External wall insulation · Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
External wall insulation in Kirkwall
Homeowners and landlords in Kirkwall can get a free survey and a fixed written quote for external wall insulation, covering KW15 and the surrounding area. For homes in Kirkwall, 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 in KW15
- Guide price from £105 per m² + scaffold, 0% VAT
- Fixed written price before work starts
Free survey in Kirkwall
Postcode, service and a phone number is all we need.
What the job covers
- 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
- Covers tired brick, pebble dash or failing render with a new finish
- Boards chosen for the wall: EPS, mineral wool, wood fibre or phenolic
Before we quote in Kirkwall
We cover Kirkwall and the wider Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles; island and remote addresses are surveyed by arrangement. The Highlands and Islands have many exposed stone and harled homes, timber-framed houses and scattered rural properties.
Parts of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles fall in the higher wind-driven rain exposure bands, especially coastal and upland sites, so render specification, movement joints and detailing at cills, verges and the base of the wall matter more than usual.
We plan EWI in Kirkwall around the details that cause trouble later — cills, eaves, downpipes and the base of the wall above the damp-proof course.
- Postcode district
- KW15
- County or area
- Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
- Nation
- Scotland
Planning and building control in Scotland
Scottish householder rules mean many Kirkwall jobs that change the outside of a house need a planning application; we confirm the position before quoting.
Over-cladding work in Scotland often needs a building warrant from the council's building standards service, with Section 6 of the Technical Handbooks setting insulation benchmarks.
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 Kirkwall
| 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
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 Kirkwall: questions
How long does external wall insulation last?
A well-installed render system is commonly expected to last 25–30 years or more, with occasional cleaning and inspection of sealants. The system manufacturer's documentation states the expected service life for the specific build-up.
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 Kirkwall?
Yes — we survey and quote external wall insulation in Kirkwall (KW15); island and remote addresses are surveyed by arrangement, with a fixed written price before any work starts.