Solid Wall Insulation in Wolverhampton & the Black Country

Why solid wall homes need a different approach

Homes built before roughly 1930 were generally constructed with solid walls, a single thickness of brick or stone with no gap inside. The Black Country has a great deal of this housing: the Victorian workers' terraces of Netherton, Cradley Heath and Old Hill, the inner-suburb terraces of Whitmore Reans and Blakenhall in Wolverhampton, and the older cores of Walsall around Caldmore and Palfrey. Because there is no cavity to fill, these homes lose heat through their walls faster than any other property type, which is why their occupants often face the highest bills. The fix is to add insulation to either the outside or the inside face of the wall.

External wall insulation (EWI)

External wall insulation fixes insulation boards, usually mineral wool or EPS, to the outside of the building, then covers them with a reinforced base coat and a weatherproof finish. Finishes range from a modern silicone render in a colour of your choice to brick-effect or board cladding. EWI delivers the biggest thermal improvement, eliminates cold bridging, keeps your internal floor space intact, and weatherproofs the whole building in one go. The trade-offs are cost and appearance: it is the more expensive option, and because it changes the look of the property it needs planning permission in conservation areas, which affects parts of Dudley, Stourbridge and the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.

Internal wall insulation (IWI)

Internal wall insulation fixes insulated plasterboard, or a stud frame filled with insulation, to the inside of external walls, which is then skimmed and decorated. IWI costs less than EWI, leaves the outside of the building untouched, and is the standard solution for conservation areas and listed buildings where external changes are not allowed. The trade-offs are a small loss of room size, around 60 to 100mm per wall, and the disruption of redecorating. Done room by room, it can be phased to suit a budget. Careful detailing around windows, skirting and junctions is essential to avoid cold spots and condensation, which is why this is specialist work.

Cost, savings and funding

External wall insulation typically costs £8,000 to £14,000 and internal wall insulation £4,000 to £8,000, making these the highest-value measures we fit. The Energy Saving Trust estimates a typical annual saving of around £375 for a semi, and considerably more for an exposed, hard-to-heat solid wall home. Because the upfront cost is significant, grant funding matters most here. Solid wall insulation is heavily subsidised under ECO4, and the Warm Homes Local Grant provides up to £30,000 per household, which can cover a full external wall insulation project for an eligible home.

Conservation areas and planning

The Black Country has a number of conservation areas where external alterations are controlled, notably parts of Dudley town centre, historic Stourbridge and the entire Ironbridge Gorge around Telford. In these locations, external wall insulation is usually not permitted, and internal wall insulation or a sympathetic breathable render system is the appropriate route. Our surveyors check the planning status of your property before recommending any external work, so you never commit to a system you cannot use.