Dry lined walls

Count1

Hi all, I am doing a BER Cert for domestic dwelling built 1930. Original walls are solid brick. Now , I know this is a similar thread to one posted before but here is my problem. The owners got the house "substantially" drylined about a year ago. The drylining is clearly visible ( in that it takes about 2 inches off every room it was done in). However, the contractors they used never provided any details as to the material and insulation used and the contractors are no longer available for comment.

What information can I legitimately use/input so that they get at least some improvement for the money they have clearly spent? Are there ANY assumptions I can make?

Solid brick: 325mm
insulation: ?
vapour barrier/polythene sheet: probably n/a
plasterboard finish:?

Thanks in advance.

sydthebeat

Count1 wrote: »

Hi all, I am doing a BER Cert for domestic dwelling built 1930. Original walls are solid brick. Now , I know this is a similar thread to one posted before but here is my problem. The owners got the house "substantially" drylined about a year ago. The drylining is clearly visible ( in that it takes about 2 inches off every room it was done in). However, the contractors they used never provided any details as to the material and insulation used and the contractors are no longer available for comment.

What information can I legitimately use/input so that they get at least some improvement for the money they have clearly spent? Are there ANY assumptions I can make?

Solid brick: 325mm
insulation: ?
vapour barrier/polythene sheet: probably n/a
plasterboard finish:?

Thanks in advance.

you cannot make ANY assumptions...!!!

if you can substantiate the type and thickness of insulation then what you do is:

1. calculate the resistance of the insulation
2. add this resistance to the default wall age band value
3. generate the u value from this new resistance....

doing this you include teh defualt value AND you take account of the upgraded works...

sinnerboy

Under audit Count - you will be expected to DEMONSTRATE how you arrived at U Values . You dont' know that any insulation is in place . The clients' or contractors' word is not sufficient . An architects sign off is .

SEI advice is weasel word - no one is required to open up works so be careful not to advise this .

sydthebeat

sinnerboy wrote: »

Under audit Count - you will be expected to DEMONSTRATE how you arrived at U Values . You dont' know that any insulation is in place . The clients' or contractors' word is not sufficient . An architects sign off is .

SEI advice is weasel word - no one is required to open up works so be careful not to advise this .

agreed....

to stress my point in my first post....

you must SUBSTANTIATE the existence, type and thickness of an insulation in order to onclude it..

that means either getting independent or installers certificates, receipts ofinstakkation, or intrusive action to photograph the works...

SilverBER

"Independent documentary evidence" is what I was told by SEI. Documentary is underlined

dunie001

If the drylining is taking 2" of the walls...I EXTREMELY doubt that there is any kind of insulation in the drylining....i.e.

2" X 1" timber batton with 12.5mm plasterboard and 6mm of plaster (roughly) makes a depth of 43mm...where could they possibly fit the insulation in?!?!?!?

Fair enough there MIGHT be 25mm of insulation between the battons but the chances are so slim that it's probably not worth thinking about.

They could drill a very discreet hole (about 10mm wide) as far as the main wall to discover what is in the drylining (i.e. insulation or not) but that is entirely up to the homeowner.

If they refuse to do so, just use the default values for the wall...you could add in the resistance of an air cavity between the battons, the battons themselves and the plasterboard which could make a miniscule difference to the u-value but that's up to you to decide...

dunie001

I'd say there's as much insulation in that drylining as there was on the drylining in "ROOM TO IMPROVE" last wednesday night...

as Dermott said, the only insulation in that wall is "the tin foil that you'd wrap the turkey in for sunday lunch":D:D:D:P:P

My neighbour's just had the house drylined with insulation -backed plasterboards 50mm thick no battons, just "nailed" to the walls using special fixings.

Just remove an electrical socket, if you're lucky the base of the socket will be in the original wall and you'll see the thickness of the drylining.

legs_akimbo

If the insulation was done recently then almost 100% certain it was not a stud wall construction with insulation between timbers but rather the likes of Kingspan therma board dot and dabbed or mechanically fixed. Take off an electric socket and see what was used it will either be 38mm or52mm board....Stud walls with aeroboard or rockwool is the dated method of drylining before modern materials.

legs_akimbo

Beat me to it by five minutes