Hot water installation - approximate costs

[Nick98]

After some expert opinions please - and an approximate price.

My mum has just inherited a cottage which she is having renovated to rent out. The cottage was build about 1900 and comprises a kitchen and lounge on the ground floor and a double and 2 single bedrooms upstairs. Until about 10 years ago there was no bathroom (up or down) only a outside loo.

The elderly lady that lived in it was then given a grant and they installed a downstairs wetroom by converting an old coal shed. However the property has no hot water system other than an electric hot water heater by the sink in the wetroom and another one in the kitchen.

As part of the renovations the builder has managed to squeeze a shower room in upstairs by shortening one of the single bedrooms and was going to install a third electric water heater above the handbasin.

I saw it yesterday and suggested that she would be better off installing a hot water cylinder (there is room in the understairs cupboard) and having hot water out of the a hot tap rather than via 3 separate heaters, especially as rental income would be quite high and I felt that tenants would prefer a 'normal' system.

So the question is what approximate price do you think she should budget for if she goes down this route, or do you think it would not be worth it and stick with separate heaters? I know it is 'how long is a piece of string' but was looking for a ballpark figure.

She has a plumber ready to plumb in the shower room fittings and he will be asked to quote, but my mum is quite old fashioned and hasn't grasped the idea of 'get three quotes' etc. Thus I am trying to get a rough idea so I can see if she is being quoted fairly.

Sorry its a long post but thought you would want all the facts! If anyone has any questions though, or needs more info, please ask.

Thanks in advance

Nick

 

[Beerlover]

£3500 for a complete combi boiler system including radiators, as you will need heating to rent it out. Add another £300 if no mains gas present. Another £400 will get you a better boiler.

 

[Nick98]

Thanks but not quite that simple (sorry should have explained more). The house is in the middle of nowhere, no mains gas within 5 miles. When the grant was done night storage heaters were put in throughout (as well as rewire, roof, windows etc).

My mum is old school and wont hear of them being ripped out (I suggested oil fired CH) but it is a breakthrough to get her to move away from individual water heaters!!

So I was thinking a 'simple' direct (vented or unvented) HW cylinder circa 120litres to feed three hot taps only. Showers are electric so no other demand other than taps (there is no bath in the house).

 

[xr4x4]

A vented direct cylinder sounds to me the best option.

 

[Agile]

I agree that a 120 li direct cylinder is the best option supplied from a loft tank unless the mains water supply is capable of at least 18 li/min @ 1 Bar.

Probably cost about £600 for loft tank open vent system and about £900 for an unvented cylinder which is better if the mains will supply enough flow.

Those prices are for a switched on customer who wants a good price. Increase by 10-30% for a better off older lady who looks as if she can afford to pay more and comes in a newish car. More still if its a Merc or Audi.

Tony

 

[Nick98]

I agree that a 120 li direct cylinder is the best option supplied from a loft tank unless the mains water supply is capable of at least 18 li/min @ 1 Bar.

Probably cost about £600 for loft tank open vent system and about £900 for an unvented cylinder which is better if the mains will supply enough flow.

Tony - excellent. Many thanks for your help, it is just the sort of info and ballpark figure I was after.

I know its personal opinion but do you think a 'proper' HW system is better in this situation than three individual water heaters as my mum was about to do? Her view is 'its only for renting' but I was thinking of appeal, use, maintenance, added value, etc.

Thanks again

Nick

 

[xr4x4]

Can u get vented direct cylinders with the feed tank built in?

 

[kevplumb]

yes FORTIC

 

[Nick98]

Hi All - Thanks for your replies - Just to update you I passed the info on to my mum and yesterday her plumber delivered her the quote (I suggest you all sit down).

He quoted £3435 for a Fortic and £5124 for pressurised. I said 'don't be silly!' that must be the price for a full central heating system - so I phoned him last night to check that my mum had explained what she wanted and he confirmed that is the quote to install just hot water!!! It makes me mad

Now I accept that it might be a complicated install and all that but I have seen it and it is about as easy as it could possibly be with no complicated runs (the furthest distance from the tank to a hot tap is 15ft and the distance from the mains in to the tank is 2ft). It just strikes me of either pricing it so he doesn't get the job (too busy) or taking advantage of a pensioner who lives alone.

I have advised her to get another quote but is this something I could do myself with a couple of days off work? I would like to put myself in the 'competent' bracket and have carcassed out a central heating system in a previous house of mine working alongside a plumber who did the cylinder and boiler connections, and commissioning - but I did the rest. Clearly I couldn't/wouldn't do the electrical connections but she has an electrician who is working in the property who could.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Many thanks

 

[xr4x4]

You can do the work your self as long as it's not unvented. (pressuried)