When it comes to improving your home’s energy efficiency, few solutions are as effective as wall insulation. Whether you’re looking at internal wall insulation, external wall insulation, or even cavity wall insulation, insulating your home can significantly reduce heat loss, lower your heating bills, and create a more comfortable living environment. In Ireland, understanding the cost of internal wall insulation is essential for planning your insulation project effectively. This guide will explore internal wall insulation costs, the factors that influence them, available SEAI grants, and why it’s important to hire a professional insulation specialist like Cool to Be Warm Insulations.
What is Internal Wall Insulation?
Internal wall insulation involves adding insulation materials to the inner surfaces of external walls in your home. This method is especially useful for houses with solid walls that don’t have a cavity wall. By insulating the internal walls, homeowners can prevent heat loss, thus keeping their heating costs down.
One of the most popular methods of internal insulation is dry lining, where insulated plasterboard is applied to the existing wall. This can improve the thermal performance of your home while keeping it warm and comfortable. Another approach is to build a new stud wall with insulation materials between the stud wall and the exterior walls, which helps increase energy efficiency.
Factors That Affect Internal Wall Insulation Cost
When planning an internal wall insulation project, it’s crucial to understand the factors that influence the overall insulation cost. While internal wall insulation offers long-term savings by reducing heat loss and improving your home’s energy efficiency, the upfront investment can vary depending on a number of key considerations. Let’s break down these factors:
Type of Insulation Material
The type of insulation material you choose plays a significant role in the overall wall insulation cost. There are various materials available, each offering different levels of thermal performance, durability, and cost-effectiveness. The most common types include:
- Mineral Wool: One of the more budget-friendly options, mineral wool provides good thermal and acoustic insulation. It’s often used where there are irregular surfaces or the need for fire resistance. Although it’s less expensive compared to other materials, it may require more layers to achieve the desired insulation effect, which can increase labour costs.
- Insulated Plasterboard: This is one of the most commonly used options for internal wall insulation, especially for dry lining. It combines insulation with a plasterboard layer, making the installation process simpler and quicker. The cost of insulated plasterboard can be higher than other materials, but it reduces the need for additional wall finishes.
- Rigid Foam Boards: Known for their high thermal performance and durability, rigid foam boards (such as PIR or phenolic boards) are a more expensive option but provide excellent insulation with thinner layers. This is a great choice if space is limited or when you want a slimline solution that doesn’t encroach too much on your floor space.
The choice of insulation material will significantly affect the overall cost of the project, not just because of material prices but also the type of fixings and finishes required for proper installation.
Size of the Area to be Insulated
The size of the area, typically measured in square metres, has a direct impact on the cost of internal wall insulation. In Ireland, the price typically ranges from €80 to €130 per square metre, including materials and labour. This cost range covers everything from small apartments to large detached homes.
- Larger homes or properties with extensive wall space will require more insulation material, more labour costs, and potentially more preparation work, such as moving furniture or accommodating for multiple openings like doors and windows.
- Smaller homes or apartments, on the other hand, will naturally incur lower overall costs, but the price per square metre may be higher if the project involves complex or awkward spaces (e.g., insulating around structural beams, fittings, or sloped walls).
Additionally, when calculating the total area, remember that different types of walls may require different levels of insulation. For example, solid walls may need more insulation compared to homes with a cavity wall, further affecting the price.
Ease of Access
Ease of access to the internal walls is another critical factor affecting the overall wall insulation cost. If the walls are simple and straightforward to reach, with minimal obstructions, the installation process will be quicker and less labour-intensive. However, homes with challenging layouts, such as:
- Hard-to-reach spaces like narrow corridors or stairwells.
- Walls with multiple window sills, doors, or built-in furniture.
- Homes with limited space between floor insulation and ceilings.
These types of spaces require more precise work, which can increase labour costs. In older homes, additional work may be needed to repair or reinforce existing walls before internal insulation can be applied. Any complications during installation, such as removing old plaster or dealing with hidden dampness, can increase both insulation expenses and labour costs.
Additional Features and Finishes
Beyond just the insulation itself, other costs involved in an internal wall insulation project can include additional features and finishes necessary for the proper installation and aesthetic appeal of the insulation. For example:
- Mechanical Fixings: For dry lining or insulated plasterboard, mechanical fixings like screws or anchors are required to secure the insulation. The type of fixings used will depend on the existing wall structure and can impact costs.
- Battens and Frames: Installing battens (typically metal or wood) creates a framework to support the insulation and maintain a cavity between the insulation materials and the internal walls. This is common when the walls are uneven or when a ventilation gap is necessary to prevent dampness.
- Skim Finishes or Plastering: After installing the insulation, many homeowners opt for a skim plaster finish to smooth out the walls and prepare them for painting or wallpapering. This is often necessary for insulated plasterboard installations and can increase the overall cost of the project.
- Building Regulations and Inspections: Depending on the scale of your insulation project, you may also need to factor in costs related to meeting building regulations. For example, insulation that affects your home’s ventilation or fire resistance may require additional work to comply with standards, which can raise your insulation costs.
- Electrical and Plumbing Work: If your internal wall insulation requires rerouting pipes, electrical outlets, or radiators, this will add to both the labour costs and insulation expenses. Coordinating these adjustments during the installation process is essential to avoid any delays.
By accounting for these additional features, you can get a more accurate estimate of your internal wall insulation cost. Careful planning and budgeting are key to ensuring a successful project that not only enhances your home’s energy efficiency but also adheres to safety and building regulations.
SEAI Grants for Internal Wall Insulation
To be able to save on internal wall insulation costs, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) provides grants to help homeowners cover some of the costs involved in making their homes more energy-efficient through internal wall insulation. These grants also apply to external insulation, cavity wall insulation, and attic insulation projects.
Depending on the type of property, the SEAI offers the following grant amounts for internal wall insulation:
- €1,500 for any apartment.
- €2,000 for a mid-terrace house.
- €3,500 for a semi-detached or end-of-terrace house.
- €4,500 for a detached house.
If you’re considering full external wall insulation, different grant amounts are available to help offset your insulation costs. These grants are part of the Better Energy Homes Scheme, which aims to improve the energy efficiency of homes across Ireland. At Cool to Be Warm Insulations, we can guide you through the SEAI grant application process, ensuring that your project is cost-effective and meets all necessary building regulations. Whether you’re insulating your external walls, internal walls, or attic, these grants can significantly reduce your overall costs.
Why Hire a Professional Insulation Contractor?
When it comes to internal wall insulation or any type of home insulation, hiring a professional insulation specialist is crucial for several reasons. Insulation is not just about adding material to your walls—it’s a process that requires careful planning, expertise, and precision to ensure the highest level of energy efficiency and comfort in your home.
1. Proper Installation Reduces Heat Loss and Maximizes Energy Efficiency
One of the primary benefits of wall insulation is its ability to significantly reduce heat loss. However, even the best insulation materials can underperform if not installed correctly. A professional insulation specialist understands the nuances of proper installation, including the importance of airtight sealing, avoiding thermal bridging, and ensuring that every part of the internal walls is adequately covered.
Incorrect or incomplete insulation can leave gaps, which may lead to draughts, condensation, and heat loss—ultimately defeating the purpose of the insulation project. By hiring a professional contractor like Cool to Be Warm Insulations, you ensure that your home’s insulation is applied thoroughly, without any overlooked areas, allowing you to maintain a warm house and a more energy-efficient living environment.
2. Experience and Expertise with Various Insulation Types
Professional contractors bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table, not only with internal wall insulation but also with other types of insulation like attic insulation, floor insulation, and cavity wall insulation. Each type of insulation requires a different approach, depending on the structure of the home, the insulation materials used, and the specific thermal performance goals you wish to achieve.
For example, dry lining—a popular method of internal wall insulation using insulated plasterboard—requires a different set of skills than installing attic insulation or external wall insulation. Cool to Be Warm Insulations has experience working with a variety of insulation materials, ensuring that the appropriate products and techniques are used for each project, whether it’s mineral wool, rigid foam boards, or insulated plasterboard. This expertise ensures your insulation project is done correctly the first time, helping to optimize your home’s energy efficiency.
3. Compliance with Building Regulations
Home insulation projects need to comply with local building regulations, especially when significant changes are made to a property’s insulation or thermal performance. Professional contractors are well-versed in these regulations, ensuring that your insulation not only improves the energy efficiency of your home but also meets all safety and regulatory standards.
At Cool to Be Warm Insulations, we stay up-to-date with building regulations in Ireland, meaning that your insulation will be compliant with ventilation, fire safety, and structural integrity requirements. This is particularly important for older homes where building standards may have changed since the property was built.
4. Avoiding Costly Mistakes
DIY insulation projects might seem like a good way to save on insulation costs, but they often end up being more expensive in the long run if mistakes are made. Improperly installed insulation can lead to problems like dampness, condensation, or even structural damage, which can be costly to fix. Professional contractors know how to avoid these pitfalls and can ensure that the insulation is installed correctly and efficiently.
Cool to Be Warm Insulations takes a methodical approach, assessing your home’s specific needs, and planning out the best installation strategy to avoid these common issues. This not only saves you money on potential repairs but also ensures that you reap the full benefits of your insulation, such as lower heating bills and increased energy efficiency.
5. Assistance with SEAI Grants
If you want to save more on the internal wall insulation costs, a significant advantage of hiring a professional contractor like Cool to Be Warm Insulations is the help you receive in securing available grants, such as those offered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). These grants can substantially lower the costs involved in your insulation project, but applying for them can sometimes be a complex process.
Improving your home’s energy efficiency with internal wall insulation is a smart investment. It reduces heating bills, keeps your house warm, and even increases the value of your property. With SEAI grants available and professional contractors like Cool to Be Warm Insulations ready to assist, making your home more energy-efficient is both achievable and cost-effective.
For more information or to start your insulation project, contact Cool to Be Warm Insulations. We provide expert insulation services across Laois, Kilkenny, Kildare, Limerick, Tipperary, Carlow, Offaly, and Dublin. Let us help you make your home more energy-efficient and comfortable for years to come.
You might be interested in reading: