# How much should it cost to insulate an attic?



## rogeroleary

I am looking to get an attic insulated for an elderly relative having being approved by SEI for the grant. The house is a 3 bed detached bungalow and I want to bring the existing 100m attic insulation up to 300m. I would prefer to provide the materials myself and just pay for labour but am looking for some guideance as to what to expect?

Roger


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## monascribe18

its a simple job why not do it yourself


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## donee

rogeroleary said:


> I am looking to get an attic insulated for an elderly relative having being approved by SEI for the grant. The house is a 3 bed detached bungalow and I want to bring the existing 100m attic insulation up to 300m. I would prefer to provide the materials myself and just pay for labour but am looking for some guideance as to what to expect?
> 
> Roger


 by doing it that way will you still qualify for the grant. do you still not have to go through someone registered on the site as a contractor? because surely if you dont ,could'nt we all just apply for the grant and pocket the grant , not that im implying for a moment that you personally are doing or know anyone that is cheers


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## DavyJones

There are very strict conditions for the grant. You will have to use an approved contractor and I would be very surpriced if a contrator would stand over any materials they didn't supply.


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## donee

DavyJones said:


> There are very strict conditions for the grant. You will have to use an approved contractor and I would be very surpriced if a contrator would stand over any materials they didn't supply.


 thats what i thought


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## Lex Foutish

If you're going to do the attic yourself, B&Q do 200mm insulation for about €13 per 5.4 sq. m. roll. I've used it to top up our existing 100mm insulation. British Gas brand.


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## rogeroleary

Got 2 quotes so far ..... 1) €450 and the 2) €810 - both were quoting for labour only. I was surprised by a) the difference in such a fairly striaghtforward job and b) the fact that I was advised it would take a "couple of days", especially as it appears to be very straightforward. This isn't my own house but that of an elderly relative and he has been approved for the grant so that's why I am looking for an approved contractor.

My own gut was that it would take a day to do and the cost would have been closer to €250 for labour with materials being extra. Anyone agree / disagree?

Roger


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## DavyJones

Were the two quotes from an approved comtractor?

What else is being done in home? €500 is minimum required for grant, Attic insulation is €250.

you can get an approved contractor list on the SEI website.


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## rogeroleary

One is SEI approved. Also getting gas heating and controls installed and some double glazing hence the need to seek out best value.

Roger


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## donee

ive seen adds in the likes of City Adds and the Northside People were their quoting €480 for attic insulation in a typical semi.( if there is such a thing). but as with everything else in this country the price of something always seems to go up once a grant of any amount is involved


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## Lex Foutish

donee said:


> ive seen adds in the likes of City Adds and the Northside People were their quoting €480 for attic insulation in a typical semi.( if there is such a thing).* but as with everything else in this country the price of something always seems to go up once a grant of any amount is involved*


 
Well said. A developer once told me that if there was a grant was going for a new house, he always factored it into the asking price.


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## DavyJones

rogeroleary said:


> One is SEI approved. Also getting gas heating and controls installed and some double glazing hence the need to seek out best value.
> 
> Roger



Your best bet is getting a quotes from contractors that can do the heating, controls and insulation, you will probably get a  better deal with the more work that is availible.
You will need anyother contractor to do DG, this is not covered by SEI grant.



Lex Foutish said:


> Well said. A developer once told me that if there was a grant was going for a new house, he always factored it into the asking price.



I am an approved contractor and there is huge interest in this scheme, I haven't changed my prices, cheaper if anything. There will always be contractors who will do the dog but most will chanrge what the market can stand. People are shopping around so the contractor who is greedy is a contractor with little work.


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## Lex Foutish

DavyJones said:


> Your best bet is getting a quotes from contractors that can do the heating, controls and insulation, you will probably get a better deal with the more work that is availible.
> You will need anyother contractor to do DG, this is not covered by SEI grant.
> 
> I am an approved contractor and there is huge interest in this scheme, I haven't changed my prices, cheaper if anything. There will always be contractors who will do the dog but most will chanrge what the market can stand. People are shopping around so the contractor who is greedy is a contractor with little work.


 


Dead right, Davy. This guy was building houses and selling them just as quickly in the days when people seemed to be willing to pay any asking price for a house.......and would pay €30k more for the same type house in Phase 2 of the same development 3 months later. Only a reflection on the greedy individual I posted about and certainly no reflection on decent contractors like yourself. Only met him once, on a golf course, and he spoke of his purchasers as if they were total fools. 
The problem is that, in this country, there's always one in every profession who'll do the dog on it, as you said, and give the others a bad name. I've met a few and you probably have too.


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## rogeroleary

DavyJones said:


> I am an approved contractor and there is huge interest in this scheme, I haven't changed my prices, cheaper if anything. There will always be contractors who will do the dog but most will chanrge what the market can stand. People are shopping around so the contractor who is greedy is a contractor with little work.


 
Hi Davy, I'll send you a PM if you are interested in providing a quote.

Thanks


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## maryarmstron

I'm a middle aged widow, who cant afford dry-lining, cavity insulation or external. And I dont want solar panels.  I'm happy with my boiler. All I want is my attic insulated. It has 1 inch of wool. The best price so far I've got is for 12 inch top-up supply & labour from an insulation approved contractor is 567.00 including vat. I checked two local references from this company and both gave good comments. Why can't I get some sort of grant from the sei for this. Surely its the quickest and easiest way of saving money? Is there anybody in the same situation?Mary, Artane.


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## Vinnie_cork

I did mine myself.

Bought 170mm roll insulation in B&Q.

Cost about €140 to do attic in my 2 storey 1100ft2 semi detacted house.


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## LLDLY

Every so often B&Q do insulation deals, I paid around €6.50 per roll and I bought 40 for my four bed detached. As someone else said before, its very easy to do yourself, It took myself and a neighbour four hours to do. Just remember to insulate your pipes.


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## changes

Hi OP

Myself and the brother in law recently did the attics in his house and my parents house. Its was about 4 hours work for each attic.

Don't be giving anyone €810 for that work its far too much.


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## Bronte

I did an attic with my brother, think it took us a morning to do it (3 bed semi).  Don't know if the insulation stuff still has 'fiberglass' in it but you may need to wear gloves as it's itchy and a mask as the particles are not good for your lungs.


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## maryarmstron

I got a new quote. €363.20 including vat! for dublin area, me! up to 500sqft which i think i qualify for.
A further 5% off if I get one of my neighbours to order at same time.
now if I could get something off this grant wise, I would be so happy. Their offer is only for 8 inch top-up (would this be enough with the old stuff I have about 1 inch??, trap door protected cover fixed, tank insulation including insulation tank cover if needed, and pipes lagged with insulation tubes. They said it takes on average 45 mins to complete and 10 minutes of this is in preparation for protection of carpets etc.
Now if only my son would do it, I'd prefer to pay the 140 euro to buy from b&q but it just shows you what it can be done for.  I will be getting him to take his stuff out of it though!


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## michaelsu

well said, I did part of this job last weekend, materials purchased from building providers and b&q, moywool uncut vs b&q cutted in two places that first one allow you to cut to own requirements, that second possibly can lead to thermal bridging, got wire to support wool between the rafters, now as attic allow for a small room and a bathroom going to insulate a walls ( flooring supported by brand new timbers already done included 6cm space above older beams that i trust allow to ventilate 200mm wool surely insulated pipes (i.e. hydraulics under the floor before floor being laid ) took pictures before and during - still plenty of work to do but great fun and my wife is delighted saving what being told beforehand


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## mahoney.john

rogeroleary said:


> I am looking to get an attic insulated for an elderly relative having being approved by SEI for the grant. The house is a 3 bed detached bungalow and I want to bring the existing 100m attic insulation up to 300m. I would prefer to provide the materials myself and just pay for labour but am looking for some guideance as to what to expect?
> 
> Roger


Here are Things to find out when thinking of retrofitting attic insulation
                     For this you have to check;

How much insulation thickness is currently available
Type of insulation material and the ‘R’ value of it
Locations (patches) having inadequate  insulation
Whether existing air sealing is adequate.
You do not need special equipment or techniques to carry out the above check ups. Good visual inspection along with simple thickness determination is all that will be necessary initially.


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## niallo34

Vinnie_cork said:


> I did mine myself.
> 
> Bought 170mm roll insulation in B&Q.
> 
> Cost about €140 to do attic in my 2 storey 1100ft2 semi detacted house.



What was the name of the insulation roll you bought?


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## Dvea01

It sound like it would be cheaper and less hassle to buy insulation from B&Q and do it myself then go through the bother of getting a grant and a contractor!


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## DazzaMazza

Can somebody post some recommended company names and their areas of coverage on here. I am in North Kildare and interested in getting this done.

Thanks!


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## Leo

DazzaMazza said:


> Can somebody post some recommended company names and their areas of coverage on here. I am in North Kildare and interested in getting this done.
> 
> Thanks!


 
Please look for recommendations in the correct forum, any posted here will be removed.


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## sydthebeat

the usual specification for works when upgrading attic insulation is:

    [FONT=&quot]1.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Installation of quilted insulation over any existing layer to approach a thickness of 300mm (or achieve a 0.16 u value)[/FONT]
   [FONT=&quot]2.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Electrical services exposed over the new installed insulation[/FONT]
   [FONT=&quot]3.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Raised platform walkway created with 150 x 44 joists and WBP plywood from attic access to water tanks.[/FONT]
   [FONT=&quot]4.   Cold water tank insulation jacket to installed[/FONT]
   [FONT=&quot]5.   Header tank insulation jacket to be installed[/FONT]
   [FONT=&quot]6.   Attic pipe work to be insulated in full.[/FONT]
   [FONT=&quot]7.   Attic hatch insulation to be installed.[/FONT]
 [FONT=&quot]8.   Attic hatch to be draught proofed.[/FONT]
 [FONT=&quot]9.   Recessed downlights are to be protected.
[/FONT]


When all these works are included, you can easily see how quotations can differ. If all these works are not carried out, and SEI inspect the work, the grant may be stopped and the contractor be subject to action.

Every engagement with a contractor under the HES grant scheme should be done in accordance with the contractors Code of Practice and standards and specification guidelines.


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## onq

Make sure the new insulation doesn't block the eaves ventilation, and take it over and around the water tank(s), but not under them, and make sure all the pipes are lagged while you're at it.

ONQ.


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