Wood fibre EWI · England
Wood fibre insulation for older homes in Somerset
We provide wood fibre external wall insulation across Somerset, including Bath, Weston-super-Mare and Taunton, with a free survey and fixed written price. If your home in Somerset 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 England
Free survey in Somerset
Tell us the postcode and what you need.
Included as standard
- Compatible with lime renders used on traditional buildings
- Vapour-open and hygroscopic — buffers moisture rather than trapping it
- Thicker than foam for the same U-value
- High density gives good protection from summer heat
- Made from a renewable material with low embodied carbon
What we look for in Somerset
The South West has many stone and solid-walled cottages, exposed coastal properties and a share of post-war system-built houses, including types such as the Cornish Unit.
Exposure to wind-driven rain varies across Somerset: 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.
For period homes in Somerset, the survey looks closely at existing lime mortars and any cement patching that may trap moisture.
- Nation
- England
- Region
- South West
- Towns covered
- Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Yeovil, Bridgwater, Frome, Portishead, Burnham-on-Sea…
- Guide price
- From £150 per m² + scaffold · 0% VAT
Planning and building control 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.
Why do older walls need breathable insulation?
Stone and early brick walls were built with lime mortars and renders that let moisture in and out. Sealing them with impermeable materials can trap water in the wall, leading to damp and frost damage. Wood fibre keeps the build-up open to vapour, and its ability to absorb and release moisture helps the wall stay in balance.
Wood fibre insulation for older homes prices in Somerset
| 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
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.
Wood fibre EWI in Somerset: questions
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.
Is wood fibre worth the extra cost?
On older solid walls the main benefit is moisture safety rather than raw U-value. If the wall needs to breathe, the cheaper option can cost more later.
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.
Do you cover all of Somerset?
Yes. We survey and quote wood fibre external wall insulation across Somerset, including Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Yeovil, Bridgwater.
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.