Underfloor Insulation FAQs

A survey is an essential first step before every Q-Bot installation. Why? Because we want to make sure your home and our underfloor insulation solution are a perfect match. 

Q-Bot follows strict quality assurance standards – it’s one of the reasons we’re able to offer long-term guarantees and complete peace of mind. During the survey, our trained team checks that your property is suitable, assesses the health of the underfloor void, and notes any small remedial works that may be needed before installation. 

Think of it as a health check for your floor, ensuring the space is safe, dry, and ready for Q-Bot’s robot to do its best work. This careful preparation helps us deliver a safe, effective, and long-lasting installation that keeps your home comfortable and efficient for years to come. 

There are 2 surveys to choose from: 

• Premium Survey: Detailed report, full floor plan, images, moisture data, radon risk and estimated energy savings.
• Premium PLUS Survey: Everything in the Premium Survey, plus water table information, predicted U-Value and above-floor ventilation assessment.

If your survey shows that your home isn’t suitable for our solution, the survey fee is non-refundable, as it covers the time, expertise, and travel involved in the assessment. However, our friendly team will take the time to explain the results in detail and help you understand why your property may not be suitable. 

Yes. The survey helps us evaluate your property, identify any potential risks, and confirm that your home is suitable for Q-Bot’s underfloor insulation. If any small issues are spotted, we will highlight them in your report along with clear recommendations. Our goal is to ensure that every installation is safe, effective and delivers the best possible results for your home. 

Good ventilation is vital for a healthy home. During the survey, our team checks that the property has the right balance – enough airflow to keep your home fresh and dry, but not so much that it causes unnecessary draughts. 

Insulating your floor with Q-Bot typically reduces air infiltration by up to one-third. While this helps cut heat loss and improve comfort, it’s also important to make sure that natural ventilation isn’t reduced too far, which could otherwise lead to issues like damp or condensation. 

To stay compliant with building regulations and qualify for funding, our surveyors assess ventilation in the rooms being insulated and, if needed, may recommend or install additional background vents. By accepting your Q-Bot quotation, you’re agreeing to these essential measures – ensuring your home stays warm, efficient, and healthy for years to come. 

Q-Bot provides a full set of documents to confirm the quality and compliance of every installation. This includes: 

• A pre-survey suitability report outlining property details, materials, and any recommendations. 

• A condensation risk assessment to ensure the installation supports a healthy environment. 

• Confirmation of installation in line with the manufacturer’s specifications and industry standards. 

• The KIWA BDA Agreement Certificate, verifying that Q-Bot’s system is independently tested and certified. 

• A material warranty, providing long-term assurance of quality and performance. 

Together, these documents give surveyors, buyers, and homeowners complete confidence in the safety, compliance, and lasting value of Q-Bot’s insulation solution. 

If there is no existing access, our installers make a discreet opening to the floor (often inside cupboards or under furniture). Then, we spray closed-cell polyurethane foam insulation onto the underside of your suspended timber floor from beneath, working entirely within the underfloor void, using a robot or manually – depending on what suits your home best. 

The insulation expands and fits the shape of the floor, ensuring no gaps are left. The insulation forms a continuous draught-proof barrier under your floorboards, allowing for a ventilation gap between the insulation and the ground beneath to protect from damp and mould. 

Most Q-Bot installations are completed within one to two days. The exact duration depends on the size of the area, the condition of the underfloor void, and how access is made. 

Installations on park homes are usually completed in 1 day. 

Our team will confirm the expected timescale after your survey and keep you updated throughout the process. 

Q-Bot’s robots can operate down to 200mm from the bottom of the joist. Four independently controlled drive wheels and a suspension system enable the robot to drive over rubble, while pulling a hose into position.

The robot needs 200mm of clearance from the bottom of the joist to operate. 

Building Regulations also require 150mm of clearance to remain beneath your floor after insulation is applied. If Q-Bot’s survey indicates that the added insulation will exceed this, Q-Bot will not proceed to the installation to protect your floor and keep you compliant. 

Check our insulation process.

In 2022 Energy Saving Trust, verified that insulating your floor with Q-Bot could typically save around £190 a year in a gas-heated home and around £430 a year in an electrically heated home. These are modelled figures based on a weighted average of property types and a typical heating system, at a gas price of 7.4p per kWh and an off-peak electricity price of 16.7p per kWh. Actual savings depend on your property, your heating system and how you use your home.

The payback period depends on your property size, heating system and energy usage. The Energy Saving Trust (2022) verified that Q-Bot’s system typically saves around £190 per year in a gas-heated home and £430 per year in an electrically heated home. Across Q-Bot’s case study of 100 homes, some tenants saved up to £665 per year. 

With installations ranging from £126.50 to £150.50 per square meter and energy savings of this scale, many homeowners reach their return on investment within a reasonable number of years, and continue saving for decades beyond that. Q-Bot’s insulation has a life expectancy of 42 years, meaning the long-term value significantly outweighs the upfront cost. 

For a more accurate estimate based on your home, request a survey to find out what you could save. 

Homes are responsible for around a quarter of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions, with space heating being the largest single use of energy in the home and accounting for more than half of domestic emissions. 

Independent SAP assessments show that installing Q-Bot’s underfloor insulation saves around 700 kilograms of CO₂ every year, roughly one fifth of a typical home’s emissions. That’s the same as a London–Munich return trip.  

Wastage: 

Because the process is precisely metered, there’s virtually zero product waste. The robot sprays only where needed and to the correct depth, unlike traditional methods that involve cutting, trimming, or discarding materials on site into a skip or landfill.  

Lifecycle and durability: 

Once cured, the foam is inert, stable, and maintenance-free, performing reliably for decades. It also supports the building’s health by reducing moisture and preventing condensation, extending the life of the structure itself.  

Overall, Q-Bot’s approach combines low-GWP materials, minimal waste, and major energy-efficiency gains, making it one of the most sustainable retrofit measures available – supporting both net-zero and fuel-poverty reduction goals. 

Having underfloor insulation installed by a certified professional can increase the value of your home.

Professionally installed insulation is recognised by Domestic Energy Assessors, whereas DIY installations are typically not accepted due to assurance and compliance requirements.

Domestic Energy Assessors are responsible for calculating a property’s energy efficiency and issuing the mandatory Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which rates homes from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). A higher EPC rating can make your home more attractive to buyers and can positively impact its market value.

Market research indicates that homes with a higher EPC rating are more attractive to buyers as they use less energy and are more comfortable to live in.

Q-Bot underfloor insulation can improve your EPC score by up to 5 points, helping to enhance both your home’s energy efficiency and its overall value.

No. Q-Bot’s underfloor insulation does not increase fire risk. The insulation is installed beneath the floor in an enclosed, ventilated void and is not exposed to open flames, electrical appliances, or occupied living spaces. When installed correctly, it does not change the fire risk profile of the home.

No. Independent analysis has shown that insulating the floor using Q-Bot’s method reduces the risk of damp and mould in both the floor and the property. Q-Bot has worked with independent experts including Lisa Pasquale, Simmonds Mill Architects and PRP Architects to assess these risks mould. In the study installs where monitored through data logging as well as using modelling packages including Therm and WUFI. Q-Bot’s method has been shown to reduce the risk of damp and mould when compared to both an uninsulated floor and alternative insulation materials. The solution can therefore help treat properties with damp or mould problems.

Note that during the survey, Q-Bot will measure moisture levels of floorboards and if the levels are greater than 20%, our procedures state that the install should not be carried out until the underlying problem has been rectified.

Unlike the concerns sometimes associated with loft spray foam, there is currently no industry-wide lender policy specific to Q-Bot’s underfloor insulation. Individual lenders and surveyors may, however, request additional information when assessing a property. This does not necessarily indicate a problem with the installation, but reflects lender and surveyor requirements.

Q-Bot can provide installation records, product information, warranty details and supporting documentation to help lenders, brokers and surveyors understand the system.

For more information, read:

• Guidance on best practice for insulating suspended timber floors (GOV.UK), which includes Q-Bot’s remote floor insulation method (see “Installation Methods”).
• Why Q-Bot’s Underfloor Spray Foam Insulation Is Different from Loft Spray Foam (q-bot.tech)

Under floor insulation is an excellent measure across all evaluation criteria. If you’re thinking about under floor heating it makes a lot of sense to install under floor insulation first, and underfloor insulation alone warms your feet by 3°C, without putting your fuel bills up. The Energy Savings Trust verified the big savings when you install Q-Bot under floor installation.

Under floor heating will increase your fuel bills but also if used in tandem with underfloor installation this could be a very effective solution.

Installation cost depends on your floor area and whether ventilation upgrades are needed. It starts at £3,250 for a home up to 25m² on Premium, or £3,762.50 on Premium PLUS, then £126.50 per additional m² on Premium and £150.50 on Premium PLUS. There is no VAT on the installation.

A survey is required first, to confirm your home is suitable and to give you a tailored quote:

• Premium survey — £188.80 inc. VAT with code WARMHOME50* (normally £238.80). Detailed report, full floor plan, images, moisture data, radon risk and estimated energy savings.
• Premium PLUS survey — £308.80 inc. VAT with code WARMHOME50* (normally £358.80). Everything in the Premium survey, plus water table information, predicted U-value and above-floor ventilation assessment.

*The offer ends 30 September 2026. If you go ahead with an installation, we credit the VAT you paid on the survey plus £25 (Premium) or £65 (Premium PLUS) against your final invoice.

So a Premium installation on a home up to 25m² comes to £3,286.50 after the VAT credit and the £25 discount.

No. Installing underfloor insulation in your home is zero-rated for VAT, so there is no VAT on the installation. VAT applies only to the survey, and if you proceed with installation we credit that survey VAT, plus £25 (Premium) or £65 (Premium PLUS), against your final invoice.

Q-Bot underfloor insulation is eligible for the Warm Homes Local Grant under certain funding authorities. To find out if your home is eligible, please contact your local authority.

Yes. Q-Bot installations carried out under an accredited scheme, for example through a local authority, housing association or other funded retrofit programme, include a 25-year Insurance Backed Guarantee (IBG) provided by the Insulation Assurance Authority (IAA) and TrustMark. 

For private or able-to-pay homeowners, an IBG may also be available depending on the installation route and scheme eligibility. Where applicable, the guarantee covers materials and workmanship for 25 years, offering protection even if the installer or Q-Bot were no longer trading. 

All guarantees are issued once the installation has passed quality checks and been approved by the IAA. 

The survey fee is paid in advance when booking your appointment.

If you decide to go ahead with an installation, a 50% deposit of the total install cost will be required before the work begins, with the remaining 50% balance due on completion (within 5 days).

Yes. Q-Bot is registered with TrustMark (Ref: TMRN439) and the insulation material is accredited by KIWA BDA, confirming its quality, performance and compliance with UK standards. 

Installations can also be protected by a 25-year Insurance Backed Guarantee (IBG) issued by the Insulation Assurance Authority (IAA), provided the work meets all relevant Building Regulations and PAS 2035 requirements. 

These accreditations give homeowners complete confidence that Q-Bot’s solution is safe, compliant, and independently verified. 

TrustMark is the only government-endorsed quality scheme for retrofit work in the UK. Choosing a TrustMark-registered installer means your installation is carried out to a defined quality standard, with proper documentation, and backed by access to an independent complaints resolution process if anything goes wrong. It is also a requirement for installations carried out under many government funding schemes, including ECO4 and the Warm Homes Local Grant.