Refurbishing a Victorian house in Manchester

Monday, 05 October 2009 14:28

The Grand Designs Great British Refurb Campaign partners WWF and the Green Building Council, together with campaign sponsors Knauf Insulation, are busily refurbishing a Victorian mid-terraced house in Manchester. Timed to coincide with the Conservative Party conference taking place in the city this week, the campaign is aiming to demonstrate a real-life retrofit and what can be done with the right level of government support.

The three bedroomed home of Rebecca Williams (aged 29) is a typical example of so many homes you’ll find in any town, city or village in the UK. A mid-terraced, solid walled Victorian house. Work being done on the home includes; solid wall insulation, loft insulation, under floor insulation, draught proofing, the lagging of hot water pipes, installing energy efficient lighting, and the installation of temperature controls. In total the cost of this work is a little over £2,000.

The house will completed by Tuesday 6^th October when Kevin McCloud will be visiting Rebecca in her newly refurbished home before going to the Conservative Party Conference to promote the campaign and the need for a massive programme of retrofitting throughout the UK.