Room by Room Retrofit in Leeds

Q&A with David & Rachel in North Leeds

What motivated you to make your home more energy efficient?

Comfort: our house was cold without the heating on.

Health: one of our daughters has mild asthma, and so reducing moisture and thus mould on external walls will benefit her, and the rest of us.

Economies: once we are done, all of the top floor of our house will have insulated external walls which will reduce bills, and make the house more attractive to buyers.

Climate change: a sense of doing our bit, and preparing the house for the installation of a new heating system when the time comes … as it must.

Why did you decide to do a room-by-room retrofit? 

We live in a three-bedroom Edwardian terrace with two teenage kids and so organising the retrofit room-by-room minimised costs and disruption. We started with the bathroom – the major job – and then with one of bedrooms used by our daughters. We have booked in the retrofit of another bedroom for late autumn.

What do you like most about the upgraded rooms? 

The bathroom was designed to reduce the build-up of moisture and thus mould.  Wool insulation combined with the specialist plaster board and lime paint allows the external wall to absorb moisture and there is also a new efficient vent.

The retrofitted bedroom includes a new window and an insulated external wall and the finish is excellent. We painted direct onto the skimmed plaster board and it looks great.

How did you convert the ambition to make your home more efficient into action?  

We asked Wrapt to conduct a survey, and then we came up with a plan, working out what was cost-effective, setting priorities, time-lines and working out the logistics. We then set up one job and then the next, and then the next.