Underfloor Insulation

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tchart

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#76553 3-Feb-2011 19:23

Hi

So I got cold called by a company in December 2010 about a quote for underfloor insulation (with all the subsidies etc).

So they arrived today and got a quote for around $2000 which includes the $1000 EECA subsidy. At around $35 per square metre (without subsidy) I was wondering if this was a reasonable quote. This is for Autex Greenstuff insulation and moisture control sheeting (for the ground).

As we have a Lockwood we cant do ceiling insulation.

Anybody have any recent quotations?

Thanks

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#435016 3-Feb-2011 19:56

Get a quote from a different supplier. My Guess as it was a cold call it won't be the best deal out.

Personally we have just installed the Expol underfloor insulation which cost around $750 but we installed that our self so no labour costs

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#435019 3-Feb-2011 20:02

We've just gone througgh this process via EECA. We got three quotes for Underfloor and Ceiling insulation.

In the end we chose Energy Smart since we got an additional discount through Hutt Mana Energy Trust.

All up cost $1500

What type of flooring do you have? Do you really need ground insulation?

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tchart

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#435031 3-Feb-2011 20:18

Thanks guys.

We have a 1980's Lockwood. No ceiling cavity and lousy "tin foil" underfloor insulation. So options are limited to underfloor insulation.

Apparenlt Expol works best for small underfloor cavities or houses on concrete slabs (but that was the salesguy talking).

The insulation is this stuff ($2000);

http://autexindustries.com/nz/insulation

Includes removing existing insulation, instalation etc.

As well as an on-ground vapour barrier ($1000)

The thing is that these guys are EECA approved and Greater Wellington Regional Council has them on their website. Looks like a legit organisation was just surprised at the cost.

Thanks

Regs

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Snowflake

#435095 3-Feb-2011 22:55

i got these guys http://www.underfloor.co.nz/ to supply and install the cocoon underfloor insulation. i got the highest R-value one they had. i think it was cheaper than $35/sqm but cant remember. Not sure if they do wellington, but they can probably recommend someone if they dont. The cocoon product is one they manufacture themselves.

you're way better off with the polyester than the expol. its a much better insulator.

not sure if you need on-ground vapour-barrier. they are often used if you're damp, but if your undefloor is well ventilated it might not be necessary.

we found that the inside temperatures were much better after putting in the underfloor. from 12-12deg on average up to 17-18deg on average, in winter. We already had ceiling insulation.

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jaymz

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#435109 3-Feb-2011 23:44

$1000 for a moisture barrier?? That seems pretty steep, but I did ours myself.
Cost me $100 for a 25m by 5m roll of black sheet plastic from Mitre 10 Mega + $50 worth of staple gun, staples and tape. Installed it all myself and it made a big difference to the humidity under the house.

Our place is on a sloped section and the dirt under the house is damp throughout winter (poor drainage design)

I also did our roof insulation for about $700 including trailer hire and gloves.

FYI, we have a 110sqM house

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#435131 4-Feb-2011 06:15

I just installed Poly Palace bats under our floor. They are polystyrene and 50% recycled. It cost appox $800 for the bats and after doing about a 1/3rd myself I paid to have someone install the rest (was a prick to install with not much room under our floor). That cost a further $400.
The heavier bats which we brought are not EECA approved however their lighter ones are. The lighter ones are the same r rating as expol.

The price you have been quoted seems to be very high although it does seem to be a premium product.

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freitasm

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#435138 4-Feb-2011 07:40

Get more than one quote. We had ours done some time ago and then needed to redo the ceiling (pink bas were 10 years old so needed to refill it).

Asked one company for a quote, and with the subsidy they came at a price X. We asked another two companies and both gave us about 2/3 X.

It turns out "X" was almost full price, no subsidy included. Basically some companies (it's been documented and posted in newspapers) just go out there, claim to be doing something with subsidy but charge full price - in effect making double money, charging both the customer and the government.

jaymz: $1000 for a moisture barrier??

I don't think it's moisture barrier, but thermal insulation.

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#435142 4-Feb-2011 07:53

freitasm:

jaymz: $1000 for a moisture barrier??

I don't think it's moisture barrier, but thermal insulation.

I think that is what he meant when he said,

tchart: As well as an on-ground vapour barrier ($1000)

I am pretty sure this just just a sheet of plastic that they use to stop moisture entering the air directly from the ground below.

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#435145 4-Feb-2011 08:09

Ah, that bit of the sentence, the one I went over when skimming the text.

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#435185 4-Feb-2011 09:34

jaymz: $1000 for a moisture barrier?? That seems pretty steep,

+1

I'd be checking for other quotes for sure. If the ground is damp under your house then definitely look to cover it, but also do some looking into why it's damp.

Oh, make sure you are comparing apples with apples as they say too. Same spec R values etc.

tchart

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#435189 4-Feb-2011 09:47

Thanks for the replies guys. I will get some other quotes to compare.

Thanks

tchart

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#435220 4-Feb-2011 10:56

Have arranged for 2 more quotes, will update the post when I have them.

tchart

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#435229 4-Feb-2011 11:17

FYI Average/typical costs are listed on the EECA website;

http://www.energywise.govt.nz/node/6828

Mine break downs to;

Underfloor Insulation = $23/sqm
Vapour Barrier = $12/sqm

The underfloor is slightly more ($23 vs $18 - could be difference in material) but the vapour barier is more than double.

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#435291 4-Feb-2011 12:54

I thought the foil was good enough already since hot air rises. Shame you can't get insulation into the ceiling somehow where it makes a huge difference...

Time to find a new industry!

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#435539 4-Feb-2011 22:43

webwat: I thought the foil was good enough already since hot air rises. Shame you can't get insulation into the ceiling somehow where it makes a huge difference...

the foil is bare minimum. in the winter time there isnt any hot air to rise and the floors become very cold if they are timber. putting a decent underfloor insulation made a huge difference to our place - raised the average temp inside on a cold winter day by about 5 degrees celcius which, in turn, made the power bill much cheaper!

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