Single Zone to multi-zone heating - conflicting feedback from the pros

[DoNotUseFullName]

Hi!

I am a new home owner of a small 3 bed semi, built in late 80s. It has single zone oil heating, the oil boiler is external, about 10 feet from the house. I have been looking to get the heating split, at the very least separate the radiators from the hot water tank, but any additional zones are a plus.

The first guy I had out said this was doable, that he only needed to bring some new piping from the (disconnected) back boiler (located at fireplace in living room) to the hot press upstairs. He said he could create 3 zones, downstairs/upstairs rads + water. He quoted approx €3k, though this also included smart heating controls + a couple of TRVs.

Second guy who came out said that 3 zones was basically a no-go, too work intensive meaning it wouldn't be cost effective. He said that 2 zones was possible but could also be quite invasive to find where the existing piping needs to be altered. He instead recommended a new gas boiler installed indoors downstairs under-ish where the hot press is, and connecting the two quite easily. (As it happens we would eventually like to move to a gas boiler, but that's besides the point right now I guess)

A third guy I spoke to on the phone only had thoughts more in line with the second guy, that splitting the zones would be quite difficult/more cost than it's worth. He actually recommended just adding TRVs everywhere and controlling everything that way.

I don't know what to think to be honest. Why the varying opinions?

 

[Madrab]

Unfortunately, absolutely impossible to say without being on site and seeing what's already there.

That being said, if your system has followed the basic system design rules then it should be easy enough to separate the CH from the HW by adding a zone valve at the branch to the primary flow for the cylinder and an other just after that branch that feeds the CH, then set up a programmer with associated wiring and a stat - S Plan. Whether it would be easy to separate the CH into zones would only be possible if the flows and returns to upstairs and downstairs are, in effect, on their own circuits and could be isolated from each other with other 2 ports and thermostats - S Plus Plan

 

[DoNotUseFullName]

Thanks for the response. I had also assumed that separating the CH and water would be relatively routine, which makes the conflicting feedback all the more frustrating!