How much copper pipe

[Mjward]

Hello

I'm having new 15 & 22mm pipe routed from the basement boiler to 2 radiators on ground floor (directly above basement boiler) and 6 radiators on first floor. Each floor is 80sqm with ground floor ceilings removed and joists previously notched for access routes.

Given the expense of copper pipe, I'm hoping to pay for as close to what is required as possible. Appreciate difficult to envisage without seeing the property but was just wondering from the seasoned professionals what finger in the air/ballpark amount of pipe will be required?

I've only received one quote that breaks it out thus far and its been priced with 300m of each 15 & 22mm which I can't quite get my head around (given first floor is 8 x 10m i.e. trailing the max perimeter = 10m + 10m + 8m + 8m = 36m and doing it for flow + return = 72m)

 

[Scott_D]

Why not ask the person that had provided the quote?
Sounds like a typo to me

 

[SimonG]

I'd price it to nearest bundle above what I'd estimated.
Saying that, the guy fitting it will be buying it so if you get a couple or three estimates then go from there.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

You sure it’s not 300m total?

 

[Mjward]

Unfortunately not, he was doing the maths in front of me "will need 3m X 10m bundles, 10 of the 15mm and 10 of the 22mm".

My best guess (being cautious on the plumbers side) would be taking complete perimeter x2 for flow/return and then take a safety buffer of 20m or so. That would get me to roughly 100m so not sure where the rest would come from.

Waiting on other quotes but will certainly ask for ballpark figures from all. Just wanted to sanity check

 

[Ric2013]

Unfortunately not, he was doing the maths in front of me "will need 3m X 10m bundles, 10 of the 15mm and 10 of the 22mm".

Usually sold in bundles of 10 tubes each 3m length, so 30m, not 300m.

3m x 10m does not make sense. 3m x 10 does.

 

[Mjward]

Usually sold in bundles of 10 tubes each 3m length, so 30m, not 300m.

3m x 10m does not make sense. 3m x 10 does.

Sorry that's my typo! To clarify...was quoted requiring 10 bundles where each bundle was 3m X 10 (in each off 15mm and 22mm) ie totalling 300m of each.

 

[Ric2013]

Sorry that's my typo! To clarify...was quoted requiring 10 bundles where each bundle was 3m X 10 (in each off 15mm and 22mm) ie totalling 300m of each.

Is this a manifold system? i.e. is he running a separate flow and return to each and every radiator? Otherwise, I agree 300m does not make sense and is probably a typo.

If the overall price in line with what other plumbers are offering? I'd be more concerned with the bottom line than what the markup is on materials. Bear in mind this is not a £50,000 project, and probably not the most appealing job available, so there will be a limited amount of time spent writing that quote. Could be a case he/she's given you a total price and then worked out the materials very quickly and approximately and has made rather a large error in this case. By all means ask him for clarification - he wrote the quote, after all!

In practice, estimating materials exactly can take hours and is not worth doing for a one-off task. I would never specify the exact lengths of pipe required for quotation purposes as I don't measure the pipe runs to the nth degree when visiting a site. Obviously I'd have an idea, I'd list any major items separately, and give a price that reflects what I think the true cost is likely to be, but if you wanted it to the nearest shilling, you'd be paying more for my clerical time than the materials and, since I try to keep costs contained...

 

[Timmy D]

More than likely 10 x 3m lengths of each, just a miscommunication.

For perspective, I’ve just used around 300m of pipe to run hot/cold services, rad pipework and gas for a full strip out/renovation on a 3 bed/3bathroom, 3 story property.