External wall insulation · England
External wall insulation in Berkshire
External wall insulation across Berkshire: measured survey, clear specification and a fixed written price before any work starts. We plan EWI in Berkshire around the details that cause trouble later — cills, eaves, downpipes and the base of the wall above the damp-proof course.
- Free survey and fixed written price
- Guide price from £105 per m² + scaffold, 0% VAT
- Planning and building control checked for England
Free survey in Berkshire
Tell us the postcode and what you need.
Included as standard
- Covers tired brick, pebble dash or failing render with a new finish
- Work happens outside, so you can live at home throughout
- Cills, pipes, vents, meter boxes and the roofline detailed as part of the job
- Typically takes a 225mm solid brick wall from around 2.1 W/m²K to about 0.30 W/m²K with 90–110mm of board
- Boards chosen for the wall: EPS, mineral wool, wood fibre or phenolic
Homes and walls in Berkshire
Homes across the South East range from inter-war semis and post-war estates, which are mostly cavity-walled, to older solid-walled cottages and Victorian town terraces.
Much of Berkshire sits in the lower wind-driven rain exposure bands, which keeps the choice of finishes wide — though hilltop, coastal and exposed gable walls can still need a tougher specification, so we check the actual site.
Whole-house jobs and single elevations are both quoted in Berkshire; a cold gable or rear wall can be done on its own where it suits.
- Nation
- England
- Region
- South East
- Towns covered
- Reading, Slough, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Wokingham, Windsor, Newbury, Earley…
- Guide price
- From £105 per m² + scaffold · 0% VAT
Approvals in England
For houses, external wall insulation and render are often permitted development where the finish looks similar to the existing walls. Planning permission is usually needed in conservation areas, National Parks, National Landscapes, the Broads and World Heritage Sites (where cladding a house in stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic or tiles isn't permitted development), for flats and maisonettes, for commercial buildings, under an Article 4 direction, or where the look changes noticeably. Listed buildings need listed building consent.
Renovating more than half of a wall's area — insulating it, or stripping and re-rendering it — or more than a quarter of the building's whole external envelope brings in the energy requirements of Part L, so building control needs to be involved and the wall should reach about 0.30 W/m²K where that's technically, functionally and economically feasible.
How does external wall insulation work?
Heat moves out through a wall faster when the wall is solid or poorly insulated. EWI wraps the outside face in a continuous layer of insulation, so the masonry stays on the warm side and the cold bridges at floor and party-wall junctions are reduced. The boards are bonded with adhesive and, on most walls, mechanically fixed. A base coat with an embedded glass-fibre mesh goes over the top, then a primer and the decorative finish.
Because the wall itself sits inside the insulation, it stays warmer and drier, and the rooms keep their full size. That is the main difference from internal insulation.
External wall insulation prices in Berkshire
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EPS system with silicone render | £105–£145 per m²0% VAT | Most common choice for houses |
| Mineral wool system | £125–£170 per m²0% VAT | Non-combustible, vapour-open |
| Brick-slip finish over insulation | £185–£260 per m²0% VAT | Where a brick look is wanted |
| Three-bed semi, EPS + silicone (incl. scaffold) | £10,200–£17,7000% VAT | 80–100 m² of wall; depends on detailing and access |
Confirmed by a fixed written quote after survey. 0% VAT: installing insulation in a home is zero-rated until 31 March 2027, so these figures are the total; 5% applies from 1 April 2027.
How it works
Tell us about the property
Use the quote tool or form, or call. Photos help.
Free survey
We measure, check the walls and confirm approvals.
Fixed written quote
System, details, access, exclusions and VAT in writing.
Installation
Scheduled for suitable weather, with a clear programme.
External wall insulation in Berkshire: questions
Do I need planning permission for external wall insulation?
Often not for a house in England or Wales if the finish looks similar to the existing walls. You will usually need permission in a conservation area, on flats, on commercial buildings or where the appearance changes noticeably. Listed buildings need listed building consent. We check your address before quoting.
Does external wall insulation cause damp?
Not when it is specified and detailed properly. Problems usually come from poor detailing: no starter track above the damp-proof course, gaps at cills and penetrations, or a vapour-closed system on a wall that needs to breathe. The survey checks moisture, ground levels and the wall type before a system is chosen.
Can EWI go over pebble dash?
Usually yes. The dash is tested for adhesion and hollow areas; sound dash can be insulated over with additional mechanical fixings, while loose areas are removed first.
Do you cover all of Berkshire?
Yes. We survey and quote external wall insulation across Berkshire, including Reading, Slough, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Wokingham.
Do I need planning permission in England?
For houses, external wall insulation and render are often permitted development where the finish looks similar to the existing walls. We check your address before quoting.