Non-traditional houses · Scotland
Non-traditional and concrete house insulation in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
Quotes for non-traditional house insulation in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles set out the system, detailing, access and VAT position in writing. Where a home in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles is system-built, the first job is confirming the construction type.
- 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 Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
Tell us the postcode and what you need.
What you get
- The survey identifies the construction type before anything is specified
- EWI improves comfort and can renew a tired concrete exterior
- Most system-built homes have thin, cold walls and no fillable cavity
- Fixing design depends on the panel or frame behind the wall
- Steel-framed BISF houses need care around the upper-storey cladding
Homes and walls in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
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.
Where one half of a pair in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles is insulated and the other isn't, we detail the boundary so the neighbour can join later.
- Nation
- Scotland
- Region
- Highlands and Islands
- Towns covered
- Kirkwall, Stornoway, Lerwick
- 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.
What does the work involve?
After checking the wall condition, any spalling concrete or corroded steel is reported before boards go on. Fixings are chosen for the substrate — concrete, steel-framed panels or mixed constructions — and the system is detailed around eaves, cills and the junction with neighbouring properties, which may not be insulated.
Non-traditional and concrete house insulation prices in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
| 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.
From enquiry to finished wall
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.
Non-traditional houses in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles: questions
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.
What if my neighbour isn't insulating?
We finish the system neatly at the boundary with a closing detail so the neighbouring house isn't affected and can be joined later.
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.
Do you cover all of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles?
Yes. We survey and quote non-traditional house insulation across Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, including Kirkwall, Stornoway, Lerwick. Island and remote addresses are surveyed by arrangement.
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.