loft insulation - grants available from council?

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Maz

Guru
Has anyone insulated their loft and got some sort of subsidy or grant from their local council?
I'll be contacting my council about it, but was wondering if you had any experience of loft insulation grants. Thanks
 

Bayerd

Über Member
I have, the work was subbed out, they came and did the work and a few days later someone came to check the quality and asked us to sign to say the work had been completed satisfactorly.

All simple and straight forward.
 

The Brewer

Shed Dweller
Location
Wrexham
Company came to the door and asked if we recieved any benefits, yep family tax says me. They said we qualify they filled their form out, I read and it seemed okay, so I signed on the line.
Walls and loft insulated the next week and and alls good.

That was two years ago and not had any problems
 

simon.r

Person
Location
Nottingham
Try asking whoever you buy your gas / electric from, many energy suppliers offer subsidised loft insulation (and cavity wall). Had mine done last year for, IIRC, £75, and at the time no-one in the house was in receipt of any kind of benefits, tax rebates etc.

Edit - just noticed your location - the company who did my insulation (on behalf of E.On) were Mark who are based in Leicester. I'd imagine they'd be able to advise you on grants etc as well.
 

Terry Kay

Active Member
Location
Alfreton, Derbys
Some one went door to door around our area.. When they found out we weren't on benefits and we'd have to stump up £100 or what ever it was toward the cavity insulation they were shocked when we wanted to go ahead! Still a bargain at that price..

I'd done the loft myself with 2ft of insulation not long after moving in. Think that cost me just over £200 for the rolls..
 
OP
OP
Maz

Maz

Guru
Thanks for the replies.
One question; when you got your lofts insulated, in addition to the floor, did they also insulate between the beams of the slanted roof trusses?
 
Just check the prices if you have to pay anything towards it. Normally it's not much but loft insulation is subsidised anyway and you can get some real bargains and they won't be using anything fancy. I did both of mine myself for less than they wanted for one. Of course it's an itchy hot job and maybe not worth saving money on unless you're as tight as me.
 

simon.r

Person
Location
Nottingham
Thanks for the replies.
One question; when you got your lofts insulated, in addition to the floor, did they also insulate between the beams of the slanted roof trusses?

No, just the floor. In fact the guy who did mine made a point of shoving a bit of insulation inbetween the sheeting that lines the roof (sorry, not sure what the technical name is) and the tiles. I asked him why and he said it was to allow some air to circulate withing the loft space.
 

The Brewer

Shed Dweller
Location
Wrexham
I'm in a doorma bugalow Maz and the company that did ours insulated where ever possible. The loft is bursting with fibreglass and the walls were injected with expanding foam.
Even the trapdoor to the loft has a bag with foam.

So I guess they'll do whats possible
 
OP
OP
Maz

Maz

Guru
Well, I may have a problem, in that my loft was insulated a long time ago (at least before I moved in 10 years ago), but it's not as thick as what is now recommended. The problem is that the loft is boarded with floor panels (chipboard panels, loose, not fitted) and the new, thicker insulation won't fit under it - i'd need to either remove the floor panels completely or somehow raise the level of the floor. I'd prefer to keep the floor panels, because I use the loft for storage.
 

simon.r

Person
Location
Nottingham
Mine was similar, a couple of inches of insulation installed when the house was built. My solution was to have a good clear out of the junk in the loft! I think there's 10" of insulation in there now. Most of the beams are 4" deep, but there are 8" beams about every 6'. I've put a few long pieces of chipboard between some of the 8" beams and just have a few bulky but light items (things like empty suitcases) on them - nothing's come through the ceiling yet!

I did think about building the beams up to 10" and putting boarding down, but decided it was more hassle that it was worth.

The house is noticeable warmer since I've had the loft insulated - I definitely need the heating on less than I used to and at a lower setting.
 

Night Train

Maker of Things
I've had mine done, twice.

The first time My folks had just move in and so being pensioners they had the offer of loft insulation. os we had it installed and the chaps who did it said it was their last job of the week and asked if we wanted the remaining rolls of insulation from their van. So we put some away in the basement for later.:thumbsup:

A few years later we has a letter asking about anyone on benefits or pension and offering insulation again. So we said yes and had a second layer put in. The chaps then said we were their last job of the week and would we like the remaining rolls form their van! :unsure::thumbsup:

OK, so now we have an awful lot of insulation rolls in the basement for use later.

The Land lord next door then insulated his house and gave use the left over insulation batts.:huh::unsure::thumbsup:


We have a lot of spare insulation, in rolls and batts, for use later!:scratch:

I should start insulating under the floors as I have already used a load internally insulating the walls.^_^
 

Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
No, just the floor. In fact the guy who did mine made a point of shoving a bit of insulation inbetween the sheeting that lines the roof (sorry, not sure what the technical name is) and the tiles. I asked him why and he said it was to allow some air to circulate withing the loft space.

You can insulate at ceiling level with up to 400/450mm of glass fibre or rockwool but make sure the installers maintain the eaves to eaves cross ventilation in the roofspace otherwise moisture in the air can condense in the roofspace and can't get away.... but not by opening up the gaps between the lapped sarking felt under the tiling battens on the roof slope!
 
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