Building Insulator

Kaitauārai Whare

This job is sometimes referred to by alternative titles

Building insulators install or apply special material to buildings or equipment to prevent or reduce heat, cold, air, sound or moisture.

Pay

New building insulators usually earn

$16-$18 per hour

Experienced building insulators usually earn

$18-$25 per hour

Source: Insulation Association of New Zealand, 2016.

Job opportunities

Chances of getting work as a building insulator are good due to the construction boom and a shortage of suitable workers.

Length of training

<1 year of training usually required

About the job

Pay

Pay for building insulators varies depending on employer, region and experience.

Pay for new building insulators ranges from minimum wage to $18 an hour.
Experienced building insulators usually earn between $18 and $25 an hour.
They may earn more than this if they are leading a team.

Some building insulators are paid according to the amount of work they complete. They may earn:

a standard salary and a bonus for each square metre of insulation they install
a rate based on the amount of work they complete.

Pay for building insulators who run their own businesses varies depending on the success and size of their business.

Source: Insulation Association of New Zealand, 2016.

(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the figures and diagrams in our job information)

What you will do

Building insulators may do some or all of the following:

advise clients on what insulation to use
erect scaffolding, trestles or ladders
install heat, sound or fireproofing insulation in ceilings and walls, and under floors
put draught sealant around doors and windows
install insulation around hot water cylinders
use equipment to inject loose fill or foam insulation
insulate vehicles and boats.

Skills and knowledge

Building insulators need to have:

knowledge of insulation materials and methods
the ability to read building plans.

Building insulators who are self-employed also need business skills.

Working conditions

Building insulators:

usually work regular office hours, but may have to work overtime, including evenings and weekends
work in buildings, including homes, factories, hospitals, offices and on construction sites
sometimes work in small enclosed areas such as ceiling spaces, under floors or in engine rooms and freezers, which may be noisy, hot, cold, dirty, dusty, and/or hazardous
travel to work sites.

What's the job really like?

Jacob Kleparek

Building Insulator

Attention to detail key to doing a good insulation job

“When we get a job to insulate a house, we get here in the morning, we get a jobs card to tell us how many metres we need to take with us of what materials. Then we load the trucks up and go out to the house.

"We look for all the hazards. Downlights in the ceiling are a big one, and heating sources like chimneys and flues. The potential of burning a house down is possible, so you've got to be careful and you have to know how to put it in properly so that it reduces the risk of fires."

A physical job, a little dirty, a little cramped, but enjoyable

“It is a physical job – you get dirty. You have coveralls, or overalls, that you can put on. A lot of guys don’t wear them in the ceiling, just because you get too warm, but if you’re in the under-floor, you always wear your coveralls because you’re basically lying on the dirt.

“Our safe working height for ceilings is 700 millimetres, which is not that high. So, if you don’t like being on your hands and knees or crawling through a ceiling then you probably wouldn’t like it. But I’m used to it now that I’ve been working here for almost a year, and I enjoy the job.”

Jacob Kleparek (right) and a colleague wearing head torches under a house

Jacob Kleparek and a colleague installing insulation

How to enter the job

Entry requirements

There are no specific entry requirements to become a building insulator, as you learn skills on the job.

However, most employers prefer you to:

have a driver's licence
pass a drug test
agree to a pre-employment police check.

You may choose to complete the Insulation Association of New Zealand's (IAONZ) training programme for building insulators, which involves on-the-job training and theory.

IAONZ website - information on the training programme for building insulators

Secondary education

There are no specific secondary educational requirements, but NCEA Level 1 is recommended.

Personal requirements

Building insulators need to be:

reliable
able to use their initiative and display good judgement
able to work well with others
good problem-solvers
accurate and able to do basic maths.

Basically you just need to be able to work well as part of a team and be prepared to work hard.

Jacob Kleparek

Building Insulator

Useful experience

Useful experience for building insulators includes:

building industry work such as carpentry
general labouring work.

Physical requirements

Building insulators need to be fit, healthy and strong, as the work involves climbing and lifting. They also need to be comfortable working in confined spaces and at heights, as they may need to crawl through small spaces under buildings and above ceilings.

Find out more about training

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA): 0800 358 676 - www.eeca.govt.nz
Insulation Association of New Zealand: membership@iaonz.co.nz - www.iaonz.co.nz

Check out related courses

Job opportunities

What are the chances of getting a job?

Insulation plans and building boom mean good demand for insulators

Insulators are in demand due to:

the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act, requiring all rented homes to be insulated by 2019
the Warm Up New Zealand: Healthy Homes scheme, which funds subsidised insulation for some rental properties occupied by tenants on low incomes
a lack of suitable workers applying for building insulator jobs
a construction boom, including the Christchurch rebuild, which is predicted to extend until at least the end of 2017
the extra 22,000 houses that are needed over the next 10 years in Auckland, which will generate work for building insulators.

However, like many building jobs, this role can be affected by economic conditions. A downturn in the economy can lower demand for building insulators.

Some insulation work is seasonal

Demand for insulation refits in existing homes tends to fall in spring and summer, with about half as many homes insulated in this period, compared with autumn and winter. Because of this, it's harder to get this kind of work during the warmer months as insulation companies cut back on hiring.

However, insulation companies specialising in new buildings have year-round work.