External wall insulation · England
External wall insulation in County Durham
Homes and buildings across County Durham — from Darlington to Stockton-on-Tees — can get a free survey and written quote for external wall insulation. Whole-house jobs and single elevations are both quoted in County Durham; a cold gable or rear wall can be done on its own where it suits.
- 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 County Durham
Tell us the postcode and what you need.
What you get
- Work happens outside, so you can live at home throughout
- Covers tired brick, pebble dash or failing render with a new finish
- 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
- Installing wall insulation in homes is currently zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027
Before we quote in County Durham
The North East has many solid brick terraces, including former colliery housing, plus post-war council estates with some system-built homes.
Exposure to wind-driven rain varies across County Durham: 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 Durham; a cold gable or rear wall can be done on its own where it suits.
- Nation
- England
- Region
- North East
- Towns covered
- Darlington, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Durham, Peterlee, Chester-le-Street, Billingham, Consett…
- 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.
What does the survey check before EWI is specified?
- Wall construction and condition, including any damp, cracking or loose render
- Ground levels and the damp-proof course, so the system starts above splash height
- Eaves depth, verges and whether the roofline needs extending
- Window positions, cill depths and reveal space
- Services on the wall: gas, electric meters, flues, soil pipes, satellite dishes and lights
- Planning and Building Regulations position for your property and nation
External wall insulation prices in County Durham
| 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.
What happens next
Enquiry
Send your postcode and a few details.
Measured survey
Walls, damp, eaves, cills and services recorded.
Written price
A fixed price with the specification attached.
Work and handover
Installed, inspected and documents handed over.
External wall insulation in County Durham: 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.
Does EWI need Building Regulations approval?
In England and Wales, usually. Insulating more than half of a wall's area, or more than a quarter of the building's whole external envelope, counts as renovating a thermal element, so building control needs to be involved and the wall should reach about 0.30 W/m²K where that's practical. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own building standards processes.
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 Durham?
Yes. We survey and quote external wall insulation across County Durham, including Darlington, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Durham, Peterlee.
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.