Pushfit or soldered copper in a new build?

[RigidRaider]

Mrs RR and I are approaching the time in life when we hope to buy a plot and build our dream home. I'm not a fan of push-fit, having seen one fail on the hot side of my neighbour's shower pump.

If you were speccing a new house and wanted to get it really perfect, would you trust push-fit? I guess traditional copper would cost considerably more - any idea on how much more for a 3 bed house? Double? I'd be prepared to pay that if it was sure to give me more reliable plumbing. The house has to be future-proofed and I won't be wanting plumbing coming apart when I'm a doddery 85 year-old.

 

[easyflow]

Copper is timeless and not much difference in price, much better job.

 

[SandyLyon]

Depends what the construction is, if Engineered Joists “I Beam” then you will struggle to get copper in, where you can thread plastic through in long lengths.
We use pushfit on new build, always use Hep2o, as long as you follow all instructions you shouldn’t have any problems and comes with a 50 year warranty unlike some of the other brands.
If you have Engineered Joists and insist on copper the labour element will jump up considerably as you will only be able to install short lengths at a time.

 

[muggles]

Copper is proper
Having said that, I'm increasingly becoming a fan of MLCP press-fit, but it ideally needs metal-web joists to make life easy

 

[motorbiking]

copper, but you probably won’t find anyone willing.

 

[aptsys]

Depends what the construction is, if Engineered Joists “I Beam” then you will struggle to get copper in, where you can thread plastic through in long lengths.
We use pushfit on new build, always use Hep2o, as long as you follow all instructions you shouldn’t have any problems and comes with a 50 year warranty unlike some of the other brands.
If you have Engineered Joists and insist on copper the labour element will jump up considerably as you will only be able to install short lengths at a time.

The 50 year warranty is basically meaningless though. It doesn't cover anything other than replacement of the fitting that fails if you can prove it was fitted correctly. You'll still have all the flood damage to sort out through your own insurance.

 

[Dan Robinson]

copper, but you probably won’t find anyone willing.

We're quite happy to to do copper, but most customers shy away from the cost and increased time needed.

 

[Nige F]

Depends what the construction is, if Engineered Joists “I Beam” then you will struggle to get copper in,

Very true but as it's your own house you call the tune. I have installed copper across engineered joists by taking a brick out the outside wall - core drill a hole through inner skin and slide the lengths in - replace core with a gripfill seal and the plug of insulation. Replace the brick.

 

[SandyLyon]

The 50 year warranty is basically meaningless though. It doesn't cover anything other than replacement of the fitting that fails if you can prove it was fitted correctly. You'll still have all the flood damage to sort out through your own insurance.

As with anything, it has to fitted as per manufactures instructions, which isn’t difficult.

From experience, the Hep20 warranty is “insurance backed” and covers any labour costs or damage to property etc, providing the problem was caused by a manufacturing defect, unlike some of the other major players who you quite rightly say, offer replacement of the faulty product.

 

[bernardgreen]

Building your own home. Use copper.

Plastic is cheaper to install, until the cost of taking down a ceiling to replace a failed joint is taken into account. As some of my friends and neighbours have discovered.

The most convincing arguement in support of copper over plastic was provided to me privately by a sales rep. He was promoting his company's plastic pipes and fittings to the staff in a plumber's merchant. But outside in the car park he told me he would never use plastic if he had the choice. He promotes it only because it sells well at good profit and paid his wages / salary and earnt him commission.

providing the problem was caused by a manufacturing defect,

which excludes paying for damage caused by poor workman or damage due to the pipe being damaged ( scratched ) while in transit to the site. ( as our neighbour discovered )

 

[SandyLyon]

which excludes paying for damage caused by poor workman or damage due to the pipe being damaged ( scratched ) while in transit to the site. ( as our neighbour discovered )

I don’t know of any manufacturer that would pay out for a problem caused by “poor workmanship”’ they wouldn’t be in business for long.

Scratched pipe can cause “weeps” if the scratch is under an “O” ring, which is why Manufacturers Instructions say to protect the pipe with tape or similar where the fitting will fit when feeding through walls, studs etc.

Having seen the back of some plumbers vans, it’s no wonder they have problems, pipe out of packaging, tools and tool boxes on top of the pipe, all my guys have their fittings in plastic containers with lids and all pipe in it’s packaging. Basic housekeeping.

 

[RigidRaider]

Some helpful replies, thanks; you have all confirmed what I think. Whatever house we build, part of the brief will be for a concrete first floor with underfloor heating which is, of course, a system that uses plastic but I will be wanting the services in copper and having done a fair bit of work in my own house over the years I have strong thoughts on how the system needs to be designed for ease of maintenance. For a start, no naff Chinese gate valves that don't actually shut off the water and no ball isolators.

 

[oilboffin]

Use the new copper fittings the press fit where the fitting is crushed onto the pipe are great.Bob