External insulation of houses.

[Chris Bacon]

Who here has had experience of external insulation for houses? Any information about it much appreciated!

[Bookworm]

Quite common in Germany. They use a cementitious plaster with fibres added. Another system in use in Germany utilises insulated cladding panels that are fixed to the outside walls.

[Zoinks]

Stone cladding, for that classy look.

Zoinks !

[Guy King]

The message from Zoinks contains these words:

Oh, don't. There's a terrace of three-storey houses near us, one near the middle has been done top to bottom in cladding - the rest are still brick. Gawd it looks vile.

[Steve Firth]

There was a cracking one in Woking, the owner had applied every single item of stick on tat from the catalogues. "Stone" cladding made from real plastic, UPVC windows with a fake wood grain, fibreglass porch, columns, and a doric portico. Then he'd filled the garden with concrete and plastic statues.

It had to be seen to be appreciated in all its hideousness.

[Alex]

some useful information here

[Doctor Drivel]

Shitkicker, I agree. Was it Lord Hall's house?

[Doctor Drivel]

I once saw a makeover of a house. The house was in a great location, but downright ugly and neglected. The owner bought it cheap. He cavity filled, external cladding and USA style of Spruce cladding. Wooden triple glazed low "e" windows, over 12" of loft insulation. He even dug around the perimeter (he did extensive landscaping as well) and inserted foam insulation against the foundation walls and back filled. A new highly insulated front door with no letter box, with a nice smart porch too. I believe his heating bills were very low too. I think he also filled in the floor from wooden to solid inserting insulation under the concrete, as per a modern house. He even had a number of solar panels on the roof.

The roof was stripped of the old tiles and the eves extended to give large overhangs giving a classy Continental look. The place looked fantastic. It cost him around £30,000 in all and that was also including a new kitchen and bathrooms with new en-suite added. It added about £150-200,000 to the price.

It was the sort of house that turned heads. The secret was the roof, extending and giving large overhangs.

[Guy King]

The message from Steve Firth contains these words:

Did it all light up at Christmas?

[Steve Firth]

But it was your house.

[Owain]

Did christmas start in September?

Owain

[Steve Firth]

It did.

It once featured in "Traditional Homes" - in the section reserved for hideous alterations to houses, it was after all a good Victorian villa under the tat. IIRC it was on Monument Road, I used to pass it on my way to my place of work on Albert Drive.

[Doctor Drivel]

Such wit.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I think you have fond 'Chez Drivel'

:-)

[Doctor Drivel]

It the snotty uni's pad. He says words like "groovy".