Energy Efficient Home Renovations Cambridge
Warmer rooms and fewer draughts, planned as part of your renovation
The best time to make your home warmer and cheaper to run is while you’re already renovating. Refresh Renovations plans insulation, heating, glazing and ventilation into your kitchen, extension or full refurbishment, so the work is done once and done properly.
Simon Kelliher and the local team manage the whole project, from design and specialist advice through to the finished build, with one point of contact throughout.
A whole-house approach to retrofit in Cambridge
Insulation, heating, glazing and ventilation all affect each other. Choosing them one at a time can leave you with a heat pump in a draughty house, or new windows next to cold walls.
We look at the whole property first, then plan the upgrades in the right order alongside the rest of your renovation. If you’re renovating in stages, we make sure today’s work sets up the next stage.
Recent project: open-plan kitchen with a heat pump and underfloor heating
A dark, divided ground floor in Cambridge became a light-filled open-plan kitchen diner, with external insulation, an air source heat pump and underfloor heating built into the renovation.
What we can include in your renovation
Wall insulation
External or internal wall insulation, chosen to suit your home’s construction, condition and appearance, with moisture and detailing around windows and floors planned in.
Loft and floor insulation
Renovation work often opens up roof spaces and floors that are otherwise hard to reach, which makes it the ideal time to upgrade them.
Air source heat pumps
If you’re replacing your heating, we’ll check a heat pump suits your home’s heat loss, space and hot water needs, and design the radiators or underfloor heating around it.
Underfloor heating
A new kitchen, extension or floor is the perfect opportunity. We plan the floor build-up, insulation and layout together.
Solar panels
Best added when roof or electrical work is already planned. We’ll look at roof suitability, shading and your electricity use.
Double and triple glazing
New windows chosen to balance comfort, looks and ventilation, and detailed properly into the surrounding walls.
Ventilation, including MVHR
As your home becomes more airtight, good ventilation keeps the air fresh and moisture under control. We’ll advise whether improved extraction or mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) suits your home.
Period, Victorian and conservation area homes
Older homes need a careful approach. Solid walls, timber floors and original features affect which insulation will work, and many Cambridge homes sit in conservation areas or are listed. We plan energy improvements that respect your home’s character and construction, with moisture issues checked before work starts.
Sustainable and energy efficient home refurbishment
A sustainable renovation goes beyond energy use. We can help you keep good existing materials, choose durable finishes and design spaces that will work for years, balanced with your budget and how much maintenance you want.
How it works
- Free consultation: we talk through your home, ideas, comfort concerns and budget.
- Concept and feasibility: we assess the property and bring in specialist advice where it’s needed.
- Design and costing: you get a detailed design, agreed scope, costs and schedule.
- Construction: we manage the trades, suppliers and every stage of the build.
- Handover: we walk through the finished work with you, along with instructions for any new systems.
Common questions
How can I make an older house more energy efficient?
Start with the building’s condition and how it performs today. Insulation, draughts, heating, glazing and ventilation work best when planned together, using methods suited to how the house was built.
Is it worth adding insulation while renovating?
Usually, yes. Renovation work often opens up walls, floors and roof spaces, making insulation easier and less disruptive to add.
Can you fit a heat pump in an older home?
Often, yes, but it depends on the home’s heat loss, insulation, radiators or underfloor heating, and space for the outdoor unit. We assess this before recommending one.
Will an energy efficient renovation improve my EPC rating?
It can, depending on your home’s starting point and the improvements chosen. An energy assessor can advise on the likely effect, but we won’t promise a specific rating.
Are there grants available?
Government support is available for some households and improvements, but schemes change regularly. Check the latest on GOV.UK’s energy grants page before committing to work.
Covering Cambridge and the surrounding area
Simon and the team work across Cambridge and Cambridgeshire, including Ely, Huntingdon, St Neots, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and nearby villages.
Plan a warmer, more comfortable home
Meet the team
