Frequently Asked Questions

Loft insulation is material installed in your loft or attic space to reduce heat loss through your roof. Up to 25% of a home's heat can be lost through an uninsulated roof, making loft insulation one of the most cost-effective home improvements available. It keeps your home warmer in winter, cooler in summer, reduces energy bills, and lowers your carbon footprint.

The main types of loft insulation used in the UK are: (1) Mineral wool — glass or rock wool laid in rolls between and over joists at loft floor level. The most common and cost-effective choice for accessible cold lofts. (2) SuperFOIL multi-layer foil — an advanced product combining multiple reflective foil layers with insulating wadding. Excellent for all applications, particularly low-headroom spaces. (3) Rigid PIR boards — high-performance foam boards ideal for warm roof applications and loft conversions. (4) Loose-fill / blown insulation — ideal for lofts with irregular joist spacing or difficult access. (5) Spray foam — applied as a liquid to fill every gap, but requires careful specification.

For mineral wool in a standard cold loft floor application, current recommendations are 270mm in total — typically 100mm between the joists and 170mm laid at right angles over them. For advanced foil-based products like SuperFOIL, equivalent performance can be achieved in as little as 25–40mm total thickness. Our surveyors will specify the correct depth for your chosen product.

Multi-layer foil insulation products, particularly SuperFOIL, are specifically designed for situations where headroom is limited. They achieve outstanding thermal performance — meeting UK Building Regulation U-value targets — in products as thin as 25–40mm. This makes them the definitive solution for low-pitch roofs, narrow rafter bays, and loft conversions where maximum headroom must be preserved.

Loft insulation cost depends on the type of insulation, the size of your loft, and its accessibility. As a general guide: standard mineral wool cold loft insulation — £300 to £700 for a typical semi-detached house; SuperFOIL multi-layer foil systems — £500 to £1,200 depending on the application and area; loft conversion rafter insulation — £800 to £2,500+ depending on size and specification. All prices include supply and installation. We always provide a free, itemised written quotation.

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that insulating an uninsulated loft in a typical semi-detached house can save around £200–£300 per year on energy bills, depending on the heating system and energy tariff. For a bungalow, savings may be higher as a greater proportion of the thermal envelope is the roof. Most installations pay for themselves within 2–5 years through energy savings alone.

Yes. The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) and Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) provide financial support for eligible homeowners. Eligibility is based on factors including your property's current EPC rating, household income, and whether you receive certain benefits. We can advise on eligibility during your free survey and assist with applications if appropriate.

Yes — a higher EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating, achieved in part through loft insulation, can add to property value. Properties with EPC ratings of C or above are increasingly preferred by buyers and are now a legal requirement for rental properties under Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). A good EPC can add between 1% and 5% to property value, depending on the market.

SuperFOIL is a range of British-manufactured multi-layer foil insulation products. Each product consists of multiple highly reflective aluminium foil layers separated by layers of thermally resistant wadding. Together, these layers control all three modes of heat transfer — radiant, conductive, and convective — achieving outstanding thermal performance in a thin, lightweight product. SuperFOIL products are independently tested and certified for compliance with UK Building Regulations.

Each product type has its merits and the best choice depends on the application. Foil insulation (multi-layer foil) offers significant advantages over mineral wool in many residential applications: it is thinner, cleaner, lighter, provides vapour control in one product, controls radiant heat (which mineral wool cannot), and performs in both summer and winter. However, mineral wool remains a cost-effective and reliable choice for standard cold lofts with adequate joist depth available.

The performance of foil insulation depends on the presence of still air spaces on either side of the product. The product must be installed with appropriate air gaps as specified by the manufacturer to achieve the declared thermal performance. Our installers are trained to ensure these gaps are correctly maintained throughout every installation.

Reflective insulation uses highly polished aluminium foil surfaces to reflect radiant heat rather than absorbing it. In a roof space, the majority of heat transfer occurs by radiation — so reflecting this heat is far more effective than conventional insulation which only addresses conduction. In summer, solar heat gain through the roof is reflected away from the living space; in winter, heat radiating upwards from rooms below is reflected back down.

Our surveyor will visit your property, inspect the loft space thoroughly, assess the current level of insulation (if any), check for any issues that need addressing (ventilation, dampness, structural matters), take measurements, and recommend the most appropriate insulation solution. The survey takes approximately 30–60 minutes and is completely free and non-obligatory.

Most residential loft insulation projects can be completed in a single day. Larger properties, more complex loft spaces, or installations requiring additional preparation work may take two days. Loft conversion rafter insulation projects may take 2–3 days depending on the size. Our team will provide a clear installation timeline as part of your quotation.

We work hard to minimise disruption. Our installers will protect carpets and flooring, work safely and efficiently in the loft space, and clean up thoroughly on completion. In the vast majority of cases, the installation can be completed while the household carries on with its normal routine. For larger projects, we'll advise in advance if any particular rooms or areas will be temporarily affected.

It is helpful if you can clear the areas where insulation is being installed, particularly for cold loft floor insulation. However, our team can work around stored items in the loft if complete clearance is not practical. If you need walkboards installing over the insulation to preserve storage access, this can be arranged as part of the installation.

In most cases, no — loft insulation installed within the existing roof structure is permitted development and does not require planning permission. However, if your property is listed or within a Conservation Area, you should check with your local planning authority before proceeding. Our team can advise on this during your survey.

For standard cold loft floor insulation, Building Regulations approval is generally not required. For warm roof insulation, roof alterations, or loft conversion insulation that forms part of a structural project, Building Regulations approval may be necessary. When required, we use products with appropriate certification and provide all necessary documentation.

Current UK Building Regulation targets (Approved Document L) require: cold loft floor — U-value ≤ 0.16 W/m²K; warm pitched roof — U-value ≤ 0.18 W/m²K; flat roof — U-value ≤ 0.18 W/m²K. We specify all installations to achieve these or better, and provide U-value calculations on request.