Loft insulation

QrizB

I know we've already pointed this out as a scam, but here are the signposts:

HarryConway said:

I just had a quote for loft insultation. The very nice chap went up into the loft and looked around and videoed the loft with his commentary. The house is about 22 years old, and i have owned for about 18 years.

A 22-year-old house could still be under warranty. It will have been built to decent insulation standards. The roof will have felt under the tiles. It should be as good as new.

I was told we have a condensation issue

No actual evidence of condensation, let alone of it being a problem, is given.

the best solution- the most expensive on offer, was to spray a product on the underside of the roof.

The best solutuion is also the most expensive. That's suspicious in itself.

However, we were very fortunate, there is a warehouse of surplus stock and we would qualify for a 35% reduction voucher.

Bogus discounts due to "surplus stock".

They have 500 vouchers - and 487 have been redeemed.

False scarcity to make you decide quickly.

breaking_free

This link here tells you everything you need to know about why spray foam is a lousy idea.
Other posters will know that I recently pulled out of a house purchase because of this nasty staff. I lost a few £100 in the purchase process but saved myself a world of pain.

HarryConway

Thank you for all the comments - it is very much appreciated and reinforces everything i thought.

This is what the company just sent:

Icynene spray foam insulation will create an air-tight breathable barrier in the roof line, preventing any warm air leakage, cold air infiltration, any unwanted pests or critters, help keep the home much warmer in winter, cooler in the summer and can reduce a properties energy consumption by 50%.

Icynene spray foam insulation is 100% open cell, flexible and 100% breathable product which will allows any airborne moisture to pass through it.  It is the only Open cell on the market that is 100% water blown so it is the cleanest spray foam on the planet.

Icynene is heavily accredited and is the industry leader in spray foam insulation technology. It’s now the fastest growing spray foam in the UK since its arrival in 2004. Its ability to fill every crack and gap makes it a superior insulation with approvals from; British Board of Agrement (BBA) and KIWA, which are a top 20 in the world testing centre for inspection and certification. The Irish agreement board (IAB). European Organization for Technical Assessment (EOTA) and Energy Saving Trust. The HMRC have backed it as a renewable product that reduces properties emissions and heating costs by up 50%.

Swipe

HarryConway said:

Thank you for all the comments - it is very much appreciated and reinforces everything i thought.

Visiting and posting on this forum today is probably one of the best decisions you ever made. Very lucky escape. I'd imagine they have barrels of the stuff they are unable to get rid of since all the bad publicity and horror stories came out.

jimjames

HarryConway said:

However, we were very fortunate, there is a warehouse of surplus stock and we would qualify for a 35% reduction voucher. They have 500 vouchers - and 487 have been redeemed. We would have 2-3 days to decide to spend £7500 for this to be done. It all sounded very plausible with the inspection and discussion prior to the costings conversation.  ? 

Oldest trick in the book, I thought you'd posted this as an example of what not to do but to be the lucky 13th person who can still get the reduction. It won't be you who thinks their luck is in but the salesman as they'll be getting a nice big bonus for selling such an overpriced service.

For future reference, anytime you hear that something is time limited or you're the last person who can qualify for the deal just walk away.

Brewer21

Definitely a scam, a chancer, con artist etc.
I used to sell insulation many years ago and more recently topped up my own insulation in my 70's semi. Yes the old stuff was grey (on top) but it wasn't that bad. I lay the new stuff over it. Bought that from B&Q and cost very little on s special offer from there.
No condensation at all up there, it shouldn't get damp unless your roof leaks, damaged tiles or the membrane has been damaged.
Get a reputable builder/roofer in and get them to top up the insulation if you think you need in, shouldn't cost that much if you can't DIY it.

Thrilled

Are there any tips for DIY adding insulation to the far areas under a sloping roof that I can't get to?

[Deleted User]

Thrilled said:

Are there any tips for DIY adding insulation to the far areas under a sloping roof that I can't get to?

Depends. I planned the roll to end a particular place then used broom handles to tease it in to the area I could not get. That is say a 5m roll, I do not block the vents, I go 5m plus a bit then start the roll at that distance away towards the narrow bit (vents must be clear).
And had plenty of crawl boards so as not to need a new attic ladder in the middle of a room.....
Also planned the runs so I worked back to the attic hatch. The attic hatch area is the only place I did not run the extra stuff, a small area, as the ladder is stored there. The storage floor boards, not a lot of area, is up on appropriate feet to allow the extra depth.

Edit. Oh, don't scrimp on mask and goggles and the rest of PPE. Really not worth it. I use a mask that I replace the cartridges. Don't want to be breathing that stuff especially when laying it.

grandadgolfer

QrizB said:

I know we've already pointed this out as a scam, but here are the signposts:

HarryConway said:

I just had a quote for loft insultation. The very nice chap went up into the loft and looked around and videoed the loft with his commentary. The house is about 22 years old, and i have owned for about 18 years.

A 22-year-old house could still be under warranty. It will have been built to decent insulation standards. The roof will have felt under the tiles. It should be as good as new.

I was told we have a condensation issue

No actual evidence of condensation, let alone of it being a problem, is given.

the best solution- the most expensive on offer, was to spray a product on the underside of the roof.

The best solutuion is also the most expensive. That's suspicious in itself.

However, we were very fortunate, there is a warehouse of surplus stock and we would qualify for a 35% reduction voucher.

Bogus discounts due to "surplus stock".

They have 500 vouchers - and 487 have been redeemed.

False scarcity to make you decide quickly.

"However, we were very fortunate, there is a warehouse of surplus stock and we would qualify for a 35% reduction voucher."

And if I phone my manager I can get you a further 25% off but only if you agree today  

Norman_Castle

I've just had a very similar call. It was on my home phone, claims that old yellow insulation and similar cause condensation. Mentioned Kingspan, gave me a special code, most of the neighbours have been done, new one is 20% more efficient. grants based on age. No mention of what the new insulation was but I didn't really have time to complete the call and left him on hold with the radio playing.