Heating system quote
Discussion
Alucidnation said:
Combi boilers are good for a two bed semi and rentals.
And even then I still wouldn’t fit one.
Our place is big, 5 bedrooms, 13 rooms all with radiators and two bathrooms, 3 actually but never used one of them, the one with an immersion heater running it.And even then I still wouldn’t fit one.
Had a teenage daughter here for all through her teen years and never had an issue with everyone showering in the morning etc.
We have actually got rid of one of the bathrooms now and converted the old third one into a second shower room, which as I said has an immersion heater.
That may be an idea, have one bathroom with an immersion and tank and the rest of the house off a combi?
I just couldn't go back to not having instant hot water whenever you turn the tap on etc.
FWIW, we've just had our boiler replaced (Worcester Bosch 30cdi) with a 250 litre WB unvented cylinder. No radiators replaced, but new TRV's fitted on all rads (about 13 from memory) plus a smart internet connected thermostat/programmer thingy. Total cost was about £5.5k. There was a fair bit of re-plumbing involved to fit the unvented cylinder.
We had a team of 3 plumbers on site for three days, plus a sparky for near enough a day.
With two teenage girls, you might be wanting a biggish unvented cylinder. I thought that 250 litres would be over the top for us, (me, the Mrs and a dog) but it's amazing how much hot water you can use with the whole system running at 3 bar, hot and cold. Even a simple shower now uses a spectacular amount of water.
We had a team of 3 plumbers on site for three days, plus a sparky for near enough a day.
With two teenage girls, you might be wanting a biggish unvented cylinder. I thought that 250 litres would be over the top for us, (me, the Mrs and a dog) but it's amazing how much hot water you can use with the whole system running at 3 bar, hot and cold. Even a simple shower now uses a spectacular amount of water.
I don't get this thing about no heating with the hot water on, in the 20 years we have had combis I had never even noticed.
Unless you shower for 45 minutes or something would you notice?
Even with 4 of us showering in the morning, it may be 10 mins each (20 for daughter) but it is 10 mins, then you get out and get dry, brush your teeth, sort your self out etc. and during that time the heating is back on again.
Genuinely never noticed a drop in heat, never even considered it until this thread.
Unless you shower for 45 minutes or something would you notice?
Even with 4 of us showering in the morning, it may be 10 mins each (20 for daughter) but it is 10 mins, then you get out and get dry, brush your teeth, sort your self out etc. and during that time the heating is back on again.
Genuinely never noticed a drop in heat, never even considered it until this thread.
When I was getting quotes for a new boiler the variance in prices was something crazy like 4000 with no real easy to understand reason - i think it just comes down to labour prices and how long each installer things it will take.
i did find one man bands were more expensive and this probably comes down to their labour rates.
NB. also check you are getting like for like quotes on installs such as whether they are all quoting plastic/copper etc
i did find one man bands were more expensive and this probably comes down to their labour rates.
NB. also check you are getting like for like quotes on installs such as whether they are all quoting plastic/copper etc
The thing that grates with me about combis is a lot has to happen every time someone wants to simply rinse their hands - especially if the boiler isn't already running. In typical family use cycling the whole boiler - pump, fan, gas valve, diverter valve etc - many times per day (30-40?) just feels like a bad idea.
An unvented cylinder is ideal and makes the boiler simpler but in your average UK house there's not always an easy place to site one.
An unvented cylinder is ideal and makes the boiler simpler but in your average UK house there's not always an easy place to site one.
Sheepshanks said:
The thing that grates with me about combis is a lot has to happen every time someone wants to simply rinse their hands - especially if the boiler isn't already running. In typical family use cycling the whole boiler - pump, fan, gas valve, diverter valve etc - many times per day (30-40?) just feels like a bad idea.
An unvented cylinder is ideal and makes the boiler simpler but in your average UK house there's not always an easy place to site one.
I was just looking at the engineers log on my combi. There have been over 28K requests for DHW in the last 2 years!An unvented cylinder is ideal and makes the boiler simpler but in your average UK house there's not always an easy place to site one.
Yikes!
Alucidnation said:
Combi boilers are good for a two bed semi and rentals.
And even then I still wouldn’t fit one.
+1 Installers push them as easy to install, not to meet the customers needs! A neighbour was complaining the heating keeps going off, but when you have three daughters showering and running baths that's what happens with a combi, totally unsuitable for their requirements.And even then I still wouldn’t fit one.
Many sales people quote temperature rises and flow rates that defy physics.
We're having a complete new heating and hot water system installed (very large extension, existing house only had wood burners so literally starting from scratch). This is what we have got going in:
New gas pipe to boiler
ATAG iS32 System boiler
300 litre Joule unvented indirect cylinder
Granfoss pump
Three honeywell zone valves
Honeywell programmer and room stat for radiators
Secondary vortex hot water pump (for ensuite on other side of the house)
7 radiators (into existing rooms)
9 zone (115m²) wet underfloor heating
5 Heatmiser stats for UFH
Heatmiser Hub, etc. for UFH
First and second fix:
All pipework for radiators
Utility room
Kitchen
Bathroom
En-suite
Outside taps
All drainage
Second fix underfloor heating (I installed pipework and manifold)
All for the sum of £12015.00
The above obviously doesn't include sanitary ware, kitchen/utility sinks, taps, etc.
New gas pipe to boiler
ATAG iS32 System boiler
300 litre Joule unvented indirect cylinder
Granfoss pump
Three honeywell zone valves
Honeywell programmer and room stat for radiators
Secondary vortex hot water pump (for ensuite on other side of the house)
7 radiators (into existing rooms)
9 zone (115m²) wet underfloor heating
5 Heatmiser stats for UFH
Heatmiser Hub, etc. for UFH
First and second fix:
All pipework for radiators
Utility room
Kitchen
Bathroom
En-suite
Outside taps
All drainage
Second fix underfloor heating (I installed pipework and manifold)
All for the sum of £12015.00
The above obviously doesn't include sanitary ware, kitchen/utility sinks, taps, etc.
Update:
Had a second plumber come around to quote today who pointed out some interesting things, the main one was that I could retain my existing heat only boiler (nothing wrong with it at the moment) and still have an unvented cylinder.
This would achieve my aims of getting the loft and landing space back and new rads without the extra expense of a new gas pipe and boiler.
Quote to come later in the week hopefully.
Had a second plumber come around to quote today who pointed out some interesting things, the main one was that I could retain my existing heat only boiler (nothing wrong with it at the moment) and still have an unvented cylinder.
This would achieve my aims of getting the loft and landing space back and new rads without the extra expense of a new gas pipe and boiler.
Quote to come later in the week hopefully.
Pistom said:
Sheepshanks said:
The thing that grates with me about combis is a lot has to happen every time someone wants to simply rinse their hands - especially if the boiler isn't already running. In typical family use cycling the whole boiler - pump, fan, gas valve, diverter valve etc - many times per day (30-40?) just feels like a bad idea.
An unvented cylinder is ideal and makes the boiler simpler but in your average UK house there's not always an easy place to site one.
I was just looking at the engineers log on my combi. There have been over 28K requests for DHW in the last 2 years!An unvented cylinder is ideal and makes the boiler simpler but in your average UK house there's not always an easy place to site one.
Yikes!
Update:
I've now had the quote through from the second plumber and this seems much more reasonable.
My options from him are...
a) Retain existing boiler, new unvented cylinder + rads - £4k
b) New heat only boiler (Worcester 30cdi), new unvented cylinder + rads - £7k
c) New combi boiler (Ideal Vogue 40) + rads - £5k
I'm inclined to go for option a and replace the boiler if and when it breaks.
The combi suggested is the same one my parents had in their similarly sized house a year or two ago and they are very happy with it.
I've now had the quote through from the second plumber and this seems much more reasonable.
My options from him are...
a) Retain existing boiler, new unvented cylinder + rads - £4k
b) New heat only boiler (Worcester 30cdi), new unvented cylinder + rads - £7k
c) New combi boiler (Ideal Vogue 40) + rads - £5k
I'm inclined to go for option a and replace the boiler if and when it breaks.
The combi suggested is the same one my parents had in their similarly sized house a year or two ago and they are very happy with it.
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