cavity wall insulation price uk

What is Cavity Wall Insulation Price | Edanhomes

What is the cost of Cavity Wall Insulation

As people care more about the environment, homebuyers and renters want sustainable properties. To make homes energy-efficient, insulation is crucial. Landlords and property investors are thinking about ways to meet this demand. Cavity wall insulation is one solution. So, how much does it cost? We’ve created this blog to guide landlords and investors. It explains how cavity wall insulation boosts a property’s efficiency and breaks down the costs. Understanding this helps property investors make smart choices to meet the growing demand for eco-friendly homes.

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What is cavity wall insulation?

Wondering about cavity wall insulation cost? First, let’s understand what it is. Cavity wall insulation is a simple way to cut heating bills and make a home more energy-efficient.

For homes built after the 1930s, they might have two walls with a gap in between. Fill that gap with insulation, and it keeps warmth inside, making your home energy-efficient. Cavity wall insulation can save money on heating bills and has grants to make it affordable for property investors.

Choosing the material for cavity wall insulation affects the cost. Each material comes with its own price.

Before starting a cavity wall insulation project, property investors should decide on the best insulation material for their property. This choice impacts the overall cost of cavity wall insulation.

So, what are the different materials available, and what are their pros and cons?

Mineral wool

Mineral wool, used since the 1950s for cavity wall insulation, is derived from igneous rocks. It can also be made from recycled glass or sand.

Pros: Mineral wool is an eco-friendly insulation choice, readily available and budget-friendly. It’s easy to install and offers good efficiency, making it a practical option.

Cons: Mineral wool insulation needs a clear and roomy cavity, which might involve costly cleaning and professional help. Not suitable for small spaces, it could lead to problems like clumping and dampness, potentially harming a property’s structure or causing cracks in the building’s rendering.

Costs (approx. excluding labour): £10-15/m²

Polyurethan foam (PUR)

Polyurethane foam, or PUR, is commonly used in newer buildings. It’s created from carbon-based organic units that join together to form a polymer.

Pros: Polyurethane foam, or PUR, is the best material for insulation as it efficiently keeps a property warm and is cost-effective. Unlike mineral wool, PUR doesn’t retain moisture, preventing the formation of mould in a property.

Cons: Polyurethane foam, or PUR, may shrink over time, creating gaps that allow water to enter the building.

Costs (approx. excluding labour): £20-25 to install Polystyrene beads

Polystyrene beads

Expanded polystyrene beads, or EPS, are carbon polymer-based insulation installed in a property’s walls using a bonding agent.

Pros: EPS is durable, lightweight, and easy to install, making it a cost-effective choice for cavity wall insulation. It is resistant to water and recyclable, adding to its appeal.

Cons: Again, a clean, spacious cavity is necessary for EPS insulation, which can increase costs. Moreover, gaps can appear in the cavity when using this material, especially if the bonding agent starts to wear. As such, mould and dampness can occur, while heat might begin to escape.

Costs (approx. excluding labour): £10-15/m²

Cavity batts

Cavity batts, made from compressed mineral wool, are commonly used in new builds and have been around for about 30 years. They come in slabs of different thicknesses, typically ranging from 50-150mm.

Pros: Cavity batts are light and easy to handle, less prone to clumping than regular mineral wool, reducing the risk of damage. They should be installed close to the inner wall, leaving space for ventilation and preventing water buildup, minimizing the risk of dampness. They are also rated A1 for fire safety, making them a safe insulation choice.

Cons: However, it is not necessarily the best insulation material, and can only be installed in the process of building a property.

Costs (approx. excluding labour): From £6/m² (50mm thickness) up to £16/m² (150mm thickness).

How much does cavity wall insulation cost?

Insulating a property typically costs around £200 per two-storey wall. For mid-terraced houses with only two external walls, the cost is on the lower side, approximately £400.

Detached properties can cost around £800 or more for cavity wall insulation, while bungalows, being shorter, are usually cheaper at around £400.

How much can I save with cavity wall insulation? Is it worth the costs?

Having explored the costs of different cavity wall insulation materials, let’s delve into the potential annual savings these installations could bring.

The following table provides estimates from the Energy Saving Trust, reflecting average savings in gas-heated properties without subsidized insulation installations.

Property Installation cost Energy bill savings
Detached house £1,800 £690/year
Semi-detached house £1,000 £395/year
Mid-terrace house £580 £235/year
Detached bungalow £800 £310/year
Mid-floor flat £395 £180/year

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Understanding gas and electricity prices

Gas and electricity prices can vary greatly, this is down to many different factors, but you have the power to drive down the price of your bills by addressing how much you are paying on the standing charge and price per kWh. Understanding the meaning of these terms and what is a good price for both is essential to saving your family money on its energy costs.

Standing charge

A standing charge is the cost of having the electricity supply. It is very similar to when you pay line rental on a landline telephone or a base rate charge. This rate is fixed and does not change depending on your usage or what you spend on your gas or electricity. Standing charges can cover a variety of things such as maintenance, meter charges etc.

What about zero / no-standing charge contracts?

This is when you don’t pay anything for having the electricity or gas delivered to you. You just pay for the electricity or gas you use (referred to as the unit rate or kWh). Homeowners, however, need to be mindful though as having a zero-standing charge as it will more than likely be that you pay more for your gas or electricity.

What is Price per Kilowatt Hour (kWh)
A kWh is a measurement of energy. For example, a 1000 watt product will need 1000 watts (1 kWh) of power to make it work and uses 1 kWh of energy in an hour. The kWh is sometime referred to as the unit rate.

The price of a kWh (unit) can vary depending on how much the supplier wants to charge, it can be anything from 10p and 30p.

What we at Edan Home think
It is essential for people to shop around for a better deal as the savings they could be making are impressive and not to be missed out on. Plus, if you do not shop around for a better deal, utility suppliers could carry on charging what they want for the utility as there would be no competition to help keep the prices down.

Electricity prices; why are they so high?

Electricity prices are up and down, this is due to many different factors, but there is a way Edan Home can help control your bills by auditing how much you are paying on your standing charge and Unit rate price. Edan Home understands electricity prices and the terms used by electricity suppliers, we understand also what a good price for your home means, to help you save money on your electricity costs.

Price per kWh

kWh is how energy is measured a 1000-watt light bulb needs 1000 watts (1 kWh) of power to make it work and uses 1 kWh of energy in an hour. The kWh is called a unit rate in the energy world, electricity is charged by the kWh, so your home’s electricity bills are calculated according to how much KWH you have used.

What is a standing charge?

Standing charges are the costs of having an electricity supply, a bit like a mobile phone contracts monthly rental. It’s normal fixed on a monthly or daily amount and does not change its fixed no matter how much electricity you use. Standing charges vary from supplier to supplier, average standing charge is 28p a day, but this can vary from 10p and go as high has £2. The reason the standing charges vary so much is dependent on how much power you use, in a nut shell the higher the standing charge the lower the unit rate.  Edan Home can assess this for you to make sure you get the correct balance on your electricity contract, example if you’ve hardly any electricity usage you’re better off having a low standing charge, on the other hand if you’ve high daily usage with a  high standing charge, a lower unit rate will be more cost-effective.

What about no-standing charge deals?

No standing charges mean you just pay for the electricity usage. Only a few suppliers offer these types of contracts but be warned only if your electricity usage is low, will a no standing charge contract benefit you. They are good for circumstances such as if you only live there occasionally and not at all for certain times of the year, Edan Home can assess if these will work for you or not.

Are energy price comparison sites good?

How do you compare gas and electricity prices?

It can take a lot of time and effort in finding the right business electricity prices for your home. That’s where comparison sites and experts in the industry such as Edan Home come into the picture to try and take away the problem for you.

Edan Home’s online tool simply takes a few details from you and begins the process of trying to find the right supplier for your home. Rest assured that it’s our priority to get you the best deal.

We do not just look at which supplier is the cheapest we work and understand the supplier features and how they fit with your lifestyle and with what you require. These could include features to help make your life easier such as online billing, good customer service and obviously having a good relationship with yourselves to make it as easy as possible.

What affects gas and electricity prices?

Electricity and gas prices can vary depending on different variety of things such as:

The size of your property
Its average energy consumption
Its location
Which fuels/utilities you require
Your current supplier
The length of your contract

It’s important to understand and consider all of these factors when getting energy supplier quotes.  Prices can be affected by the wholesale cost of gas or electric (the price your supplier pays), hikes in taxes or environmental levies, and even an increase in demand, all of these are sometimes our of both yours and your supplier’s control.

How to choose the best energy deal for your home

Price comparison sites like Edan Home’s are a great place to get started. It’s our job to ensure you understand what you are getting and what the best deal is for you. Fill out one of our simple forms or simply give us a call on 0121 399 0023.

We can help you claim funding to save on your home bills

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