System Built Properties Transformed by External Wall Insulation
Client: Private Landlord
Measures: External Wall Insulation
Location: Milton Keynes
Date: July – September 2015
Value: £22,000
The Challenge
Cornerstone was approached by a private landlord with four solid wall properties in the Netherfield area of Milton Keynes that required external wall insulation to improve the comfort of his tenants and increase the value of his investment.
Netherfield was one of the earliest completed rental housing grid squares in Milton Keynes, built between 1972 and 1977. The estate is entirely of prefabricated construction, partly due to a shortage of bricks at the time. The houses are of loadbearing timber framework clad with corrugated metal sheeting, with thin wall and metal cladding.
Our private landlord client’s properties were all mid-terrace and suffering from extremely poor thermal efficiency. Our client sought an external refurbishment solution that would offer good value for money.
Our Solution
Cornerstone surveyed the properties and recommended an external wall insulation solution. We selected the weber.therm XM product for this project, a 90mm grey EPS insulation system with a smooth render finish that would instantly brighten and smarten the appearance of the properties.
This product would also increase the thermal efficiency of the properties to 0.30 W/2Mk – approximately equivalent to that of an insulated cavity wall - and make a significant difference to the tenants’ energy bills.
In addition, we supported our client through the process of securing grant funding under the government’s Green Deal Communities Fund, which would offset the cost of the works.
The Result
Cornerstone insulated the four properties with tenants in-situ over the summer of 2015, completing the works quickly and cleanly using our directly employed and highly skilled engineers.
The Green Deal Communities Fund grant that we secured for our client totalled £15,400, representing 70% of the total value of the works. This made the project affordable for the private landlord and represented a real return on investment through higher rent yields and significantly improved resale value.
Our private landlord client was amazed with the transformation and very pleased with the speed, quality and value for money of the works carried out by Cornerstone.
‘I had four of my properties in Milton Keynes covered in exterior wall insulation by Cornerstone. The results were amazing! This coating was very neatly and professionally carried out and it totally transformed my houses. My tenants immediately felt the benefits of the insulation as the house was draughty before and now it is positively much warmer. This work has also increased the value of my properties and made them more saleable. Cornerstone is an excellent company with a great considerate and conscientious workforce. I would definitely recommend them.’
– Mr K, Private Landlord

