free quote from a government Trustmark approved contractor
- We check if you are entitled to any government insulation grants
