Internally insulating my house (solid walls) conundrum

[scottrotherman]

Hi all,

Really wanting a bit of advice from anybody in the know. re: the above

We live in a 1950's ex-council house with solid concrete walls. Obviously there is no insulation and getting it done externally is just far too much cost so we are thinking or doing it internally as we decorate on a room by room basis.

We are just a bit stuck on which way to go: -

1. Sempatap thermal wall insulation (like thermal wallpapaer) http://www.mgcltd.co.uk/sempatap-thermal

2. Attach some insulated plasterboard directly to the existing walls. The current internal walls are of sound nature and we were just thinking of sticking the plasterboard directly to them (could it be done like this ???)http://www.british-gypsum.com/products/plasterboard___accessories/gyproc_thermal/gyproc_thermaline_super.aspx

We are looking for the easiest, cheapest and less disruptive way really. I know cheapest isn't always the best.

I have had a look at the forums and there are quite a few different views. If we can get away without tearing the internal walls down and re-battoning etc.etc. then that would be better

Any help from people would be great

Thanks in advance

 

[stuartturbo]

apparently there is a new scheme coming out for the grants in january
Got to get more info from my sister as she mentioned it when i was near the end of the bottle
I will do the outside if this seems ok

 

[benwhite]

Have you actually had a quote for the cost? As stuartturbo said, the greendeal is starting up at the end of Jan where you can get a loan of up to 10k for insulation that you pay back through your leccy bills.

I'm in a similar situation - solid walls, looking to insulate. Exterior render is also knackered so external may be attractive (but still waiting on quotes to come through).

 

[^woody^]

Be wary of the claims made of Sempatap. There is a smoke and mirrors strategy to their marketing and claims.

It is a product for dealing with condensation, not for insulating.

It is expensive, and particularly so considering the stated very limited life expectancy of 30 years. Even less if you redecorate a lot

 

[JohnD]

My cavity wall insulation is 60mm thick and makes quite a difference. How thick is that Sempercrap?

 

[stuartturbo]

If i do it myself I'll go the Kingspan K18 route or a stud wall 100mm inside
should only be about £400max
But would prefer the external done but prices seem stupidly high

 

[scottrotherman]

Yeah I thought that sempatap may be too good to be true sounding.

I wasn't aware of the grants that were going to be available so I will look into those.

Thanks for your help people.

 

[luisdesign]

Internal dry lining can "seem" cheaper has lots of things you need to think about too. For instance, whilst it can be done "room by room" you must remember that you will need to do work to often perfectly good skirting boards / window sills / coving etc. as well as any electrical sockets and light switches etc.

The other thing you need to consider is that the insulation will lose you floor space within the rooms. It may not be much but it can make a difference!

Insulated dry lining is probably the best route (imo). You can sometimes fix this directly to walls but most manufacturers will recommend that you create a cavity by fixing the boards to battens. You should always use the recommended installation method so have a look around for the right product(s) for your situation.

External insulation is in most situations a much more effective option because it helps to seal the building of draughts and improves weathertightness. It is not always appropriate for your building (particularly if it is a mid terrace property) and may sometimes need planning permission.

 

[r896neo]

I did a long north facing wall at my parents last year. 25mm battens straight onto exitsing wall 25mm kingspan between them and then insulated PB screwed over that so 60mm of insulation overall and only losing 80ish, sockets and mantlepiece remained with no hassles.