We’ve banged on a lot this year during the smallholding’s eco makeover about the need to invest in proper insulation, ahead of spending on eco bling.

But it didn’t really strike us until we moved in last month, that this is the first house either of us have ever lived in, that has been fitted out to the modern building regulation standards of energy efficiency introduced in the last decade.

And boy can you instantly feel the difference! It’s hard to explain until you experience it for yourself, but imagine seeing colour TV for the first time if you’ve only ever had black and white.

We both sat there feeling the warmth retained by the house all evening from just using the cooker, and independently agreed we must have been mad to have lived in all those old houses with just a bit of cavity wall and loft insulation, paying huge heating bills.

One thing is for sure, we’re never going back to live in a house that doesn’t have modern levels of insulation!