Insulation Survey for Old & Listed Buildings

What will the survey look like?

During the survey, we'll walk through the house with you, check each room, look at the existing structure - the walls, the roof, the floor and the external elevations - and work out the best insulation options. Beyond the right materials and method, and the options for thicknesses and finishes, we'll also discuss the other things that matter when you upgrade an old building: ventilation, breathability, airtightness, heating and damp. If you have other plans for the building - a structural alteration, an extension, a loft conversion, or a heat pump to be installed - we'll take those into account too, because they often change the way we insulate. The same goes for the conservation needs if the building is listed.

It takes about an hour or so, and within 48 hours we'll send you the written report.

What's in the report

What we found, element by element: the walls, the floor, the roof, the windows, ventilation and airtightness
The build-ups we'd recommend for each of them, with the materials and the thicknesses
The products named, with links to the manufacturers, so you can look them up yourself
Photographs of our own previous jobs showing each build-up, so you can see what it looks like done
Where we'd suggest you don't spend money - the parts where the benefit wouldn't justify the cost
Other firms we'd recommend, by name, for the parts we don't do ourselves - windows, solar panels, heat pumps

The report is yours either way, whether the work goes ahead with us or with somebody else.

Arrange a survey

We'll reply within one working day.

“Exceptional Service! I asked for the company to come to give me a quote on an insulation job. Adam attended and was amazing. He was very knowledgeable and offered lots of information and advice enabling me to make an informed decision about what would be best to insulate my property. He suggested cavity insulation even though this is not a service his company provide. This showed that he is not about the money but is genuinely interested in helping customers for this reason I felt compelled to write a review.”

Mauline V

Is the survey for you?

People usually come to us with work already in mind: a renovation, replastering, a new floor, or the insulation itself, whether that's the whole building, one storey, or just the walls and floor of one room. If you'd like to make your home warmer and healthier without damaging the existing structure, and you're not yet sure about the right materials and process, the insulation survey is a solid place to start.

Some questions that suggest a survey would be useful:

Can we insulate without causing damp?
We have a suspended floor. Should we keep it or change it?
Do we need ventilation, and how would it fit into the works?
Should we insulate the walls externally or internally?
Insulating plaster such as Diathonite, or board insulation?
Which is better: sheep's wool, cork or wood fibre?
Do we need to make the house airtight?
Which materials will the conservation officer accept?
What's the right thickness for the walls, the roof and the floor?
We want a heat pump. How should we insulate for it?
We'd like underfloor heating and an insulated floor. What's the best way?
Do we have to break up the concrete floor to insulate it?

If any of these are on your mind, we'd recommend booking a survey. You'll get clear answers when we meet, followed by a written report.

Arrange a survey

£180 + VAT, taken off the final cost if the project goes ahead with us.

Things people often ask

Who does the survey?

Adam Illes, every time. He has 18 years behind him on old and listed buildings, and is a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor and Retrofit Assessor, a certified Passivhaus Contractor, and holds the Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency for Older and Traditional Buildings. Eco-Renovation UK is a member of the AECB, the ASBP, the Listed Property Owners Club, The Green Register and the Passivhaus Trust.

Do we have to use you afterwards?

Not at all. The report is written so that any competent builder can price from it. If you do decide to use us, the fee comes off your invoice.

Does it cover damp?

Yes, same visit and same fee. If damp is the main worry then that's what the report concentrates on. More about damp work →

What happens about price afterwards?

We work to a fixed price rather than a day rate. On a smaller job the visit is usually enough to go on and a detailed quote follows. On a large one we'd give you a rough idea first, because a full quote takes us a fortnight to put together and it's better for both of us to know early if we're in the same ballpark.

Is it the same as an EPC?

No. An EPC is a standard rating worked out from assumptions about typical construction, and on a solid-walled or listed building the two can point in quite different directions.

How far do you travel?

London, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire as a matter of course, and a little further when the job suits. Do just ask.

Arrange your survey

If any of that sounds useful we'd be very glad to hear from you. Tell us a little about the building and we'll come back to you within one working day. If it turns out there's nothing much we can help with, we'll say so.

£180 + VAT. If the project goes ahead with us, we take it off the final cost of the work.

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What would you like to talk about?

Is the building listed?

Your name

Email

Phone Optional, if you'd rather we rang than emailed.

Postcode So we know how far we're travelling.

The building, and what you'd like done

How did you hear about us? It helps us know where to put our effort.

We'll only use these details to reply to you.

If you feel you're not ready yet, but you'd like to know more about us, have a look at who we are, or at the work we've done.

Who we are Our work