Advice needed on replacing existing boiler and rads with new

[anthenson]

I have recently bought a large detached 5 bedroom house with a standard boiler and single thickness radiators (9 rads) all about 20 years old.

I want to get the rads replaced with modern double convector rads (all 9 rads need to be about 1500mm in length to cover window widths). Standard rads, nothing fancy.

I was looking at getting a condensing boiler for efficiency. My windows are all old stripped wood sash windows and I am not intending to replace them with UPVC so they are quite draughty.

I was just going to replace the boiler with one that will just do the heating as the hot water is run through the gas Aga and into a vented storage cylinder.

However I have been recommended to buy an Alph CD50 storage combination boiler and run the hot water through that as we are intending to put a 2nd bathroom and they reckon the Aga is a more expensive way to heat the water.

I have been quoted £6500 to replace the existing boiler with the Alpha CD50 and to replace the 9 rads using the existing pipework and existing rad locations. This seems a little excessive.

Can someone please give me an idea of :

a) how much I should be paying for the labour and how long will it take
b) IS it worth getting the Alpha CD50 and switvhing my hot water to run through that and not the Aga
c) how much I should be paying for the boiler and 9 500mm x 1500mm rads

Thanks

 

[fitz1]

i will come upto leeds and do it with new rads and pipework for 5500

 

[Paul Barker]

Far too expensive for Leeds.

I'll do work in Leeds from Scarborough.

I wouldn't have suggested a combi of any sort. I haven't used the 50 litre's of storage Alpha boiler, which on paper looks attractive where there is no room for a hot water cylinder, but always second best.

To fit 1500mm rads just because that is the width of the windows is bizaar.

If you want me to come and survey the job and give you better advise than is possible after reading a paragraph on the web, I'd be happy to come through.

Hope you can see the link before the mod removes it!


http://www.pbarkerofscarborough.co.uk/index.htm

 

[JPC]

nice touch the web page...no contact details on it thou...... (not that i want to contact you)

 

[fitz1]

if thats u paul, u look dodgy to me.

 

[JPC]

no....that an actor. he looks more like the plumber from doc martin

(no offence intented)

 

[fitz1]

so he employs dodgy looking actors aswell.

 

[Paul Barker]

Contacts on the contacts page! Odd place to put them but there you have it.

I look much better than that!

I should have put a picture of Stuart on there, he's the one all the lady's can't seem to resist, though I can't see what it is about him.

 

[anthenson]

cheers Paul I will definitely be in contact in the next couple of weeks (going away).

so roughly how much would a job like that cost in Leeds and what sort of boiler would you recommend? Forget the idea of rads length to fit windows then, but using the 1500mm as a guide as the rooms are quite large.

I need a good quality system but on a budget as I want to stay in the house long term but I am beginning to think I have bitten off more than I can chew financially buying such a large place!

the only reason I was looking at the storage combi is because I wanted more water pressure on the hot water than the gravity system gives.

 

[Agile]

I do have to disagree about the lengths of rads.

Visually they look far better if they are the same length or slightly longer.

This also more effectively combats downdraughts from the windows and thats particularly importand if they are not double glazed.

The heat output can be adjusted by choosing different heights and single or double pannel. The TRV will control the room temp.

I am always amazed by plumbers who fit the minimum size rads to save a few pounds without any consideration for the aesthetic appearance.

The difference after adding labour costs is minimal. The difference between quality work and skimping I suppose. Its not a council house!

Tony Glazier

 

[htgeng]

I do have to disagree about the lengths of rads.

Visually they look far better if they are the same length or slightly longer.

Tony Glazier

Im with Tony on this point. In my lounge I have 1450mm windows. I used a K2 stelrad 1456x 450mm. If its on full blast it kicks out way too much heat for the size of room. But with a TRV set to 3, its very comfortable and the return to the boiler is lukewarm.

In the bedrooms I used P+ rads to give a similar effect. Additional cost is negligible and they look much better than baby rads that a heat calc would produce. If I'm doing full CH installs I always explain this stuff to the client and they usually understand the reasoning.

 

[Nige F]

.

I am always amazed by plumbers who fit the minimum size rads to save a few pounds without any consideration for the aesthetic appearance...So am I,

The difference after adding labour costs is minimal. The difference between quality work and skimping I suppose.

you`d love my work, as much as I admire your tech. knowledge brown nose