Existing insulation and guarantee check for Durham properties
Durham is among the towns we cover in County Durham, alongside Chester-le-Street, Stanley and Bishop Auckland. Durham is one of the main towns we cover in County Durham.
The written result for your Durham property is plain English: what we found, what it means and what, if anything, to do next. Buyers and sellers in Durham often book this check when a survey report or EPC raises questions about the walls.
Local weather affects which walls can be filled. County Durham has a mix of moderate and more exposed sites. Hilltop, coastal and west-facing walls take the brunt of wind-driven rain, so the survey records exposure for each elevation before a material is chosen.
On the rules side, if cavity wall insulation follows in Durham, filling a cavity is notifiable building work and needs a building notice or competent-person self-certification.
Rules in England
Filling a cavity is notifiable building work and needs a building notice or competent-person self-certification if insulation work follows.
Sources: Planning Portal: cavity wall insulation and building regulations; CIGA: CWISC competent person scheme.
How to tell if a house already has cavity insulation
Look for a regular pattern of small patched holes in the mortar joints, often about a metre apart. Check the EPC, which may say 'filled cavity'. Ask the seller for a guarantee. The reliable answer is a borescope check, because patched holes can be from a fill that was later removed and EPCs are sometimes wrong.
What is included in Durham
- Short written report
- Visual check of walls and patched holes
- Guidance on tracing a guarantee
- Borescope checks
Guide prices for Durham
| Existing insulation and guarantee check guide prices | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Existing insulation and guarantee check | £145–£245 |
This work is not insulation, so it is normally standard-rated for VAT. Guide prices include VAT where it applies. Guide ranges only: the fixed price is confirmed in writing before any work starts, and anything that could not be seen at survey is agreed with you first.
How it works in Durham:
Tell us what is happening
Postcode, property type and what you have noticed.
Price agreed first
We confirm the price before anyone visits.
Visit and checks
Photos and readings at the areas that matter.
Findings in writing
What we found and the options, each priced separately.