picking radiators and oil fired boiler help??

I should say from the outset that my builder turned up when he said he would ie Monday of this week but never gave me any advance notice!!

My right hip has given up the ghost so I have to get a plumber in to do all the work. I want to get quotes but need to specify a) the rads I want, b) the boiler, c) thermostats on rads, d) the control/programmer, e)a water pressure pump to drive 2 showers. other shower will be electric.

As always I get conflicting advice eg don't increase pressure on the taps as it will spatter too much just do the showers etc etc.

I want solo rads in hallway, dining/kitchen, also a kicker rad in kitchen, and solo rad in living and then good normal rads elsewhere. I dont want those rads that streak the wall but cant for the life of me think what the others are called.

I want a good boiler ie better than firebird but again I am told firebird is very popular. it is for a 2000 sq ft bungalow so I was opting for a 120 btu output. But when I look at grant vortex condensing it is in KW's, Help! I cant test water pressure now as everything has been shut off to alllow demolition work.

I want h&c in cold in summer and then with heating in winter driven off the bolier, I want to have a controller with options say 3 time settings per day, and the option to specify hot water only.

I have read all the posts etc and went rvr.ie. I am probaly starting with the nice to have and then if it is too off the wall price wise, then a re-think will be required. I am not going for zoned heatinga s there are only 2 of us. I enquired about solar panels and was quoted 7,500 all in with a grant of 1100. I HAVE NOT GOT 6,400 TO SPARE. I wish I had.

Help!!

noah

You have to phone the council to find out what the water pressure in your area is. That the taps would splash when using them with pressurised water is due to the wrong taps. A simple mixer tap from Lidl or B&Q (expensive there!) will have a nozzle design that would not allow for splashing.
Check the Sedbuk page for what's available boilerwise. Go for nothing less then 90% efficiency. Firebird boilers are popular in Ireland because people are kept ignorant by the plumbers. Huge profits are made selling outdated bangers to the uninformed consumers. Check the SEI page for a conversion list (BTU:KW).

thanks nice and quick reply, it is appreciated,i will check out that reference. i will go to a few plumbers and maybe i know a bit more than i think. i am returning from the uk and struggling with the quotes and approach ie we will take u for what we can. tough times. i wish i could speak a bit of polish.

i may be back and i have read loads of your posts by the way and enjoyed them. i dont want dry lining and if one more person mentions to me i will scream. I wanted to put boiler in the utility but got so much grief that i am back to an outside purpose built boiler house. my theory was having it in the utility made it in the centre of the run and hence more efficient ie hot water would get to rads quicker but i may be wrong.

noah

Hi,

Just to let you know that I purchased solar panels 3 weeks ago from solaris energy in Macroom co cork for €6200 - that included 6.3 sq metres of panels, installation and 300 litres tank. I qualify for a grant of €1890 - 300 * 6.3 = so panels costing just over €4000 overall. It's €1200 for installation and I'm sure your own plumber could do it cheaper if you wanted

To NOAH: Get the book "Collins DIY", there is plenty of standard lay men's plumbing in it, plain and simple, pressurised systems and solar and open vented systems, heating systems and condensing boilers and so on. Pressurised systems are becoming standard in GB, Ireland seems to be last country (again) in Europe where the so called plumbers are still using open systems. If you have the chance to get a Polish plumber-DO IT!! Plumbers on the continent have an aprentice ship of 3-3.5 years wich will make them to plumbers. After working for 2 years in the job they can go to the masters school for another 2 years to become master plumbers. This entitles them to run their own plumbing company and to take on aprentices. That's quality education. In Ireland every one can call him/herself a plumber.....and that's how our houses are plumbed.
My congratulations to PaddyH ! Every panel is sign of peace. But the price is a bit high. €2500 for 300l tank plus 3 panels of 6m2 and controling gear and installation is the standard price on the continent. Without subsidies.These would reduce the price even further. But the market is just starting here....

Thanks all, I got that book, read it and its useful. So now I want a direct water system, this gives me mains pressure at every tap, a condensing boiler, Firebird does one,! a mixture os solo and barlo radiators with thermostats. Plus a good programmer/timer.

BUT who in Clare fits condensing boilers!! What boiler is my fallback position?

I spoke with one plumber who said from the outset he would want cash up front to buy materials as he was left in the lurch by a builder BUT what if the plumber leaves me in the lurch??? Why can't I buy materials myself??

Where's the catch??

noah

I spoke with one plumber who said from the outset he would want cash up front to buy materials

Click to expand...

Cash up front is not a good idea. Be careful; it's your hard-earned money!


Marion

never do cash up front - I design/ landscape gardens. cash on completion or sign off of contracts ONLY.

best wishes

Heinbloed

You mentioned that the avg price for solar is €2,500. Where is that? Can they be brought in easily and fitted here?

Thanks and sorry for jumping in on this thread

They can. But as far as I understood the subsidy scheme to support the sale of solar panels does not include imports, however stupid this is since all solar panels are imported.There is no Irish manufacturer.Try this page for a huge range on (special)offers : http://www.top50-solar.de/
Click the "welcome" box for the English version if you're not automatically directed.
P.S. I did the check on the solarserver myself, here is the first special offer that popped up for € 2,560-.
This price includes 3 panels with a total of 6.1m2, 300l tank, control unit, anti freeze,expansion barrel and mounting material. It does include the Vat as well, but neither the transport to Ireland nor the installation on the roof. See yourself at [broken link removed] .If you were living in Germany their subsidies would bring down the price to €1,972-, again without the installation.
The German subsidy is €84.- per started m2.
Europes largest manufacturer of solar panels (flat collectors) , an Austrian company, claims that the panel costs on their own are only 8% of the total solar system costs, most of the total price is profit. For the traders, for the installers.So if you're planning to go to the continent with a delivery van it might be worth to load it with solar panels instead of beer (smiley) before coming back, it would be healthier and more profitable......
As far as I understood Turkey and China have even better offers, but I haven't checked their pages.

P.S. Another here, the same size and specs, for € 2499.-: http://www.solarheizungsshop.de/

Heinbloed - thanks for that - will look at these in more detail later.

Might have to hire a bigger van - one to take both the beer and the solar!!!!