Always wearing slippers in winter. Playing on the floor with your children in winter is no fun. You get shivers because the floor feels so cold. You want a floor that feels warm and saves energy. But what does floor insulation actually cost?
? In this article, we delve deeper into the costs of floor insulation and how they are structured.
Cost of floor insulation per m2
The cost of floor insulation can vary depending on several factors, including the size of the space, the type of insulation material, and labour costs. Generally, floor insulation is relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of insulation, such as roof insulation. For example, with floor insulation via the crawl space, you don't need a beautiful finish, which saves on costs.
The average cost of floor insulation is around €50 to €60 per square meter. However, this is only an indication, and the actual costs can be higher or lower, depending on the factors mentioned above.
One of the most important considerations when choosing insulation material is the Rd-value
. The Rd-value indicates how effective the material is in insulating heat. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation performance of the material. It is important to choose a material with a high Rd-value to ensure the best insulation performance. In addition, the Rc-value
If you want to insulate your house, you will quickly encounter the term Rc-value. This value may seem complicated and technical at first glance. Nevertheless, it is crucial to understand what the Rc-value means, because it determines.. is also important; the thermal resistance of the entire floor.
Various types of insulation materials are available for floor insulation, including glass wool, rock wool, flax insulation
, wood fibre insulation, cellulose insulation, EPS (expanded polystyrene), XPS (extruded polystyrene), and PUR (polyurethane). Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages, and it is important to choose a material that suits the specific needs of your home.
Labour costs are also an important factor in determining the total cost of floor insulation. It is important to engage a professional insulation specialist to carry out the work, as poorly executed floor insulation can lead to problems with moisture and mould.
Moisture problems drive up costs
When insulating your floor, it is important to avoid problems with moisture and mould as this drives up costs. For example, if you insulate and later get rotten floor joists, this will cost you a lot of extra money. Therefore, ensure that roof joists are not 'trapped' with vapour-proof insulation materials such as PUR. It insulates well but completely encloses the wood, so any moisture can no longer escape. Therefore, always insulate a wooden floor with a vapour-open but windproof material.
Breakdown of ecological floor insulation costs
Cost of floor insulation via the crawl space
What does floor insulation via the crawl space actually cost? This is a frequently asked question by potential clients during our introductory meetings. With floor insulation via the crawl space, you can expect the following costs:
- 14 centimetres thick natural insulation (Rd=3.7 -> sufficient for subsidy): €42.50 per m2 (€20 material costs, €22.50 labour costs)
- Wind (air) and moisture sealing with foil and tape: €12.50 per m2 (€5 material costs, €7.50 labour costs)
- Wooden laths (impregnated) on the underside: €5 per m2 (€3 material costs, €2 labour costs)
€60 per m2
(€28 material costs, €32 labour costs)
Cost of floor insulation on the top side
If you want to insulate the ground floor or attic floor from above, the costs are structured as follows:
- 14 centimetres thick natural insulation between wooden sub-construction: €37.50 per m2 (€25 material costs, €12.50 labour costs)
- Wooden framework into which the insulation is placed to give the floorboards grip and sturdiness: €27.50 per m2 (€10 material costs, €17.50 labour costs)
€65 per m2
(€35 material costs, €30 labour costs)
- Finishing with OSB/ESB board (no added formaldehyde) also airtight if taped all around: €37.50 per m2 (€20 material costs, €17.50 labour costs)
Calculate floor insulation costs
To calculate the approximate cost of floor insulation, multiply the price per m2 by the surface area you wish to insulate.
Example: you want to insulate your ground floor. The surface area is 60 m2. If you want to insulate this ecologically, it will cost you approximately: [€60 x 60m2] €3,600.
Please note that there may be additional costs for custom work, see below.
Possible costs for custom floor insulation
Custom floor insulation on the underside
- If water pipes/heating pipes, etc., are 'in the way', this will require tape and extra foil to seal the necessary cuts: €7.50 per m2 (€2 material costs, €5.50 labour costs)
- If you have a concrete floor, a sub-construction of wooden laths must be made and attached to the concrete floor so that the insulation remains against the floor: €15 per m2 (€5 material costs, €10 labour costs)
- If excavation work has been carried out in the crawl space and there is, for example, a mound of soil. This must first be dug away. The excess soil will be levelled or removed. The costs of this are difficult to determine. But count on an hourly rate of €40-€50. It depends on whether the mound in the way is made of sand or hard clay.
Custom floor insulation on the top side
- If roof joists extend to the floor, this means that extra sawing and fitting will be required for the floorboard: €15 per m2 (€0 material costs, €15 labour costs)
You can certainly find cheaper floor insulation like glass wool. But be aware that this is not ecological. And that glass wool loses its insulation value if it gets damp. Applying glass wool in a damp crawl space is not a good idea. PUR foam is probably somewhat cheaper in terms of labour costs. But it is bad for the environment and your health. In addition, it traps your wooden floor, which can cause it to rot.
In conclusion, the costs of floor insulation depend on various factors, including the size of the space, the type of insulation material, and labour costs. Although the initial costs may seem high, floor insulation can lead to long-term savings on energy bills and provide a more comfortable living environment. It is important to consult an insulation specialist to ensure professional installation.
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