Information on insulating the house

We will be extending part of our house soon,and whilst doing so want to bring the house insulation up to the highest standard possible. The extension will see the entire back part of the roof coming off,so we want to put as much insulation in as possible,the house is only 9 years old but was never well insulated.
My question is,is there some sort of independent expert we can bring in to advise us on the best methods to use,we even intend to pull up the floorboards upstairs to put in sound/heat insulation. Also,with the new energy rating system coming in next year,we want to increase the value (and comfort) of our home,we're in the Limerick area.

There are lots of existing threads about insulation that might be worth browsing/searching for.

The Sustainable Energy Ireland website contains lots of useful info about insulation...
http://www.sei.ie/

i have searched through many of the threads and none really state any companies who would do this for domestic dwellings.

i am looking someone to do attic and perhaps under floor insualtion beneath house. i know it is an easy DIY but to be honest dont have the time for it.

can anyone recommend someone

Any builder would have the staff/connections to help you.

If you use a product like sheep wool insulation for your attic the job is really very simple for anyone as the material is very easy to work with. You could hire a handyman if you don't have the time yourself. The sheepwool people will deliver to your door.

(I have no connection with this company except as a satisfied customer. Well, pretty satisfied - the material was pretty pricy but worth it in my view especially as I could do all the soundproofing and attic insulation myself during the course of a recent total renovation).

Underfloor insulation is more complex as it might involve digging up concrete floors - is this what you are considering? If so a contractor is probably the way to go, and while you're at it get him or her to insulate the attic.

the house is built on a slight slope and there is storage under neath (though only about 3ft in height) but problem is a draft comes up through the original wooden floorboards in the main living area. previous owners had carpeted the area so less of an issue

for the under floor insulation we would be looking for something to attach to the under side of the wooden floor boards given we have good access to under neath area

someone had suggested that you can get a company to spray the insulation on which may be an easier route. but to be honest i dont know what the easiest method is

The spraying on of PU foam onto exposed timber should be avoided. The timber would not be able to breath after that and could be prone to rot. The cave/storage beneath your house might be essential to ventilate the timber from below. Is it a timber house standing on concrete stilts, is there a concrete slab on the ground of the storage or is it plain earth? It might be possible to bring in a damp proof second floor below the original timber floor and fill this with insulation, the issue is that the insulation should not get wet/damp. So a professional should do the job, at least one should supervise the workmanship.

Polyurethane foam is combustible, so should be avoided as it is a fire hazard. If you can access the entire floor underneath, best bet it to look at fixing battens that you can then affix your preferred insulation (rockwool or sheepswool - both are easy to work with) to the underside of the floor. Gaps in the floor boards abopve can bne filled / caulked.

As Heinbloed says, ensure the floor void remains ventilated - a wooden floor needs regular air changes to prevent rot.

thanks for the replies.

i have been searching extensively on the internet for some type of "expert" or consultant who could review and recommend a solution for us but have not found such a service.

i thought the spraying would be quickest and easiest but from what you are saying it is a non runner. i will re-evaluate putting more traditional insulation underneath there.

but if you know if someone who would supply and install it would be appreciated, whilst i could do it myself have neither the time nor enthusiasm to take this one on !

thanks.