Blog

Taking on TED

I’ve often thought I had a TED in me. I just never expected my subject to be insulation. Yet here I am, focusing on retrofit – making...

Judith Leary-Joyce

Sep 4, 20232 min read

Bedroom retrofit – a Diathonite skim

The next step in insulating the bedroom is the Diathonite skim. All the old plaster has gone and we’re left with a clean brick wall. The...

Judith Leary-Joyce

Jul 24, 20233 min read

Bedroom retrofit – throw nothing away

Throw nothing away – that’s our mantra – and we’ve done pretty well so far. Removing the chimney breast was no exception. I’d assumed...

Judith Leary-Joyce

Jul 9, 20232 min read

Bedroom retrofit – removing the chimney

The insulation process begins with removal. Step One – get rid of all the old plaster . Step Two – work out what you want to do about...

Judith Leary-Joyce

Jun 25, 20233 min read

Bedroom retrofit – getting rid of the plaster

In our bedroom retrofit, getting rid of the plaster felt like a real drag. But we new it was for the best. So having cleared the space –...

Judith Leary-Joyce

Jun 22, 20232 min read

The bedroom is finally done

The bedroom is finally done – and it was by the skin of my teeth. My first Open House (blog to follow) was coming up at the weekend. It...

Judith Leary-Joyce

Jun 20, 20233 min read

The search for a lime plasterer is over

The search for a lime plasterer is over! And I made a big discovery – ‘plastering’ doubles for ‘anything stuck to a wall’, so when I...

Judith Leary-Joyce

Jun 5, 20233 min read

So good to meet you James

I’ve just had coffee with one of the people who helped us most during our retrofit. James King, Founder of Unity Lime, a supplier of...

Judith Leary-Joyce

May 11, 20233 min read

Finding the right insulation

Finding the right insulation is quite an adventure these days – so many more options out there. And I get to explore them all because...

Judith Leary-Joyce

Apr 24, 20233 min read

Insulating under a suspended floor

Insulating under the suspended wood floor was our one bit of DIY. We were so concerned to get it right, we just didn’t trust anyone else...

Judith Leary-Joyce

Apr 16, 20233 min read

Time to insulate the bedroom

Why can we never do one thing at a time? It seems I need a head of steam in order to get moving. I think about stuff, get irritated with...

Judith Leary-Joyce

Mar 20, 20233 min read

Have you ever used a Thermal Imaging Camera?

Have you ever used a Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC)? It’s a fascinating experience that teaches you a lot about your house. You’ll find...

Judith Leary-Joyce

Feb 3, 20233 min read

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