Upgrading a small Bungalow

U

user180224

Registered User
Messages
42
I'm looking to purchase a small 55sqm bungalow which is currently D1. I'm used to living in a A2 apartment so would really need to improve the energy efficiency of the house, but since it's small and detached it should be an ideal candidate for improving?

I was planning on a bit of work:

- install two velux skylights with light tunnel through attic
- remove chimney
- attic insulation
- external wrap
- new windows and doors
- heat pump

Would I be better going through OSS or do it individually?

I'm guessing the best order would be as listed above?

I never put on the heating in the apartment so hoping I could maybe do similar with the bungalow, though obviously an apartment is "heated" from surrounding apartments.
 
Would you not keep the chimney but add a stove? Can be handy on those rare power cuts in winter and the house may look odd without one. It’s also a nice feature in the living room.

External insulation is expensive, I assume it has no cavity that could be pumped?
Personally I would do it individually.

Windows, doors and attic insulation is a one day job especially for such a small home.

If you have a cavity and choose to pump again that’s one day.

What heating has it currently? If the oil boiler is relatively new I’d sort all the other jobs first before adding a heat pump.

55 m2 with a stove and good insulation your heating demand will be small, a new condensing oil boiler would see you well into 10 years at relatively little cost vs a heat pump.
 
Last edited:
It is currently a gas boiler which is extremely old and needs replacing.

One reason for removing the chimney is to add more space, basically converting the chimney into a wardrobe storage.

Hadn't thought of cavity insulation, would that be as effective as a wrap?
 
If you just want to overall improve house comfort and running costs I would recommend going in order of payback
The info below is from the website https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/insulation
The pricing numbers might be a little out, as are the payback periods, but the order is pretty much correct.
Insulation typeCostsEnergy bill savings (£/year)CO2 savings (kgCO2/year)Payback (years)
Pipes & Water Tank£38£2267150.2
Loft£930£2706203.4
Cavity wall (270mm)£2,700£2806509.6
Solid wall (internal)£7,500£38088019.7
Solid wall (external)£12,000£38088031.6
Doors£840 – £4,325£45-44.4
Floor (suspended timber)£4,700£8018558.8
Windows< £15,000£16537584.8
 
user180224 said:
It is currently a gas boiler which is extremely old and needs replacing.

One reason for removing the chimney is to add more space, basically converting the chimney into a wardrobe storage.

Hadn't thought of cavity insulation, would that be as effective as a wrap?
Click to expand...

I’d be very hesitant to move from natural gas to a heatpump, I’d strongly suggest replacing the gas boiler with an efficient one and in ten years look at a heat pump.

Okay fair enough in terms of space as it’s at a premium in a small house.

External insulation will be better but the cost is significantly higher than cavity, with such a small house external insulation vs cavity would have a much longer payback. I’d probs throw the price diff at a new hot water tank and solar panels.
 
user180224 said:
install two velux skylights with light tunnel through attic
Click to expand...
What’s this for? It’s a long time ago now but a builder installed a light tunnel into a windowless bedroom and it was pointless.

Agree on keeping gas heating, it’s really clean and efficient. But you can lose the chimney to free up space

As an aside, I’d be very wary of old bungalows if they are not well insulated. I’d want a damp/dry lining expert to check the place out.
 
Skylights are to bring more light into the room. Have them added in my holiday house and it completely transformed the room.

Surprised with all the suggestions of gas boiler. Only briefly had one on my rental house and really don't like the feeling of them. Maybe it's just that I'm used to heat pump or naturally warm buildings but find the gas heat almost stuffy.

Why would a bungalow be more prone to damp?

I get the pay back period is quite long, but I'd rather get the insulation and heat pump for a comfort point of view than cost savings. Though maybe it won't be possible to get the house to the required standard.

I'd have thought a small bungalow would have been ideal candidate but maybe not.
 
Persia said:
100% agree, recall listening to liveline after a severe storm a few years ago. Many had A rated homes without fireplace and due to being without electricity for weeks, their houses were freezing.
Personally I'd never forego a fireplace or stove in a house.
Click to expand...
When this happens you buy ye ould gas cylinder heater, on wheels. When and where in Ireland was there no electricity for weeks? We are all doomed I tells ya. I remember new born lambs in the aga to live, paraffin lamps, no electricity, toast made in the fire, houses with no indoor toilets, going out in pure black to get coal. People in most apartments don’t have fireplaces. Ireland doesn’t have severe cold. It’s not Prague/ Russia …
 
Last edited:
Velux windows get in the way of solar panels... you could also mount the panels elsewhere. Maybe you don't want panels. They could greatly offset the cost of running a heat pump.
 
Persia said:
Well done on being old and remembering miserable stuff. Its a skill few appreciate
Click to expand...
It makes things seem relative. Having read your article this bit:

However, many areas in the north and west of the country

When/If retiring to Ireland I have not a notion of living anywhere left of the Shannon. Ideally the Sunny East. The OP is looking at D1 so won't have those kind of problems unless there is complete armageddon. So they don't have to consider a fireplace/stove. They are focused on full insulation.

The OP should consider light too, somewhere that gets a lot of sun is very important for mental well being as well as making a very well insulated house warmer. Heat pumps I hear good and bad of. Not clear to me that they are efficient.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top