External wall insulation · Northern Ireland
External wall insulation in County Down
Quotes for external wall insulation in County Down set out the system, detailing, access and VAT position in writing. For homes in County Down, the survey starts with the wall itself: solid brick, stone or concrete, and whether any old render is sound enough to insulate over.
- Free survey and fixed written price
- Guide price from £105 per m² + scaffold, 0% VAT
- Planning and building control checked for Northern Ireland
Free survey in County Down
Tell us the postcode and what you need.
Included as standard
- Cills, pipes, vents, meter boxes and the roofline detailed as part of the job
- Covers tired brick, pebble dash or failing render with a new finish
- Work happens outside, so you can live at home throughout
- Boards chosen for the wall: EPS, mineral wool, wood fibre or phenolic
- Typically takes a 225mm solid brick wall from around 2.1 W/m²K to about 0.30 W/m²K with 90–110mm of board
County Down: walls, weather and approvals
Northern Ireland has many rendered and pebble-dashed homes, older solid-walled rural houses, and estates built by the Housing Executive.
Exposure to wind-driven rain varies across County Down: sheltered town streets fare better than walls on high ground or facing the prevailing weather, and the render, beads and cill details are chosen with that in mind.
Whole-house jobs and single elevations are both quoted in County Down; a cold gable or rear wall can be done on its own where it suits.
- Nation
- Northern Ireland
- Region
- Northern Ireland
- Towns covered
- Bangor (County Down), Castlereagh, Newtownards, Newry, Banbridge, Holywood, Downpatrick
- Guide price
- From £105 per m² + scaffold · 0% VAT
Permissions in Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, permitted development is set by the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (NI) 2015. Changing the external appearance of a house may need permission, and conservation areas, flats, commercial buildings and listed buildings need planning permission or listed building consent. Check with your council's planning office.
Insulating external walls is building work under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012, handled by council building control, with Technical Booklet F1 covering conservation of fuel and power in dwellings.
What finish can I have?
Most EWI is finished in a thin-coat silicone render in a through-coloured shade, with a 1–2mm grain. Acrylic, mineral (painted), dry-dash and brick-slip finishes are also available. Where planning wants a brick look, brick slips over the insulation keep the street appearance.
External wall insulation prices in County Down
| 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 County Down: questions
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.
How much does external wall insulation cost?
Our guide price for EWI is £105–£170 per m² of wall depending on the system, plus scaffolding. A typical three-bed semi with EPS and silicone render comes to roughly £10,200–£17,700 for the whole house, including scaffold. Installing insulation in a home is zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027, so that's the total. You get a fixed written price after a free survey.
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.
Do you cover all of County Down?
Yes. We survey and quote external wall insulation across County Down, including Bangor (County Down), Castlereagh, Newtownards, Newry, Banbridge.
Do I need planning permission in Northern Ireland?
In Northern Ireland, permitted development is set by the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (NI) 2015. We check your address before quoting.