New build - no insulation

[Sandra6]

We bought a new build Persimmons home 2 years ago, and have always been concerned with how cold two of the bedrooms are.
We've been fobbed off when we've brought it up - house drying out, radiators needing bleeding, that sort of thing.
I finally got them to send someone out to look into it properly though and it turns out there's no insulation in the walls/ceiling. I'm not entirely sure where it's supposed to be the workman they sent admitted he was confusing himself trying to explain hot and cold roof space to me.
Unfortunately they'd shut up shop for Christmas by the time he delivered the news, so I have to wait until Wednesday to explode.
Has anyone any experience with this? Or just know a bit about insulation?

 

[Dave7]

No help to you but we had a similar problem with our single story extension.
After years of complaining (and getting nowhere) i paid someone to crawl into the very tight roof space.....to find whole areas with no insulation.
Good news for you (hopefully)....it should be an easy problem to resolve even if it means injecting into the cavity wall.

 

[Drago]

Id be having a stern word with the surveyor who missed it.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

New build should have some "insurance" thingy. Can't recall the scheme name.....

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

Probably wouldn't have had a survey on a new build as any problems are covered for 10 years under the NHBC (if I recall correctly.)

I think I read recently of Persimmon having a bit of history regarding leaving houses unfinished, sorry to hear that you're affected.

 

[Davos87]

Sorry to hijack the thread a bit but has anyone on here had that beaded cavity wall insulation done in their house? Thinking about having it done as my hallways freezing (pre1930s house). I have read a few complimentary reviews but also a few horror stories that have put me right off.

 

[Drago]

My current gaff has it, but it was done before I bought it. No problems that I'm aware of.

 

[vickster]

Probably wouldn't have had a survey on a new build as any problems are covered for 10 years under the NHBC (if I recall correctly.)

I think I read recently of Persimmon having a bit of history regarding leaving houses unfinished, sorry to hear that you're affected.

I'd think a mortgage provider would still do a survey, assuming there's a mortgage. Not very thorough but would still look at that. Do new builds also need EPC? I had one done recently, looked at insulation...so I know I have no insulation in loft (although it is boarded and carpeted)

 

[Slick]

Get in touch with these guys right away.
http://www.nhbc.co.uk

 

[midlife]

Do thermalite blocks need a separate insulation?

 

[Slick]

Sorry to hijack the thread a bit but has anyone on here had that beaded cavity wall insulation done in their house? Thinking about having it done as my hallways freezing (pre1930s house). I have read a few complimentary reviews but also a few horror stories that have put me right off.

It depends. I owned an old flat we rented out and we spent quite a bit of cash pulling the old cotton wool out the cavity as it was causing dampness through capillary action. The cavity is there for a reason and as long as the vents remain free from obstructions there's no need for any further action in most cases. Not long after we orchestrated an improvement programme forbthe entire building and eventually won a grant for a new roof, render, cavity wzll insulation and chimney heads. I tried desperately to get them to remove the insulation but the council would only approve the grant if all the work was completed in full. I gave in despite my reservations as they did not a bad job at convincing me it was the right thing to do and this new fancy stuff with where they sealed the wee balls with some sort of glue that would prevent the dampness penetrating the building. I'm sure they had the same convincing story the first time it was done though.

 

[Slick]

Do thermalite blocks need a separate insulation?

Ceilings certainly do.

 

[Slick]

We bought a new build Persimmons home 2 years ago, and have always been concerned with how cold two of the bedrooms are.
We've been fobbed off when we've brought it up - house drying out, radiators needing bleeding, that sort of thing.
I finally got them to send someone out to look into it properly though and it turns out there's no insulation in the walls/ceiling. I'm not entirely sure where it's supposed to be the workman they sent admitted he was confusing himself trying to explain hot and cold roof space to me.
Unfortunately they'd shut up shop for Christmas by the time he delivered the news, so I have to wait until Wednesday to explode.
Has anyone any experience with this? Or just know a bit about insulation?

Your roof space should be really cold as that means all the heat is staying where it's supposed to.

 

[Slick]

Get a heat loss survey carried out. They are all doing them nowadays.

http://www.evolvehes.co.uk/thermal-imaging-heat-loss/

 

[MichaelW2]

The building companies sign off their own inspection and trust you not to look. New build houses by the large companies are notorious for shoddy work. Even when built right, many have a design life of 25 years.