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Installation between floors:

Posted by Anna Morgan, on
I live in an old loft with no installation between the floors. We have been told the best way of doing this is to lift up all the floors and have installation placed between them which would raise the floor boards. But this is hugely expensive and I am about to have a baby and so can't have this kind of disruption now. Do we have any less invasive, cheaper options?
Michael Tucker

Michael Tucker

Hello Anna , Get 3 tradesmen out and get there views on it. This job really needs to be seen. Best to get an on site survey/quotation done, this is a free service to you and you will get 3 quotes. Simply post your job onto rated people's site. You are not obliged to go with any of the quotes- but ever job that's posted is paid for by the relevant tradesmen.if they contact you that means they are interested in your job. If one of them are awarded the job then great news for you both. ratedpeople.com Regards Michael
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Stephen Tuckey

Stephen Tuckey

I believe that you are referring to the floor of your loft and indeed if this is boarded out it does make insulation of that area rather difficult.Ideally insulation should take place at that level as you really do not wish to pay to heat your loft space I suggest that you approach your local authority,give them a ring, ask for the Dept of Environmental Health and they will advise what Gov. Grants are currently available,send you the appropiate claim forms,and usualy arrange for someone to call, or give you the name of an approved contractor who will call and advise you, whilst at the same time giving you a quote for the work,they will also deduct the value of any grants from the price Having spent many years as an insulation consultant for ICI I will be happy to call myself if you are local to me Best of luck Steve Tuckey T/A Swiftsure
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Axel Keating

Axel Keating

you could put down an insulating underlay, over the exisiting floor. even carpet would insulate somewhat
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Alan Bridge

Hi yes that is correct but you do not take all the boards up you can take every one up.Take aternate boards or two and push the all purpose insulation under the floor boards between floor joists .If they are tounged & grooved you will have to cut through the toungs with a saw Regards Alan Bridge Carpentry Joinery & General Builder
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Andrew John Wheaton

Hi Anna, If you live in an old loft I wouldn't worry about floor insulation. Any heat rising up to your loft from rooms below should be welcome. You need to insulate the loft ceilings, I assume they are sloping ceilings which need insulation between the plasterboard and the outside roof covering. This can be done either from the outside when/if a new roof is required or from the inside by ripping down existing ceilings or going over the top of existing ceiling with insulated plasterboard sheets. Andy
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Martin Marchewka

The only other solution I can think of is to call a cavity wall insulation company and ask them if they could do that. They would inject insulation in between the joists, that is only if you have timber floors. It would be definitely cheaper and quicker then taking up all the floors.
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Dave Claringbould

Dave Claringbould

It depends , if you have laminate flooring , try carpeting With decent carpet and underlay ESP decent Dunlop underlay
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scott ryan

scott ryan

You could get someone to dry line your walls and ceilings in the loft with a kingspan backed plasterboard then have them skimmed?
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paul pearson

Other than taking down ceilings to insulate from below but this is a more expensive and messy unfortunately these are your only two optiona
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Jason Stockhill

Jason Stockhill

I would agree with Edward, if you insulate the floor you will loose heat from below. could you be a little more specific as to why you require the floor insulating, anything to do with sound?
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Edward Thompson

Edward Thompson

Hi Anna a house loses about 10% of heat through the floor a much smaller figure compared to heat loss through the roof, walls and windows, so it may be better to concentrate on these areas first. Have you checked your insulation in the roof and walls? Bring them upto recommended levels if required, grants are available.. Also your neighbour is losing heat from the flat below which helps to warm your loft area.It's probably best to consult an insulation specialist to see if it's possible to have insulation blown into the floor similar to insulating a cavity wall, this would mean minimal disruption to the floor and no change in the floorboard level.It costs nothing to ask! Thanks. Ed.
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Mike Gregory

Mike Gregory

Hi Anna, If you already do have floorboards down then your only option is to lift the floorboards and insulate between the joists. You mention when putting the floorboards back down they would be raised, this is not necessarily the case. If you insulate between the joists and not over them the floor boards would go back and be no higher than they originaly where. You can use a celotex insulation board or a cheaper option would be a rockwool fibre insulation. Another thing I would add is if you proceed with the job instead of fitting back the original flooring it woud be easier and quicker to replace with a tounge and groove chipboard floor. Hope this has helped you a little Mike South Coast Building Ltd
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