This must be a common dilema!?

[dylan39]

Hello all!

I have just moved into a 1960s house, its got a good old floor standing boiler but as part of the comprehensive refurb. I intend to replace this with an up-to-date system.

Key motivations:
- Must be capable of running 2 showers at the same time (House will have bathroom and ensuite)
- Would make life a lot easier if I could eliminate/relocate HW tank
- Boiler must be concealed in a kitchen cabinet.
- Want to avoid shower pumps if poss...
- Dont mind tanks in the loft
- I would like to avoid adding a larger water main into house if poss...
- I want the right solution - not necessarily the cheapest...

System spec
- 15mm main into house
- 4bar static pressure
- 14l/min flow
- 4 bedrooms
- 16 rads

The first plumber quoted for an unvented sys. I get the feeling he was pushing this as it meant more work for him.
The second plumber went completely the other way and pushed for a combi. I am still not convinced, as one of my prime motives is 2 showers.
The third plumber sat on the fence and is going to go away and look at flow rates for different products.

- Can some of you guys in the know help me to at least eliminate the crazy ideas?
- Roughly what will the council charge to add a 28mm main to my property?
-

Thanks guys - All your input is greatly appreciated!

Cheers

 

[tr7dan]

Just because you have a combi doesn't mean you can't have a hot water cylinder as well.

I have a similar sized house ie 4 beds / 17 rads. The bathroom (with shower), kitchen and utility has hot water directly from a Baxi 105e combi. The en suite shower room from a tank fed high recovery superduty cylinder also heated by the Baxi combi on a seperate timed zone. The heating is also on three timed, thermostatically controlled zones. It works well and I've used this setup a few times on customers jobs. Combi's are cheap, reliable and powerful and you can create zones easily with a 2 port motor valve and timer/stat.

Dan

 

[Reg Man]

Good point. I like it.

 

[tamz]

Just because you have a combi doesn't mean you can't have a hot water cylinder as well.

I have a similar sized house ie 4 beds / 17 rads. The bathroom (with shower), kitchen and utility has hot water directly from a Baxi 105e combi. The en suite shower room from a tank fed high recovery superduty cylinder also heated by the Baxi combi on a seperate timed zone. The heating is also on three timed, thermostatically controlled zones. It works well and I've used this setup a few times on customers jobs. Combi's are cheap, reliable and powerful and you can create zones easily with a 2 port motor valve and timer/stat.

Dan

I first did this around 20 years ago when it was much cheaper to buy a combi than buy a 24kw regular (as they are called today). Just wire it to switch throught the gray and orange of the valves.

 

[stevejordan]

Wow chaps - very responsive!

As for the unvented, I am guessing with the flow and pressure I have that I will need to upsize my main to 28mm...?

Any ideas on the water-board (Aint it funny that thats a form of torture too!) cost for T'ing in at the main?

not sure where you are dylan , but yorkshire water wanted me to new 25mm mdpe pipe from my kitchen area run up my drive (which included digging up concrete drive , and leaving it at my boundry with cap on , THEN THEY WOULD COME AND DROP IN A STOPTAP CONNECT UP AND CHARGE ME .......................................... WAIT FOR IT..................... A MERE £1100 ........................ NOT CHEAP

 

[Reg Man]

Typical Utilities, don't think they have enough competition.

 

[stevejordan]

typical utilities, don't think they have enough competition.

reg - monopoly springs to mind mate

 

[dylan39]

Monring gents

I did actually mention the cost to T-in. It makes £1100 seem cheap! They wanted £300 TO ESTIMATE THE COST.
Then they wanted between 1500 and 2000 to do the T. Of course i would have to sort the work on my land.

Hence the discussions about accumulators etc.

I have listened to all opinions, and I think for all round cost and flexibility I will go for a nice new little boiler, new HW tank, Shower pump (to run 2 showers) and some stats on the rads. Flow will be great (so theres a small pump noise!), costs will hopefully be circa £3000 for the lot versus around £8k to do the full unvented system properly.

Unless Im missing somethign its a no-brainer!

Also stand a chance of getting it b4 the new year!!

Then its on with the kitchen, bathroom, ensuite, basement, etc etc...

 

[metaldust9]

wouldnt bother with a combi unless is big ie baxi duotec 40 and that only give 16.5 litres a min probs go for worcester 550 floor standing probs do the job

 

[dylan39]

wouldnt bother with a combi unless is big ie baxi duotec 40 and that only give 16.5 litres a min probs go for worcester 550 floor standing probs do the job

Cheers, but pretty sure I wanna go with std condensing boiler now and vented sys.

dp