2 grand to spend on heating / insulation/ economic measures - what's best?

[Betty1980]

So currently we have a semi detached house with a converted loft, solid brick walls, a possible cavity wall extension and electric storage heaters and immersion heater on economy 10. electric bills are high and so although the storage heaters can make the house nice and warm I rarely turn them on to save money. want to make the house warmer, fuel costs lower and ideally future proof and more attractive to future buyers. planning on staying at least 3 years.

I have around 2 grand to spend - what's the best thing I could spend it on to make the most difference? ?

[specialsubject]

hmmm. £2k won't get you an entire gas central heating system which would be my first thought, assuming you are near a gas main of course.

so the bet is insulation - roof (what is above the loft rooms?) cavities if not done already and possibly external solid wall insulation? Also what are the windows like?

you've got the right tariff for the heaters so how high are the bills?

[roneik]

Have you thought about having just the bare minimum of radiators installed?
I think if you shopped around you might get the boiler and couple of rads for 2k. Up north I see plumbers vans with ads for full central heating for not a lot more. Or ring up british gas and pay 2k deposit and the rest on credit maybe.

[Betty1980]

Nothing above the loft conversion and it is very cold up there so don't think it has much if any insulation. I was looking into external wall insulation but seems to be around £10 grand!

[Betty1980]

deposit idea for central heating might work.

electric bill is £150 per month but that's with hardly any heating on and want to be warmer for the kids. ..

[Liara]

Is it at all possible to get a log burner in?

It is incredible what a difference one makes to the toastiness of a house, and it is very attractive for future buyers.

Insulating the loft is a very good idea.

[Liara]

Also, some lined heavy curtains make a huge difference. I interline mine with fleece. You can replace them with something lighter in the summer if you want.

[roneik]

150 a month leccy ....my day's ... that's a mortgage in 1980
Seriously that's a lot

[roneik]

Well that's it then get the strucking central heating in. Being cold is worse than being .....
You have your mission orders and you must obey

[Chrissy41]

I would apply for free loft and cavity wall insulation and also look to see if you are entitled to free heating - depends on your income. If not I would get as must central heating installed as possible - economy storage heaters are the most expensive ineffective heaters known to man.

[roneik]

Or women , they feel the cold more than us

Steps back in anticipation of replies from the buy to let brigade who are out to get me

I know they are , I shut my eyes and they are there ... everywhere

[specialsubject]

ignoring the noise...

forget a log burner, unless you have a lined flue already it will cost you most of that £2k.

You could start with the gas safe site and get some quotes from there; although getting anyone to turn up at this time of year will be a challenge.

plan B - internal insulation, and definitely above the loft room.

[roneik]

ignoring even more noise
I would go for part credit/ deposit gas central heating

[roneik]

A lot of trades people are on there arse for jobs, no problems unless you live in la la land (london)

[roneik]

Edit their

[Betty1980]

I think 150 is a lot but obviously no gas bill. no idea what is normal really.

[roneik]

It's £4.83 a day , so 35 a week

[roneik]

Normality went when blair and the other two Tory parties came into power and preached global warming

Even though the planet hasn't been warming for about a decade

Not to worry though they and their cronies all did well out of it

[Mini05]

Ditto as Chrissy41 says have you seen into free insulation,cavity wall, maybe central heating. You can do this looking on line to see if your eligible

[Betty1980]

Apparently because its only the extension that has cavity walls and the loft conversion has been done we can't get the discounted insulation.

[Chrissy41]

I got it done for free and central heating too. Have you checked?

[Betty1980]

It was British gas that told me that. mi should try somewhere else?

[roneik]

I tried all that, you have to be on benefits I was told. As a person that has paid enough tax to insulate every chavs and would be born entitled house in Britain I was miffed to say the least ,

[Chrissy41]

yes try elsewhere - I work and I was entitled to it.

[roneik]

Most of Britain is on some sort of benefits, the bloke asked "any sort of benefit claimed"

[TheOneWiththeNicestSmile]

our house (Victorian terrace) was built with an attic , of course, no insulation

we've lived here 30 years & while it's been fine in average weather, it's stifling in hot spells & icy in cold ones and, if it's windy, the cold pours down the stairs & into the entire house, it's horrible.

We've just had the roof reslated & the attic gutted & lined with those lovely thick insulation boards; it's not finished yet but there's already a difference.

How big is your loft conversion? Would it be feasible to strip it back to the roof timbers & insulate? It would need to be plasterboarded & skimmed afterwards. We haven't actually had an estimate for ours (I am trusting the builder, his quote for the reroofing was sensible) so I don't know how much it would cost but if it's literally uninsulated currently it would make a massive difference