TL;DR — Draught Proofing Cost At A Glance
- Draught proofing a whole home costs £200–£400 outside London, rising to £250–£500 in London and the South East.
- Per element, expect £15–£40 per door or window, less for a letterbox or loft hatch, and £30–£120 for a draughty floor per room.
- Handymen and draught-proofing specialists usually charge £40–£75 per hour for smaller jobs.
- Cost depends on the number of gaps, the type of door, window and floor, and how the fittings are made.
- Draught proofing is one of the cheapest energy-saving jobs and the Energy Saving Trust estimates it can trim a typical home's bills by around £40 a year.
- Much of it is DIY-friendly, but professional sealing of doors, sash windows and floors lasts longer and looks neater.
- Get a fixed price for draught proofing — check prices and book online or add it to a list of odd jobs in one visit.
How Much Does Draught Proofing Cost In 2026?
Draught proofing a whole home in the UK costs £200–£400 outside London, rising to £250–£500 in London and the South East. For smaller, one-off jobs, handymen and draught-proofing specialists typically charge £40–£75 per hour, and many will seal a couple of doors and windows within a single call-out.
The price scales with the number and type of gaps to seal. A modern flat with a few draughty windows is quick and cheap; a period house with sash windows, solid timber doors, an open chimney and gappy floorboards needs far more time and materials. The work itself is rarely complex — fitting brush strips, foam or rubber seals, chimney balloons and threshold bars — but doing it thoroughly across a whole property is what turns it from a £30 quick fix into a few hundred pounds.
It is also one of the best-value jobs in the home. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that professionally draught proofing a typical home can save around £40 a year on energy bills, and it makes rooms feel warmer straight away. Here is what draught proofing costs by area:
| Area | Rest of UK | London |
|---|---|---|
| External door | £15 – £35 per door | £20 – £40 per door |
| Window | £15 – £35 per window | £20 – £40 per window |
| Letterbox | £5 – £15 | £10 – £20 |
| Chimney | £15 – £35 | £20 – £45 |
| Loft hatch | £10 – £30 | £15 – £35 |
| Floorboards | £30 – £60 per room | £60 – £120 per room |
| Whole property | £200 – £400 | £250 – £500 |
Figures include VAT where applicable and reflect 2026 market rates — get a fixed quote here.
Draught Proofing Materials Cost (DIY)
If you tackle some of the work yourself, the materials are inexpensive — most of a professional job's cost is labour. These are typical DIY material prices:
| Material | Typical DIY cost | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Self-adhesive foam or rubber strip | £5 – £15 per roll | 1–2 doors or windows |
| Brush strip or threshold draught excluder | £8 – £20 each | One external door base |
| Letterbox brush or flap | £5 – £15 | One letterbox |
| Chimney balloon or draught excluder | £20 – £40 | One open chimney |
| Loft hatch seal kit | £10 – £25 | One hatch |
| Floorboard or skirting gap filler | £10 – £30 per room | Gaps in one room |
The gap between DIY materials and a professional quote is the labour and the finish. Foam strip on a window is easy; sealing sash windows, floorboards and solid doors neatly and durably is where a professional earns their fee.
Check Handyman Cost Per Hour
| Monday - Saturday8am - 6pm | Sunday8am - 6pm | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| First hourMinimum charge | £91 | £108 | |
| Subsequent half hours | £39 | £47 | |
| Half day4 hours | £286 | - | |
| Full day8 hours Applicable Mon - Fri | £506 | - | |
| Before/After working hours | Rates are higher for bookings outside regular working hours. | ||
| Fantastic Club* | £30 OFF | £30 OFF | |
| *Price for members of the Fantastic Club. The Fantastic Club is a yearly subscription of £89. | |||
Minimum time per appointment is 1 hour. After the first hour, we will charge on a half-hour basis. Prices are inclusive of all taxes.
A stand-alone survey fee of £54 is only applicable in cases where we arrive and are unable to carry out the work.
We charge an hourly rate of £54 shopping time for the delivery of all necessary supplies & materials upon your request. Materials costs and "shopping time" rate will be added separately on the top of your service bill.
T&C and Minimum Charges apply. When we calculate the price, we also take into consideration the area's dimensions and the time of the appointment. All prices and deals are valid for areas within M25. Deals cannot be combined with any other deals and promotions. Prices are subject to availability. Congestion charges are excluded (when applicable).
What Affects The Cost Of Draught Proofing?
Several factors decide where you land in the ranges above.
1. Number Of Gaps To Seal
The more doors, windows, floors and other openings that leak air, the higher the total. A whole-home job across many rooms naturally costs more than sealing one draughty door.
2. Door And Window Type
Standard hinged doors and casement windows are quick to seal. Sash windows are more involved, often needing brush seals set into the frame, and solid timber doors may need a threshold bar and a letterbox brush as well.
3. Floors And Chimneys
Draughty floorboards and skirting gaps take time to fill neatly across a whole room, which is why floors are among the pricier elements. An open, unused chimney can be sealed cheaply with a balloon or excluder that still lets it breathe.
4. Materials And Finish
Basic self-adhesive foam is cheap but shorter-lived. Higher-quality brush and rubber seals, and neat set-in strips, cost more but last longer and look tidier — worth it on doors and windows you use daily.
5. Location And Access
London and the South East run 15–30% higher than the rest of the UK. Awkward access, tall windows or a busy, furnished home can also add a little time.
What's Included — And What's Not
Typically included:
- Sealing the agreed doors, windows and openings with appropriate strips or brushes
- Fitting a letterbox brush, threshold bar or keyhole cover where needed
- Advice on which gaps are worth sealing and which should stay for ventilation
- Materials for a standard job and a tidy finish
Usually charged separately:
- Chimney balloons or specialist chimney draught excluders
- Secondary glazing or window repairs (a separate, larger job)
- Filling large floor gaps or relaying floorboards
- Any repair to rotten frames or ill-fitting doors before sealing
Note that some ventilation is deliberate and healthy — a good tradesperson will leave air bricks, trickle vents and extractor paths clear to avoid damp and condensation.
Can You Do It Yourself?
Much of draught proofing is genuinely DIY-friendly. Self-adhesive foam or rubber strip around a door or window, a letterbox brush, and a chimney balloon are cheap, widely sold and simple to fit — a good weekend job that pays for itself quickly. This is the easiest way to save money.
Call a professional for sash windows, solid timber doors, whole-floor gaps, and any home where you want a neat, long-lasting finish rather than a quick fix. A handyman will seal doors and windows so they still open smoothly, choose materials that suit each opening, and get through a whole house far faster than a first-timer. Just make sure ventilation for boilers, open fires and damp-prone rooms is never blocked.
How To Save Money On Draught Proofing
- Do the easy bits yourself — foam strips, letterbox brushes and chimney balloons are cheap and simple.
- Bundle it with other jobs — add draught proofing to a handyman visit to spread the call-out.
- Prioritise the worst offenders — seal the doors, windows and floors you feel most, rather than everything at once.
- Buy durable seals for frequently used doors and windows so you are not repeating the job each year.
- Combine with other insulation — draught proofing works best alongside loft and pipe insulation for warmer rooms.
- Get 2–3 quotes for whole-home work and compare what each covers.
How To Hire A Good Draught-Proofing Specialist
Draught proofing is usually a handyman job, though some firms specialise in sash windows and period homes. Confirm the tradesperson holds public liability insurance, ask for reviews, and get a written quote listing which openings will be sealed and with what. A good professional will also advise on ventilation, so sealing the home does not cause condensation or damp.
With Fantastic Services, you get vetted, insured handymen, transparent pricing and online booking — describe your draughty doors, windows and floors and get a price up front.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does It Cost To Draught Proof A House?
In 2026, draught proofing a whole home costs £200–£400 outside London and £250–£500 in London. Smaller jobs are charged at £40–£75 per hour, with individual doors and windows around £15–£40 each.
How Much Does It Cost To Draught Proof Doors And Windows?
Expect around £15–£35 per door or window outside London and £20–£40 in London, covering brush or rubber seals and a threshold bar or letterbox brush where needed. Sealing several at once in one visit is the best value.
How Much Does It Cost To Draught Proof A Chimney Or Loft Hatch?
A chimney draught excluder or balloon costs about £15–£45 fitted, and sealing a loft hatch runs £10–£35. Both are cheap, quick wins that stop a surprising amount of heat escaping.
Is Draught Proofing Worth The Cost?
Yes, for most homes. It is one of the cheapest energy-saving jobs, makes rooms feel warmer immediately, and the Energy Saving Trust estimates it can save a typical home around £40 a year — so it often pays for itself within a few years.
Can You Draught Proof Your Home Yourself?
Many parts are DIY-friendly: foam or rubber strips on doors and windows, a letterbox brush, and a chimney balloon are cheap and simple to fit. Sash windows, solid doors and whole-floor gaps are better done by a professional for a neat, lasting result.
Does Draught Proofing Cause Damp Or Condensation?
It can if you block ventilation that a home needs. A good tradesperson seals gaps that waste heat while leaving air bricks, trickle vents and extractor paths clear, so the home stays warm without trapping moisture.
