Non-traditional houses · Scotland
Non-traditional and concrete house insulation in Edinburgh and the Lothians
We provide non-traditional house insulation across Edinburgh and the Lothians, including Edinburgh, Livingston and Musselburgh, with a free survey and fixed written price. For concrete houses in Edinburgh and the Lothians, we report any visible spalling or cracking before quoting the insulation, not after.
- Free survey and fixed written price
- Guide price from £120 per m² + scaffold, 0% VAT
- Planning and building control checked for Scotland
Free survey in Edinburgh and the Lothians
Tell us the postcode and what you need.
What you get
- Steel-framed BISF houses need care around the upper-storey cladding
- The survey identifies the construction type before anything is specified
- EWI is not a structural repair for PRC houses designated defective
- Most system-built homes have thin, cold walls and no fillable cavity
- EWI improves comfort and can renew a tired concrete exterior

Homes and walls in Edinburgh and the Lothians
East Central Scotland mixes stone tenements and terraces with post-war council housing and harled bungalows and semis.
Exposure to wind-driven rain varies across Edinburgh and the Lothians: 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.
Where one half of a pair in Edinburgh and the Lothians is insulated and the other isn't, we detail the boundary so the neighbour can join later.
- Nation
- Scotland
- Region
- East Central Scotland
- Towns covered
- Edinburgh, Livingston, Musselburgh, Bathgate
- Guide price
- From £120 per m² + scaffold · 0% VAT
Scotland: planning and regulations
In Scotland, householder permitted development rights are set by the Scottish GPDO and are narrower for external wall changes; insulating flats or tenements, changing the appearance of a house noticeably, or working in a conservation area usually needs planning permission. Listed buildings need listed building consent. Ask your council's planning team before committing.
Work that alters an external wall's construction is covered by the building standards system; many over-cladding projects need a building warrant from the council's building standards team, and Section 6 (Energy) of the Technical Handbooks sets insulation benchmarks.
How do I know if my house is non-traditional?
Clues include concrete panels or posts visible at corners, a smooth concrete or rendered finish on houses of a 1940s–1960s estate, steel sheeting on the upper storey, or a mortgage valuation that mentioned the construction type. Common types include Wimpey no-fines (poured concrete), Airey and Cornish Unit (precast reinforced concrete), Reema, Orlit and BISF (steel frame). We identify the type during the survey.
Non-traditional and concrete house insulation prices in Edinburgh and the Lothians
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EWI on concrete or steel-framed walls | £120–£180 per m²0% VAT | Includes extra preparation |
| Semi-detached, full house | £11,400–£21,2000% VAT | 80–100 m² of wall, including scaffold |
| Concrete repairs found at survey | Priced separately | Only where needed |
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
Get a guide price
Try the online quote tool for a ballpark figure.
Book the survey
A visit at a time that suits you.
Agree the quote
Nothing starts until you've signed the written price.
We do the work
Planned around weather, with you kept informed.
Non-traditional houses in Edinburgh and the Lothians: questions
Can you put EWI on a BISF house?
Yes, with care. The steel frame and upper-storey cladding need a system and fixing method designed for that construction, and the condition of the frame should be understood first.
Will EWI make my house mortgageable?
It can make a house more attractive and better insulated, but it does not replace a certified structural repair where a lender requires one. Ask your lender before relying on it.
Can you insulate a Wimpey no-fines house?
Yes. No-fines houses have solid poured-concrete walls with no cavity, so EWI is the usual route. The survey checks the concrete condition first.
Do you cover all of Edinburgh and the Lothians?
Yes. We survey and quote non-traditional house insulation across Edinburgh and the Lothians, including Edinburgh, Livingston, Musselburgh, Bathgate.
Do I need planning permission in Scotland?
In Scotland, householder permitted development rights are set by the Scottish GPDO and are narrower for external wall changes; insulating flats or tenements, changing the appearance of a house noticeably, or working in a conservation area usually needs planning permission. We check your address before quoting.