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The regulation concerning walls is that if an external wall has a U value – thermal efficiency – higher than 0.7 then insulation has to be used when removing, replacing or adding a layer to the wall unless a very good technical or economic reason makes this impossible to do. The target to try and achieve is 0.35 U value and an existing 9 inch solid wall is rated as 2.05 U value ie a 75% plus reduction in heat loss is being targeted.

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Therefore when replacing old render or pebbledash on the exterior of the wall or adding  a render for the first time a solid wall insulation system must be used at the same time . This can be external or internal but to comply with the Regulations internally is very disruptive and costly especially as the “whole of the wall ” must be covered with no thermal bridging allowed.

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Therefore it is far easier and ultimately cheaper to externally clad the wall from top to bottom in a layer of insulation before covering the insulation slabs in a weatherproof and maintenance free rendered or brick finish.

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These systems are all accredited and are checked and signed off by local Building Inspectors whilst the work is being carried out and the homeowner receives a Building Regs Completion Certificate at satisfactory completion of the work.

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On average the wall surface will be brought forward by around 65mm or 2.5 inches in old money. Most modern upvc window cills tend to extend 50mm from the wall surface so will need to be extended by around 50mm further to enable the cill to overhang the insulation depth and still shed water efficiently.

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Tiled cills and wooden cills can be similarly extended but stone cills are usually prohibitively expensive to replace on a like for like basis but can be over capped with upvc as a last resort if desired.

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Another alteration that can be needed are to roof lines that have insufficient soffit depth to allow the insulation to be tucked under them without water getting down the back of the insulation boards. Choices here are usually to either extend the roof tiles or more simply to fit an aluminium overtrim on top of the boards that acts like a roof cover and angles water away from the boards.

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The final most common alteration is to down pipes and waste pipes and both of these tasks are fairly straight forward. The exception being if the old rainwater goods are cast iron and usually are secured very close to the wall surface. Whereas upvc pipework is easy to remove and then re-position afterwards ,with cast iron this is not possible without shearing off the retaining plates and screws. In these circumstances it is best to relace with new pipework or if acceptable work around the pipework but avoiding creating any cold bridges.

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If you require further info or want to ask any questions on any of the above then please call on 08456 345 866

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Of particular interest are teams accredited in any of the following systems :

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Alsecco

Weber

WBS

Jub

Sto

Rockwool

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If you are such a person or a team and can provide first class references then we have plenty of on-going work waiting for you.

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We pride ourselves in the high quality of our work and our fitting teams and we pay top industry rates for the right people.

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In the first instance call Bob on 08456 345866 or email bob.multiguard@btconnect.com

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Of particular interest are teams accredited in any of the following systems :

Alsecco

Weber

WBS

Jub

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If you are such a person or a team and can provide first class references then we have plenty of on-going work waiting for you.

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We pride ourselves in the high quality of our work and our fitting teams and we pay top industry rates for the right people.

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In the first instance call Bob on 08456 345866 or email bob.multiguard@btconnect.com

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. The robust polyethylene basement lining membrane forms a sealed envelope within the building. Its dimpled profile – similar to a rigid bubble wrap – creates a continuous air cavity between the original cellar wall and the back of the membrane, where ample water drainage and air circulation allows underlying substrate to both drain and breath.

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The membranes are attached to the walls by special compression plugs that do not puncture the membrane and are laid loose over the floor area. The wall membrane is then plasterboarded over and the floor membrane is either screeded or fitted with a floating floor. The membrane lengths are double joint taped for strength and water tightness.

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In areas of high water pressure and no natural land drainage a sump chamber and drainage channels are also built into the floor to feed pressured water to a submersible pump.

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Basically the process involves trowelling a sand and cement receiver coat onto the wall and then throwing or firing in to the receiver or dash coat pea shingle or stone chippings. Once set the finish was either left alone or more commonly was then painted over usually in white.

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A heavier version of pebbledash is called “roughcast ” or ” slurry dash ” in which large stones were crushed and mixed with cement and this has a more ruggged and heavier texture finish to it.

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The cement element does give an element of rigidity to the pebbledash mix and it can lead to movement cracks especially on larger gable walls and paint films can have trouble adhering to the pebbledash especially with the air pollutants that in grain themselves into the render.

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Whilst small repairs are possible without looking too obvious any large area repairs are best ruled out and for the remaining pebbledash to be removed and the whole wall re-rendered.

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Most of the walls that are pebbled dashed or rough cast are of solid wall construction and so will need to be insulated at the same time as they are replaced or repaired if a repair is on more than 25% of each wall. This means that an accredited external wall insulation system must be used to comply with the relevant Building Regs Part L1B.

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The cementitious nature of traditional pebbledash along with the considerable weight rules out an insulation system using the traditional methods. However, there are a range of superb testged acrylic “pebbledash ” finishes that are suitable for external insulation boards and also give the pebble dash look.

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For information on replacing blown or cracked pebbledash and roughcast or to learn more about external solid wall insulation please contact us by phone or email.

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The wattle refers to thin wooden staves , usually of willow or hazel, that are interwoven and either wrapped around or nailed to the gridwork of the timber frame. This is then “daubed “  with mud and sand and often straw which when dry sets onto the wattle and forms a base for a lime wash or lime plaster to be brushed or trowelled on top as the outer decorative layer.

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The soundness of this technique has proved to be outstanding and a similar version can now be used to replace or repair wattle and daub sections but with one huge advantage ie increased thermal insulation.

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The big drawback of wattle and daub or even “cob houses” – similar method but no timber frame and  free standing walls around 2 to 3 feet thick – is that there is no insulation and little thermal mass so heat loss is extreme in winter.  However, this problem can now be solved by infilling the timber frame “cavity” with breathable hemp or sheep fleece batts and then covering with a wood ply or wood based insulation board. A natural lime render can then be applied over the boards to give an authentic but warm look and feel to the home.

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For further details on wattle and daub or cob houses and how we may be able to help raise the insulation values please call us on 08456 345866 or email us.

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Replicating the unique breathing and dirt resistance of the lotus leaf these new generation coloured renders and masonry paints will revolutionise the exteriors of UK homes.

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Not only will the paint and render remain unaffected by water ingress and subsequent frost damage but the need for painting every few years due to discolouration and fading will also be eliminated.

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Imagine only having to apply the covering once and then to be able to spend the saved re-decoration costs on a new car or an extra special  holiday every 3 or 4 years. All this and of course a fabulously clean looking home for years and years to come.

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Full details including a supply and advice service are at the end of a telephone. Call 08456 345 866 for more details on this exciting breakthrough.

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These grants are provided by the Energy Companies and not by the Government as a lot of people seem to believe and in the current economic climate the decision has been to scale down the grants for the next 12 months.

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This comes just a few months after the last Government’s energy review – Greener Homes Report – revealed that some 7 million solid wall homes need to have wall insulation fitted by 2050 if the UK is to hit its legally binding carbon reduction targets. This equates to around 200,000 homes a year and represents a minimum 10 fold increase on current numbers of insulations carried out per year.

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Given this back drop you would have thought that the low level of grant aid available to private home owners would have been substantially increased to act as an incentive as they do in large parts of Europe .  Even a hardened cynic would not have guessed at a grant cut but that is exactly what is happening.

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The new website is called www.basementmembrane.co.uk and features some really pertinent and useful information as well as some before and after pictures showing what can potentially be achieved.

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As with all our work we offer a complete peace of mind service backed by the respected Masterbond Warranty that gives an in surance backing to run in tandem with our own guarantee.

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Please visit the new site and send us your feedback and comments so we can tweak the information as and where needed.

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