FreeSurvey across Blackhall and the surrounding area
Loft Insulation Blackhall
Most of Blackhall was built between the wars, on the slopes below Corstorphine Hill along the Queensferry Road. Ninety years on, a lot of its lofts hold several generations of insulation laid on top of each other, and it is worth knowing what is up there before anything new goes on top.
- Free, no-obligation survey
- Written quote, no hard sell
- Blackhall and the surrounding streets
“He took videos to show what was happening in loft and what would be required.” Heather, Trustpilot
Get your Blackhall loft survey
FreeNo obligationWritten quote
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- £0
for the survey and written quote, with nothing to pay if the work is not worth doing
- 1 day
is all most lofts take, with the eaves kept clear and the house left tidy
- 7 days
a week, 9am to 7pm. Call free on 0800 433 2068
- 2016
family-run and working across Scotland ever since
What is already in your loft, and does it matter?
An interwar loft that has been in use for ninety years is rarely empty. It often holds a thin layer of old mineral wool from the 1970s or 1980s, patches added later, offcuts of board, old tank lagging, and sometimes a layer of loose granular fill poured between the joists.
Most of that is harmless and can simply be topped up. Dry, clean mineral wool is left in place and a new layer is laid across the joists over it, which is cheaper and works just as well as starting again.
Loose fill is different. Some older loose fills, particularly vermiculite, a light, shiny, grey-brown granular material, can contain asbestos. If we find anything like that, we stop, explain what it might be and recommend it is tested before anyone disturbs it. We do not lay new insulation over it until the test is back.
Old wiring and fittings
Older lofts also tend to have older cables, junction boxes and recessed lights coming through the ceiling. Insulation should not be packed over certain types of recessed light, and very old wiring is something to have checked by an electrician. We note what we find at survey so you know before the work starts.
Blackhall housing and what it needs
- Interwar bungalows: large open lofts, often with several old layers and a lot of stored items.
- Interwar semis and detached houses: conventional two-storey lofts with good access.
- Bungalows with attic rooms: the loft has become a room, so the work moves to the slopes and dwarf walls.
- Terraced houses: smaller lofts and quick, simple jobs.
- Newer houses on the slopes of Corstorphine Hill: built to recent standards, often with little to add.
Whatever the property, the target is the same: 270mm of mineral wool at ceiling level, laid in two layers because joists are typically 100mm deep, with the eaves left clear so the roof can still ventilate. That depth is guidance for an existing home rather than a legal requirement, and it is the point past which extra material stops paying for itself.
We install loft and roof insulation only. No cavity wall insulation, no underfloor work, and no spray foam, which bonds to the roof timbers and causes problems at sale. Where old material is dry and clean it is topped up rather than removed, which is cheaper and works just as well.
Once the loft is known to be safe to work in, topping up to full depth is one of the most effective ways for a homeowner to reduce heat loss and bring energy bills down. A good installer keeps the eaves clear to prevent condensation and seals the hatch, and a loft ladder can be installed at the same visit.
Where Blackhall sits, and why that matters
Blackhall is a residential suburb in the north west of the city, on the Queensferry Road between Craigleith and Barnton, bordering Drylaw, Davidson's Mains and Craigcrook. Its newer housing has gone up on the north east slope of Corstorphine Hill.
Because most of the area was built in one period, the houses on a given street tend to have very similar roofs. Survey one and we have a fair idea what the next door house holds, though what previous owners have done in the loft varies a great deal more than the roof itself.
Many Blackhall houses have had the roof space converted over the years. Where that has happened, the remaining loft is a set of small voids around the new room, and the job becomes room in roof insulation.
Other areas we cover near Blackhall
We work right across the city. If your street sits on the boundary, these are the neighbouring pages.
- Loft insulation Clermiston & Drylaw
- Loft insulation Cramond, Barnton & Davidson's Mains
- Loft insulation Corstorphine
For the citywide picture, including grants and how we price the work, see loft insulation in Edinburgh.
The work, filmed as it happens
Short clips from real jobs. Nothing staged, and nothing loads until you press play.
What people say after the survey
Our reviews are published on Trustpilot under Easy-Sprayaway, the other name we trade as.
“Ross showed me the video he took of my loft and explained his findings. I went for the Easy Quilt.”
“James McMillan came & completed a full survey of my loft space. Explained everything clearly & answered all my questions.”
“Rayan was very efficient and knowledgeable about the product. He explained the benefit of having the work done.”
Frequently asked questions
It may be. Some older loose fills, particularly vermiculite, can contain asbestos. Do not disturb it. We will recommend it is tested before any work goes ahead, and we will not insulate over it until the result is back.
Only if it is wet, dirty or damaged. Where old material is dry and clean it is topped up rather than removed, which is cheaper and works just as well.
Most houses here have medium to large lofts, so expect the middle of the range. A loft with a lot of stored items or old materials to deal with takes longer. The survey turns it into a fixed written price.
Not over every type. Some recessed lights need a clear space or a fire-rated cover above them. We identify them at survey and deal with them properly, rather than burying them.
Yes. The sloping ceilings, the dwarf walls and the voids behind them each need their own approach, and room in roof work is quoted separately once we have seen it.
Yes. We work right across the north west of the city, including Craigleith, Craigcrook, Davidson's Mains, Barnton and Clermiston.
Book a free Blackhall loft survey
We go into the roof space, tell you what it needs and put a written quote in your hands. No pressure and no obligation.