Internal wall insulation in Aldridge.

What are Aldridge homes built like?

Aldridge grew fast after the Second World War. Walsall Council's local history notes that people and businesses moved out from the crowded parts of Birmingham, and the population rose from about 11,500 in 1921 to about 26,500 by 1981. Much of the housing you see today dates from that period.

Around the old village core, which has been a conservation area since 1980, you find older cottages and houses with solid walls. Further out there are 1930s homes and large post-war estates, stretching towards Streetly, Walsall Wood and Pheasey.

Which Aldridge homes are good candidates for internal wall insulation?

Solid-walled homes are the main candidates. For a typical post-war cavity-walled house, internal wall insulation is rarely where I would start.

• Older cottages and pre-war houses: solid brick, good candidates, usually with a breathable system.
• 1930s semis: check the wall first; cold bays are common either way.
• 1950s to 1970s homes: usually cavity walls, but tile-hung or timber panels under windows and on gable bays can be very cold.
• Extensions: older single-skin extensions and converted garages are often the coldest rooms in the house.

For that last group, targeted work on one panel or one room is a sensible place to start, with the rest of the house, loft and floors planned in later. The bay window insulation page explains how I treat lightweight panels.

How can I tell what my Aldridge house needs before a survey?

You can get a good idea in ten minutes. None of this replaces a proper survey, but it helps you describe the problem when you call.

• Look at the brick pattern. Long faces and short ends mixed together usually mean a solid wall. Only long faces usually mean a cavity.
• Measure the wall at a window or door. Around 225mm suggests solid brick; around 250mm to 300mm suggests a cavity.
• Check for small drilled holes in the mortar. A regular pattern of filled holes often means cavity insulation was injected at some point.
• Note where it is cold or mouldy. One bay, one corner or one room points to a local weak spot. The whole house points to the walls in general.
• Look up. Overflowing gutters, cracked pointing or a leaking downpipe can make a wall damp, and that is a repair before any insulation.

Bring these observations to the free home visit and we can get to the cause faster.

Why does mould appear in newer Aldridge homes?

Mostly because of cold spots and poor airflow, not because the whole house is uninsulated. Corners, window reveals, the backs of wardrobes on outside walls and rooms with blocked vents are the usual places.

Newer windows and draught-proofing can make a house more airtight, and if extraction was never upgraded, moisture from cooking, showers and drying clothes has nowhere to go. I look at cold surfaces and ventilation together.

If that sounds like your home, start with my condensation and black mould service or the guide to stopping mould.

Can you deal with Artex and old plaster at the same time?

Yes. Many Aldridge homes from the 1960s and 1970s still have Artex ceilings or tired plaster. When a room is being insulated anyway, it is a sensible moment to put the rest of it right, so you decorate once.

Older Artex can contain asbestos, so I recommend a test before any work that disturbs it. If it is clear, it can be skimmed. See plastering over Artex for how that works.

How much does it cost and how long does it take in Aldridge?

As a guide, internal wall insulation starts from about £2,000 per wall, and bay window insulation from about £1,700 per bay. Breathable systems take about five days per wall, PIR three to four.

In Aldridge, many jobs are smaller than a full wall: one tile-hung panel, one cold bay, one extension wall. Those are priced after the free home visit, because the construction behind them varies so much. You get a written quote, a pre-start guide, and a clear idea of how long each room will be out of use before you commit to anything.

Do I need permission in the Aldridge conservation area?

Internal wall insulation does not normally need planning permission, even inside a conservation area, because the outside of the building is unchanged. Listed buildings are the exception and need listed building consent before internal work. External changes, such as new render, are more likely to need permission. I will check what applies to your address.