Report Date: February 2026
Dataset: 28.9 Million UK Energy Performance Certificates & Xenscope Data Platform
Focus: Owner-Occupied Properties Needing Wall Insulation
Purpose: Data-Driven Targeting for Insulation Companies
Executive Summary
Our analysis of 28.9 million UK properties identifies 5.28 million owner-occupied homes requiring wall insulation (uninsulated or partially insulated).
Key averages:
- Average property size: 4.4 rooms
- Average floor area: 91 sqm
This represents 51% of all owner-occupied homes with wall-insulation opportunities.
Overall Market Breakdown (All Tenures)
| Wall / Insulation Status | Total Properties | % of Market | Owner-Occupied | % Owner-Occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavity Wall – Uninsulated | 4,026,878 | 15.8% | 2,024,704 | 50.3% |
| Solid Brick – Uninsulated | 5,579,729 | 21.9% | 2,197,746 | 39.4% |
| Cavity Wall – Partial | 722,729 | 2.8% | 308,484 | 42.7% |
| Stone – Uninsulated | 825,404 | 3.2% | 372,569 | 45.1% |
| Granite – Uninsulated | 407,116 | 1.6% | 202,795 | 49.8% |
| System Built – Uninsulated | 496,139 | 1.9% | 126,151 | 25.4% |
| Timber Frame – Uninsulated | 109,517 | 0.4% | 34,693 | 31.7% |
| Timber Frame – Partial | 139,826 | 0.5% | 47,342 | 33.9% |
| Already Insulated | 7,724,808 | 30.3% | 2,720,006 | 35.2% |
Why This Market Matters
- High Owner-Occupancy: 50.3% of uninsulated cavity walls are owner-occupied
- Multiple Product Lines: CWI, EWI, IWI create diversified revenue
- Government Support: ECO4, LA Flex, and energy-cost pressure drive demand
- Energy Crisis Impact: High bills make insulation ROI compelling
Market Segmentation by Wall Type
Primary Target: Cavity Wall (Uninsulated)
- Owner-Occupied Properties: 2.02M
- Technology: Cavity Wall Insulation (CWI)
- Typical Cost: £500–£1,500
- Install Time: 2–4 hours
- Owner-Occupancy: 50.3%
- Market Value: £1.0–£3.0bn
Secondary Target: Solid Brick (Uninsulated)
- Owner-Occupied Properties: 2.02M
- Technology: EWI or IWI
- Typical Cost:
- EWI: £8,000–£20,000
- IWI: £4,000–£12,000
- Install Time: 2–4 weeks
- Market Value: £17.6–£44.0bn
- Key Opportunity: Highest energy savings, ECO4-funded
Stone Construction (Sandstone / Limestone / Granite)
- Owner-Occupied Properties: 575,364
- Technology: Breathable IWI
- Typical Cost: £12,000–£25,000
- Install Time: 3–5 weeks
- Market Value: £6.9–£14.4bn
- Geography: Scotland, Yorkshire, Cornwall, Wales, Lake District
Specialist Segment: System Built
- Owner-Occupied Properties: 126,151
- Typical Cost: £10,000–£30,000
- Install Time: 4–8 weeks
- Market Value: £1.3–£3.8bn
- Key Challenge: Non-standard retrofit
Top Opportunity Segments (Owner-Occupied)
| Property Size | Floor Area | Wall Type | Properties | Avg Rooms | Typical Install |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4–5 rooms | 70–100 sqm | Cavity – Uninsulated | 755,917 | 4.5 | CWI £800 |
| 4–5 rooms | 70–100 sqm | Solid Brick – Uninsulated | 701,911 | 4.5 | EWI £15k |
| 1–3 rooms | <70 sqm | Solid Brick – Uninsulated | 333,187 | 2.5 | IWI £6k |
| 6–7 rooms | 100–150 sqm | Solid Brick – Uninsulated | 254,466 | 6.3 | EWI £20k |
| 1–3 rooms | <70 sqm | Cavity – Uninsulated | 247,894 | 2.7 | CWI £500 |
Key insight:
Medium cavity homes are the largest low-cost, high-volume segment.
Solid brick dominates premium value work.
Geographic Targeting – Top Local Authorities
| Rank | Local Authority | Total Opportunities | Cavity | Solid Brick | Stone | System | Avg Rooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | 125,342 | 28,344 | 89,032 | 57 | 3,139 | 5.0 |
| 2 | Bradford | 83,436 | 37,274 | 1,392 | 40,766 | 1,489 | 5.4 |
| 3 | Leeds | 73,100 | 31,285 | 22,476 | 10,241 | 4,542 | 4.8 |
| 4 | Cornwall | 60,337 | 14,711 | 6,472 | 30,960 | 1,371 | 5.1 |
| 5 | Bristol | 50,464 | 10,694 | 24,542 | 10,958 | 2,365 | 4.7 |
Market Recommendations
Priority 1 – Cavity Wall (Volume)
- 755,917 properties
- £500–£1,500 installs
- Fast conversion, high throughput
Priority 2 – Solid Brick (Premium)
- 956,377 properties
- £8,000–£25,000 installs
- ECO4-backed specialist sales
Priority 3 – Stone (Regional Specialists)
- 575,364 properties
- £12,000–£25,000 installs
- Heritage expertise advantage
Market Sizing Scenarios
Scenario 1 – Cavity Wall Volume
- Avg job: £1,000
- 1% capture = £7.56m / year
Scenario 2 – Solid Brick Premium
- Avg job: £15,000
- 0.5% capture = £52.6m / year
Scenario 3 – Stone Specialist
- Avg job: £16,000
- 2% capture = £30.0m / year
Product–Market Fit
| Wall Type | Best Technology | Cost Range | Install Time | Difficulty | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavity – Uninsulated | CWI | £500–£1,500 | 2–4 hrs | Low | ECO4 |
| Solid Brick | EWI | £8k–£20k | 2–4 wks | High | ECO4 |
| Solid Brick | IWI | £4k–£12k | 1–3 wks | Medium | ECO4 |
| Stone | Breathable IWI | £12k–£25k | 3–5 wks | Very High | ECO4 |
| System Built | Specialist Retrofit | £10k–£30k | 4–8 wks | Very High | LA Schemes |
Funding Landscape
ECO4 (2022–2026):
- Solid Wall: £6,000–£12,000
- Cavity Wall: £100–£300
- Park Homes: £2,000–£5,000
Opportunity:
2.2M solid brick homes → £13–£26bn potential funding
Xenscope Platform Capabilities
- Full address + UPRN
- 93+ EPC energy fields
- AI-inferred Affluence & Capability Index (ACI)
- Fuel Poverty Risk Index (FPRI)
- Property-level ROI calculations
- LA Flex & ECO4 eligibility prediction
Compare Lead Sources
| Lead Source | What You Get | Cost | Conversion | Cost / Sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generic Postcode Lists | Thousands of homes | £200 | 0.5% | £40+ |
| Aggregators | Shared leads (10+ installers) | £25–£150 / lead | 2–5% | £500–£7,500 |
| Xenscope | Exact address + full profile | £1–£3 / property | 6%+ | £20–£150 |
Difference: you know exactly what they need before you knock.
Beyond Wall Insulation
- Loft insulation (7.34M opportunities)
- Solar PV (12M+ roofs)
- Heat pumps (8M+ replacements)
- Boilers (10M+ aging systems)
- EV chargers (18M+ driveways)
Technical Notes
- Data Source: Xenscope + UK Government EPCs
- Total Records: 28,934,660
- Owner-Occupied Sample: 10,351,373
- Wall Type Coverage: 100%
- Methodology: Conservative pricing, government-verified assessments