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Timeframes and Pricing for Different Types of Loft Insulation

Essential and a legal requirement for new builds, loft insulation is a necessary resource of any home but there are different types, materials and methods of insulation, all of which ultimately affect the final finish, timescale and price of the loft project.

Depending on who installs it, how they do it and with what can influence the final impact on your home such as the life of the product, its efficiency and whether or not it can add value to your home. Here are some quick points on key components when starting any insulation project, including:

  • Pricing and time
  • Styles available
  • How it affects your home

Some materials are more difficult to install than others and because of this can affect the pricing due to the timescale while there are many types of loft insulation you can choose from, each with their own qualities and what you choose to insulate with can have a varying impact on the home.

Pricing and Time

Time and cost will probably be the most important factors in your decision when it comes to loft insulation. Most contractors are paid for their time plus materials so depending on your budget you might want to keep this to a minimum or have the best insulation money can buy.

You can of course do this yourself but unless you are qualified and experienced this is not recommended and insulation installers should be consulted. For standard loft insulation, an average loft should take around 2 hours to complete and will cost approximately £300 but depending on other factors could be longer or cost more and most insulators can make it to your property within the week.

Styles Available

Many people don’t realise that there are actually two types of loft insulation; warm and cold. A warm loft allows rising heat to enter the left but not escape via the roof and a cold loft only insulates the flooring joists, allowing some heat to enter the loft but become lost through the roofing.

The extra work involved in creating a warm loft means that this will cost more than a standard cold loft insulation project and the materials will factor into this as well. Some of the traditional loft insulation materials and methods include:

  • Sheet; the most expensive but most effective, a blend of natural and synthetic material boards are affixed to the underside of your roof. Costs around £700.
  • Blanket; the most common type that everyone is familiar with because it is the cheapest option however it provides limited impact and cannot be used for your roof but joists only. Costs around £300 to £400.
  • Fill; made of lightweight materials such as newspaper, cellulose fibres and cork, this is a good option for topping up existing insulation or can be used on its own. Costs around £400.
  • Blown Fibre; used for filling between joists, loose materials are blown into crevices to act as a filler, isn’t effective as a standalone solution and is also expensive as it requires professional installation. Costs between £300 and £400.
  • SuperFOIL; made from recycled materials and lined with foil technology that prevents radiant heat loss, this is one of the best solutions available for use in roofs, floors and walls in either new or existing properties, however it is a little more expensive but is easy to install. Price will vary based on how many rolls are needed but each 1.2m x 10m roll costs around £80.

Be aware that all prices are approximate and will vary depending on the house type, materials used and the amount of work that needs to be done by the insulation company.

How it Affects Your Home

Keeping your home warm is the main concept behind insulation but it has the added benefit of actually saving you a lot of money over time. The cost of heating is usually reduced so much that depending on the type, most loft insulation projects will have paid for themselves within 2 years of installation, which should be approximately 25% of your total heating bill since a quarter of heat is estimated to escape through the roof.

Additionally, the valuation of your home could be increased by as much as £2000, making it a cheap investment with a great return for when you are looking to sell and for the eco-conscious, the added energy efficiency also reduces your carbon footprint.

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