Wood fibre EWI · Scotland
Wood fibre insulation for older homes in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
Planning wood fibre external wall insulation anywhere in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles? We cover towns including Kirkwall and Stornoway, and check planning and building control for each address. If your home in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles is in a conservation area, we check the council's position on render before suggesting wood fibre EWI.
- Free survey and fixed written price
- Guide price from £150 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.
Included as standard
- Compatible with lime renders used on traditional buildings
- High density gives good protection from summer heat
- Often the most suitable EWI where planning allows on older properties
- Made from a renewable material with low embodied carbon
- Vapour-open and hygroscopic — buffers moisture rather than trapping it
Local considerations 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.
For period homes in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, the survey looks closely at existing lime mortars and any cement patching that may trap moisture.
- Nation
- Scotland
- Region
- Highlands and Islands
- Towns covered
- Kirkwall, Stornoway, Lerwick
- Guide price
- From £150 per m² + scaffold · 0% VAT
Permissions 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. 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 finish goes over wood fibre?
A lime-based or mineral render designed for the system, applied over a reinforcing base coat. Lime finishes give the softer, slightly irregular texture that suits cottages and older terraces.
Wood fibre insulation for older homes prices in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wood fibre + lime render system | £150–£210 per m²0% VAT | Excluding scaffold |
| Cottage, about 90 m² of wall | £15,300–£22,1000% VAT | Including scaffold |
| Lime render only (no insulation) | £78–£132 per m²inc VAT | See lime render |
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. Prices include VAT at 20%.
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.
Wood fibre EWI in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles: questions
Can wood fibre go on a stone wall?
Yes, after levelling. Rubble stone is often uneven, so a levelling coat or adapted fixing method is used first.
Does wood fibre need a lime render?
It needs the render specified by the system manufacturer, which is usually lime or mineral based.
Is wood fibre insulation fireproof?
No — it's a timber product. It chars rather than flaming readily, but it is combustible, so it's used on low-rise buildings within a tested system and never where non-combustible materials are required.
Do you cover all of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles?
Yes. We survey and quote wood fibre external wall 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.