It’s a dirty job which requires a specialist to carry out, but it’s worth the effort if you’re prepared

One option is to batten the wall and infill it with insulating material, then cover with plasterboard. Or, for a cheaper DIY option, you might want to try an insulating wallpaper from the delightfully named Mould Growth Consultants.

Easily incorporated if you’re planning to replaster anyway, budget for £45 per sqm. But it depends on the age of the house you’re living in and how much upheaval you are prepared to put up with. If you go for it, you’re not asking too much of your builder, so do your homework and persevere.

CON

• You’ll have to move sockets, light switches, etc and, unless you are planning a ruthless refit of the interior, it’s not practical in a home with character features such as coving, panelling and picture rails.

• You will also lose space from the room.

• Finding a builder with experience of this sort of work is tricky (no members of the National Insulation Association, for example, offer this service), so you might have to bone up on the techniques and suitable materials yourself.

PROS

• Up to 35 per cent of heat is lost through your walls, so watch your carbon footprint fall.

• Much cheaper than fitting double glazing on every window.

• Can be implemented on a pay-as-you-go, room-by-room basis. Will not affect the external appearance of your house.

Useful Contacts

Association for Environment Conscious Building: www.aecb.net
Green Spec: www.greenspec.co.uk
National insulation association: www.nationalinsulationassociation.org.uk

Words: Dominic Murphy Images: Stovax