Can you get any help with the cost of DIY insulation?

justwantedtosay

I'd qualify for the Great British Insulation Scheme by council tax band and EPC rating, though I see that expires next week. I'd love to add some loft insulation but don't want to have people trying to fight their way around all the junk up there and would like to do it myself. I assume they wouldn't allow this, even if I kept the receipts and took before and after photos to prove I'd not just pocketed the money. Does anyone know for sure? Thanks.

I tried asking BG but you can only contact them on their ridiculous chat thing and they wanted me to confirm my query was about my isolation switch and then sent me to a page about landlord services.   

[Deleted User]

Hi,

have a look HERE, or click THIS, you could clear out the junk yourself first.

justwantedtosay

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

have a look HERE, or click THIS, you could clear out the junk yourself first.

Yes, I'd seen both of those, it was the MSE article that set me looking for more info - thanks though. There's more junk than I could fit into the rest of the house to free up the loft, and I doubt I could get much of it down my myself anyway.

lohr500

All that junk might be providing more insulation than the scheme would provide anyway!!!!

FreeBear

Highly unlikely that you could get just the materials paid for under any scheme. The work needs to be done by an "approved" contractor (and they will have a "snout in trough" contingency added on top). A few rolls of loft insulation isn't that expensive, and depending on where you get it from, you can negotiate free delivery - That is about the only help you will get.

markin

I thought the roll in the store were already subsidised from the standing charge, Could be years out of date now, or a figment of my imagination.

FreeBear

markin said:

I thought the roll in the store were already subsidised from the standing charge, Could be years out of date now, or a figment of my imagination.

Store bought insulation is driven by competition. If one store is selling at £25, the others need to be pricing at a similar figure or lose sales.

Currently, you can get insulation at a reduced VAT rate as long as it is being installed by an approved contractor, and the energy saving measures are not part of a wider programme of works. This VAT discount is in effect, funded by the government (don't worry, they'll claw the tax back via other avenues).

BUFF

There certainly used to be at one time subsidised/discounted price for insulation bought by a consumer - iirc it was funded from the ECO scheme (or equivalent at that time). May not be current though.

Scot_39

and I doubt I could get much of it down my myself anyway.

Fitting loft insulation is not a physically easy job.

It's physically demanding to crawl over to edges of roof space and place new layers - and needs care and kit to avoid sone real risks.

Like crawl boards between 'joists' -  to avoid risks of punching through ceilings.

And of course ppe like coveralls, gloves and importantly proper face masks edit "and goggles/eye protection".  Even if the new stuff isn't fibreglass - the old stuff might well be.

It's a job I have done myself - but one I'd probably farm out now.

The vat cut on materials will help pay registered suppliers labour costs.

And a competent handyman might even be cheaper than them - even with the vat on insulation rolls

justwantedtosay

Scot_39 said:

and I doubt I could get much of it down my myself anyway.

Fitting loft insulation is not a physically easy job.

Thanks, but I meant I couldn't get the junk down from the loft to make it easier for a pro to do the job. I've laid insulation before but was thinking about putting something under the tiles to keep the summer heat out rather than winter warmth in - there isn't enough warmth in the house in winter to worry about it escaping! It would have been great to get the materials for free, or maybe even fitted free, but I don't think it's worth it if I've got to pay. CWI would be nice but BG said they couldn't do it because of timber cladding, and now a lot of the walls are covered in ivy and impossible to access, though I've read that ivy is a good insulator in itself.

Netexporter

but was thinking about putting something under the tiles to keep the summer heat out rather than winter warmth in

You need to be very careful. If not done correctly, with appropriate vapour barriers and rigorous airtightness measures you will probably end up rotting the roof timbers owing to interstitial condensation.