Cost of Insulation: Estimated Expenses for Enhancing Home's Energy Efficiency
Upgrade the comfort and energy efficiency of your home while saving money long-term by getting smart about insulation. Whether you're redecorating, expanding, or building anew, the right insulation will put some cash back in your pocket.
But how much does insulation cost? Let's take a look at the main factors influencing the price and break down the costs for each essential area of your home that needs insulation: lofts, floors, cavity walls, and external walls. We'll even help you calculate approximate costs for your future budget.
Home Insulation Cost Factors
- Property Type (New Build vs. Retrofit): Insulating an older home can have its advantages, but it may prove more complex and costly. For instance, installing insulation in an existing house might involve the removal of old material, fixing structural issues, or accessing tricky spots like tight loft spaces. On the flip side, new builds make insulation installation less complicated and usually more budget-friendly as more materials can be used, and installation can be coordinated with other systems for a hitch-free installation.
- Size and Insulation Type: The material of insulation varies in cost, with pricier ones offering better performance, like rigid foam insulation boards, compared to regular fibreglass rolls. Thicker insulation leads to higher prices due to increased material consumption. However, a thicker layer provides superior thermal and acoustic performance, potentially saving you more money over time.Insulation type
- Ease of Access: Access to the insulation area can impact cost, with installing loft insulation being more labour-intensive and costly if the loft space is hard to reach or has limited headroom. Similarly, cavity wall installation can be pricer if the cavities are narrow or crooked. For an existing home, insulating floors may be challenging if there's not much crawl space in the suspended timber floor, or if the concrete floor needs to be raised.Average cost
- Labour Costs: The expense of labour is influenced by various factors, such as location, complexity, and size of the property.
- Energy Efficiency Goals: Achieving strict energy-efficiency standards like Passivhaus for new builds or Enerphit for retrofits will necessitate specialized insulation, pushing the cost up, particularly for new builds.Loft (blanket roll)
- Building Regulations: Building regulations may call for higher insulation levels in colder areas such as Scotland and Wales, increasing insulation expenses. Meeting certain thermal and acoustic performance standards may enhance costs for both new builds and retrofits.£962
Average Insulation Costs
The prices given below should be considered a general guide only, keeping in mind regional, size, and material differences. However, understanding estimated costs and potential savings will give you a solid foundation from which to make informed decisions about the insulation that fits your needs and budget best.
Internal walls (solid walls, insulated plasterboard)
For an average three-bedroom semi-detached property, you can expect the following average insulation costs:
£7800
| | || ----------------- | ------------------- || Insulation Type | Average Cost || Loft (blanket roll) | £962 || Internal walls (solid walls, insulated plasterboard) | £7,800 || External walls (solid walls, polystyrene board) | £12,400 || Cavity walls (cellulose) | £2,795 || Suspended timber floor (PIR board) | £4,860 |
Money-Saving Opportunities
External walls (solid walls, polystyrene board)
Several insulation projects may qualify for government subsidies, incentives, or energy-efficiency drives to modernize older housing stock, potentially lowering your upfront costs. Take advantage of these programs to make insulation upgrades more affordable.
£12400
Money-saving options include:
- ECO 4 (Energy Company Obligation 4): A government scheme where larger energy firms are required to fund home energy-efficiency improvements. For ECO 4, your home might be eligible for free installation or highly subsidized external and internal wall insulation, especially for low-income households or those receiving certain benefits.Cavity walls (cellulose)
- Great British Insulation Scheme: A government scheme intended to help British homes increase energy efficiency. The initiative focuses on the least energy-efficient homes in the nation, reducing fuel poverty and lowering energy costs for households.£2795
- Local Authorities: Many councils make funds or grants available to facilitate energy-efficient improvements, often through the ECO Flex and LA Flex schemes.£4860
As part of estimating your insulation costs, it may be beneficial to research the lifespan of insulation to determine when you may need to replace it and assess the return on your investment. Check out our guide on how long does insulation last for more information.
Suspended timber floor (PIR board)
- Insulating an older home might involve extra costs due to complexities such as the removal of old materials, structural issues, and tricky spots, compared to new builds.
- The cost of insulation materials varies, with more expensive options providing better performance, like rigid foam insulation boards, compared to regular fibreglass rolls, affecting the overall price.
- Access to the insulation area can impact cost, with loft insulation being more labour-intensive if the space is hard to reach or has limited headroom.
- Achieving strict energy-efficiency standards like Passivhaus or Enerphit will necessitate specialized insulation materials, pushing the cost up, particularly for new builds.
- Building regulations may call for higher insulation levels in colder areas such as Scotland and Wales, raising the insulation costs.
- For an average three-bedroom semi-detached property, the average insulation costs are approximately £7800 (internal walls), £962 (loft), £12,400 (external walls), £2,795 (cavity walls), and £4,860 (suspended timber floor).
- Government subsidies, incentives, or energy-efficiency drives may be available to help modernize older housing stock, potentially lowering the upfront costs for projects like external and internal wall insulation.
- ECO 4, the Great British Insulation Scheme, Local Authorities, and other energy-efficiency grants may provide opportunities to lessen the financial burden of insulation upgrades.
- Understanding the lifespan of insulation and the potential need for replacements is essential when estimating the long-term cost of insulation and assessing the return on investment.
- Check out our guide on how long does insulation last for more information on the lifespan of insulation materials.
