elecric or wet???

[Spare Tool]

Hi Folks

Been to look at a job today a big extension which at this stage just has the walls and roof on, no floor down at moment but going to be insulated then concrete, pouring next week...
Its a 45sqm floor and the customer would like me to quote for under floor heating, can anybody tell me if I should be better advising for electric which I think would probably need 3 or 4 matts joined before thermostat or wet pipes connected to central heating as regards the cost of supplying and fitting (I'd have to sub the wet) and overall running costs which would be the best way to go with this??

Thanks Andy

 

[White Room]

Surely that should have been sorted at the design stage...

 

[CJ]

As above.......if they wanted wet UFH.....that should have been planned for a long time ago......and going in now, or early next week.

 

[Ajax123]

Wet wet wet....

 

[Spare Tool]

First thing I've seen of the job is today and the 2 storey extension is up, I never asked about the planning or design stage, there's only hardcore down on the floor at the moment so I can only take it from here, the guy wants a bathroom, balcony and kitchen floor doing too so would like to advise on heating this floor correctly...

 

[Spare Tool]

Can the concrete be poured next week then how long before the wet pipes could be layed if say they were fitted into the preformed blocks, 10mm screed or/and ditra over these?? No advice on tiles he's choosing yet as I don't think even he knows...

 

[Ajax123]

I'm confused. Who is designing this floor... Who has responsibility and who is dealing with building control....why preformed blocks... What insulation.... Overall depth.... What damp proofing or radon protection is in place....

far are too many unknowns here...

 

[trustiling]

http://www.wundafloorheating.co.uk
Used and fitted these systems myself with my gas guys doing the manifold, pump and thermostat work at the boiler....
Straight forward to fit and run the pipe, cost effective and supply absolutely everything you need to complete the job. They will even plan it for you if you send them a drawing.
Wet heating all the way for economy and output.

 

[Spare Tool]

I'm confused. Who is designing this floor... Who has responsibility and who is dealing with building control....why preformed blocks... What insulation.... Overall depth.... What damp proofing or radon protection is in place....

far are too many unknowns here...

I'm sorry but I don't have the answer to most of those questions, like I say I turn up today just to quote on the tiling and there's not even a floor. All the customer said to me was it would be an insulated concrete floor, I just took it as read they'd be some sort of dpm.
Judging by the level in the extension at the moment and the level of the existing house floor I think there's probably 12-18inch to build up.
I'd got it in my head that either electric or preformed board and wet pipes were the only options I had seeing how the concrete is coming next week and tbh I don't really want to be the new site manager on the job...
Think the way to simplify this is to ask which would be the best way to go if.....
If I had got there to see a 2 month old concrete floor and the customer said I would like UFH...
Should I fit insulation boards the 3 or 4 Mats and crack on, or advise for wet pipes as regards instillation and running costs?? I
know how much the electric matting costs to buy and for me to fit but don't have a clue how much it costs to run longterm in comparison to wet.
I havn't got any idea how much 45sqm of wet pipes supplied, fitted and plumbed in would cost either, could anyone advise??

 

[trustiling]

I'd estimate in the region of £2000 your cost for pipe, boards, manifold, thermostat and pump for a wet system to go on top of concrete screed.
You'd need to let the concrete guys know the depth of your boards, pipe, screed adhesive and tile to allow for your overall finished floor height.
A wet heated system is much more cost effective to run in the long term as it runs at much lower temperatures than standard central heating systems.

 

[trustiling]

That is of course if you can't find a way to install the pipes in the original screed....

 

[Taylormade]

For the area it should be a wet install. Don't turn the customers problem into your problem. If need be say so and walk away. Poor planning and preparation leads to poor performance according to the wife!

 

[Ajax123]

Hardcore...1200gauge membrane....concrete 100mm..... 1200gauge membrane....insulation depth to fill up void to allow 500gauge membrane 16mm water pipes for UFH and 50mm of Gypsol screed.... If you want a specification let me know...

 

[Spare Tool]

Hardcore...1200gauge membrane....concrete 100mm..... 1200gauge membrane....insulation depth to fill up void to allow 500gauge membrane 16mm water pipes for UFH and 50mm of Gypsol screed.... If you want a specification let me know...

Thanks for that Alan, will advise customer and get him to pass on spec to his builder/concrete guy.
Would you mind emailing me spec please, i'll pm you my email details...
Many thanks for your time

 

[Diggy]

Absolutely wet , but like others have said not generally the sort of thing that is an after thought and certainly not for a tiler to sort out . Wet system should've been thought about at drawing stage.

Diggy

 

[Spare Tool]

Spoke to the customer yesterday and told him that all advise given to me was pointing to a wet install but he has ignored all advise and was insisting on electric, which I duly priced up yesterday, its going to be £2g in materials before I stick a tile down, all went a bit quiet at that point and haven't heard anything since...
sometimes your banging your head against a wall :mad2:

pm Alan