1930s Semi Detached Bungalow - Suspended Floor

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Hi all,

just weighing up ideas and looking for advice for the moment.

Got a 1930s bungalow, it’s going to be renovated for rental. Roughly about 75m2

ordinarily I know that most renovations of this nature are of the cheap as possible nature.

but been having a think about it, and a little torn in that... the house will require an EPC, the minimum is getting stricter all the time.

house is empty, and it’s likely only chance that I will ever get.

so been toying with the idea of going down 1 of 2 routes.

replace existing suspended floor with larger floor joists incorporating 150mm PIR insulation in between, underfloor heating infilled with kiln dried sand and a vapour barrier on top.

Or, strip out the suspended floor, use the ”Dry Rod” damp proof course system around the base of all external and internal walls, 150mm insulation, underfloor heating and screed.

with the goal of both to be not only to increase thermal efficiency, but also air tightness.

will be doing triple glazing throughout and PIR as loft insulation, 50mm above plasterboard and another 150mm between ceiling joists.

then at a later stage external wall insulation as that can be done at any time.


bit concerned about leaving it as is also because house is 87 years old now and should any floor joists rot it’s going to be more disruptive and expensive to rectify it at a later date once inhabited.

from what I can tell, materials wise, as labour I will be providing myself... there doesn’t seem to be much difference in cost Cost of the timber and cost of the screed seem to be roughly about the same in total and both need building notification.

so it’s more of a case of, is it worth worrying about? Or leave alone?

and if I proceed. Which is better? Modernise it with a more modern floor construction... or replace existing suspended floor and let it out live my lifetime.

thanks
 
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As your renting it out its best to leave it.

The problem with doing what you suggest is that will limit the airflow through the house. Causing damp and mould issues, unless you do the external insulation at the same time.

If you don't the walls will be cold and condensation will form, and with reduced airflow through the house will cause mould to grow. With the external insulation the walls will stay relatively warm. And won't suffer condensation

Being a rental the occupants won't give 2 hoots and won't take steps to alleviate the moisture within the building and will cost a fortune aswell as them complaining and having you round every 5 minutes to fix the mould issue.
 
Yeah, I'd do the wall insulation first, then worry about the floor. I have put 50mm internal wall insulation on my 1930s bungalow, and also insulated between joists (75-100mm insulation). Had to replace a few joists and open up all air bricks, plus add a few new air bricks. House is warm and air tight, and subfloor well ventilated. Maybe not up to latest EPC rental spec, but certainly nice to live in, better insulated and 1980s house I grew up in.

As far as living environment is concerned, the biggest issue was condensation black mould on external walls. Could probably get away with not insulating the floor really, if good flooring installed. But we had rot all along one side of the house where a concrete path was put in over air bricks.
 
As your renting it out its best to leave it.

The problem with doing what you suggest is that will limit the airflow through the house. Causing damp and mould issues, unless you do the external insulation at the same time.

If you don't the walls will be cold and condensation will form, and with reduced airflow through the house will cause mould to grow. With the external insulation the walls will stay relatively warm. And won't suffer condensation

Being a rental the occupants won't give 2 hoots and won't take steps to alleviate the moisture within the building and will cost a fortune aswell as them complaining and having you round every 5 minutes to fix the mould issue.

True, you have good points! Thanks

this is the other thing, if I don’t do it, it would rule out any future possibility of being able to install something like MVHR, should the tenants create a mould issue from drying clothes internally.

I could always look into doing the external insulation, was just going to leave it until maybe next year.

might be worth me looking into the green homes grant voucher to see if it’s any cheaper than installing myself and getting it signed off by building control and paying somebody to render it.

will have to weigh it up, only primarily reason for considering it is the EPC lowest values are getting stricter, and also house is over 80 years old and should any floor joists rot it’s going to be more disruptive to replace them at a later date and probably only chance I’m going to get to insulate floors because once new kitchens and flooring is in, it’s not something you want to be ripping out any time soon just to insulate under the floor.
 
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I never looked into green voucher much, but from what I read, it would cost more as you have to get an approved contractor to do the work, and pay a part of it, and that part is more than buying the materials and doing it yourself.

But I might have totally misunderstood it! If I did, that'd be annoying! Almost 4 years in, almost finished!
 
Yeah, I'd do the wall insulation first, then worry about the floor. I have put 50mm internal wall insulation on my 1930s bungalow, and also insulated between joists (75-100mm insulation). Had to replace a few joists and open up all air bricks, plus add a few new air bricks. House is warm and air tight, and subfloor well ventilated. Maybe not up to latest EPC rental spec, but certainly nice to live in, better insulated and 1980s house I grew up in.

As far as living environment is concerned, the biggest issue was condensation black mould on external walls. Could probably get away with not insulating the floor really, if good flooring installed. But we had rot all along one side of the house where a concrete path was put in over air bricks.

Thanks

I will review looking into external wall insulation again first.

insulation is definitely a route I’d like to try and go down, not me paying the bills but very much want to try and keep tenants bills down, also considering solar panels eventually because its massively come down in price.

believe in investing in the property and future proofing it, as well as trying to keep tenants bills down. Fortunate in that I have a trade background so I can do most of the work myself and the money saved in labour I can put back into the property itself.

Just had a quote for supply only on the panels and everything to fit of £3100 for 5.8Kw.

Insulating though also opens up future scope like MVHr and heat pumps. So property will be future proofed for foreseeable future.

just torn at the moment on whether it’s worthwhile right now because as somebody else mentioned tenants won’t give a hoot.

and also, if I do which is better, upgrade existing floor construction or replace with modern version.
 
Thing is, without wall insulation, and also ceiling / loft updating, it will likely develop mould problems, and tenants will complain and blame you rather than clean it, and you'll be forever dealing with this.

I was just looking at cheap bungalows on Rightmove, saw this - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/77958204#/media?id=media0
this is a good example of what happens when people don't deal with growing mould problems in a solid wall house.

Focus on making it dry and healthy, before super warm and eco friendly.
 
Thing is, without wall insulation, and also ceiling / loft updating, it will likely develop mould problems, and tenants will complain and blame you rather than clean it, and you'll be forever dealing with this.

I was just looking at cheap bungalows on Rightmove, saw this - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/77958204#/media?id=media0
this is a good example of what happens when people don't deal with growing mould problems in a solid wall house.

Focus on making it dry and healthy, before super warm and eco friendly.

would mostly just be the exterior insulation,
ceilings are coming down because it’s lath and plaster.

So intention is to put up 50mm PIR insulation, then plasterboard over the top of that.

then in the loft install more PIR between the roof timbers which should give about 200mm insulation.

leaving only exterior walls and floor, floor as above still not sure on whether to now or which approach to take.

as heat rises though probably more worth in insulating exterior walls, just its difficult to go back and mess around with the floors at a later date.
 

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