Recommendations for loft insulation fitters?

[Michael Kilpatrick]

Has anyone got any recommendations for fitters of extra loft insulation?

When we had the extension done in 2009 (mid 1960s bungalow originally
with only a single layer of rubbishy insulation wool) the builders
brought in a couple of men who arrived with a lorry load of rolls of
standard (100-150mm??) new wool and added a layer across the whole roof
space in very little time. No damp problems or weird issues in the roof,
so it's relatively straightforward.

I'd like to get someone in to increase the insulation further with
another layer of mineral wool. I could do fit myself but it really isn't
a very pleasant job. And I'm not getting any younger and fitter.

Michael

[Tim Ward]

We've just had it done. Hang on a sec, I'll find out who did it.

"Aran", I'm told. Don't forget to factor in the cost of the skip hire
for all the junk you don't want to put back into the loft afterwards.

--
Tim Ward - 07801 703 600
www.brettward.co.uk

[Michael Kilpatrick]

Thanks. I've found Aran of Bury St Edmund's, so I assume that's them.

Michael

[Theo]

The wool is much better than it used to be: it's not as
itchy/scratchy/irritant as it was in past decades. I'd still wear
clothing/mask/gloves but it isn't too bad. Assuming you can actually get up
there, of course.

You can also get 'encapsulated insulation':
https://insulationandlagging.co.uk/Loft-Wall-Floor-Insulation/Loft-Insulation-Products/100mm-Thick-Super-Loft-Blanket-Insulation
(also 170mm) which is polythene wrapped so you don't have to handle the
fibres. About 3x the price of regular rockwool but perhaps worth it if you
can DIY.

You may find DIY is easier than trying to get people out, as I imagine they
are all super busy at the moment.

I talked to this lot in Royston:
https://www.interglow.co.uk/
who at least seemed interested in my job (which was awkward) but I never
went any further. So not really a recommendation.

Theo

[Tim Ward]

On 02/12/2022 14:28, Theo wrote:
>
> The wool is much better than it used to be

It's not just that, it's that these days you need more of it than will
fit below the level of existing rafters. So if you want to store
anything in the loft you need a system of pillars to hold up some new
flooring. I'm sure you can buy all that stuff and DIY, but we decided to
pay someone else to do it.

[Tim Ward]

On 02/12/2022 13:44, Michael Kilpatrick wrote:
>
> Thanks. I've found Aran of Bury St Edmund's, so I assume that's them.

I presume so. Kate organised it - she hasn't given me the paperwork to
file yet, and she's out at the moment.

[The Natural Philosopher]

On 02/12/2022 14:57, Tim Ward wrote:
> On 02/12/2022 14:28, Theo wrote:
> >
> > The wool is much better than it used to be
>
> It's not just that, it's that these days you need more of it than will
> fit below the level of existing rafters.

???

Methinks someone doesn't know a rafter from a purlin from a joist.
I blame Blair's education reforms

So if you want to store
> anything in the loft you need a system of pillars to hold up some new
> flooring. I'm sure you can buy all that stuff and DIY, but we decided to
> pay someone else to do it.
>

Given your level of house construction ignorance, a very wise move


--
It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.
Mark Twain

[Theo]

Tim Ward <t...@brettward.co.uk> wrote:
> On 02/12/2022 14:28, Theo wrote:
> >
> > The wool is much better than it used to be
>
> It's not just that, it's that these days you need more of it than will
> fit below the level of existing rafters. So if you want to store
> anything in the loft you need a system of pillars to hold up some new
> flooring. I'm sure you can buy all that stuff and DIY, but we decided to
> pay someone else to do it.

That's fairly simple. Screw in some of these:
https://www.loftleg.com/loftleg
Screw your boards to the top, job done.

Not to say it's a job for everyone, but it's not complicated.

Theo

[Tim Ward]

On 02/12/2022 20:30, Theo wrote:
>
> Screw your boards to the top, job done.
>
> Not to say it's a job for everyone, but it's not complicated.

Yeah, I'd have done it myself a few decades ago, but decided not to this
time.

There's also access to services to consider. We've got (apart from the
water pipes, which probably aren't a big deal), or have had, at least

* mains (certainly upstairs lighting, bathroom fan, possibly that's all)
* CAT5 network (no switches up there, just lots of wires)
* landline telephone (no longer in use, but the wires are still there)
* TV aerial cable (no longer in use, but the wires are still there)
* VHF aerial cable (obsolete, removed)

and there will in due course be stuff to service solar panels.

[Tim Ward]

Actually there might not be any phone wires up there, they might all be
under the floorboards, but the thing I left out was the loudspeaker wiring.

[Theo]

Tim Ward <t...@brettward.co.uk> wrote:
> On 02/12/2022 20:30, Theo wrote:
> >
> > Screw your boards to the top, job done.
> >
> > Not to say it's a job for everyone, but it's not complicated.
>
> Yeah, I'd have done it myself a few decades ago, but decided not to this
> time.

Fair enough.

> There's also access to services to consider. We've got (apart from the
> water pipes, which probably aren't a big deal), or have had, at least
>
> * mains (certainly upstairs lighting, bathroom fan, possibly that's all)
> * CAT5 network (no switches up there, just lots of wires)
> * landline telephone (no longer in use, but the wires are still there)
> * TV aerial cable (no longer in use, but the wires are still there)
> * VHF aerial cable (obsolete, removed)

In general, unless you're contracting electricians etc, no loft insulation
installer is going to reroute those. They might gently move them to one
side, or bring them on top of the insulation, but anything more drastic is
going to require someone who knows about wiring.

It's only really the mains that is fussy (thermal reasons) - the others can
be buried by insulation with no problems. I expect an installer will just
slap the insulation over the top. However, depending on the slack you have
it may be advantageous to slip the insulation underneath them so they're on
top. Then they sit underneath your loft boards, and you can always unscrew
a board for access.

Take photos beforehand so you know what's up there - if the installer slaps
the insulation on top, they will have disappeared from view.

> and there will in due course be stuff to service solar panels.

More wiring, better to keep it clear of the insulation if you can (eg cable
baskets across the rafters). Electricians love draping stuff across the
insulation because they're lazy, but they don't need to be.

Theo