Central Heating cost....??

dbrooks19

Recently moved into a two bedroom property without heating (other than a gas fire). I currently use electric oil filled radiators (free standing) however i am looking into installing central heating in the property.

The water is currently heated independently and stored in a tank and i would ideally like to save space and have this removed.

I have some savings i can use towards the cost but was wondering if anyone knows a rough guide price for the installation of a condensing combi boiler and about 5 radiators?

Also are there any other alternatives available to me for around the same cost?

Thanks

Darren

Cardew

£3000-£4000?

A cheaper option is to retain your tank and fit Economy 7 storage heating.

nielingren

Cardew wrote:

£3000-£4000?

A cheaper option is to retain your tank and fit Economy 7 storage heating.

NOOOO storage heating are evil lol

if you ned to get some one in the its going to cost a lot

parts cost about 2k

Cardew

nielingren wrote:

NOOOO storage heating are evil lol

I think most of us would agree based on our experience of old storage heating systems.

However I have read some independent articles that state modern systems for smaller properties are much better than yesteryear. I have no experience of these but it might pay to investigate.

This was an article from the Daily Telegraph that I posted - bear in mind that the article is over a year old and the prices are out of date.

On the level: what gas really costs
(Filed: 12/10/2005)
Ask Jeff
There's a lot to be said for wiring-in electric panel heaters or night-storage heaters, writes Jeff Howell

A month ago I wrote about switching energy suppliers, and have since been asked by several readers for my views on the most economical energy source. I get a steady trickle of letters with this query anyway, but the recent rises in gas and electricity prices, press stories about diminishing stocks of natural gas, and the increase in the crude oil price following hurricane Katrina have all led to a greater concern about energy supplies and prices.

Most readers in urban areas will have natural gas piped into their homes, and might assume that this is the cheapest fuel. But over the past few years I have viewed a lot of new housing developments (many as a judge for The Daily Telegraph/What House? awards), and I have been struck by the fact that most new houses and flats these days tend to be fitted with electric panel heaters rather than gas-fired central-heating systems. On the one hand, this could be seen as a cynical ploy by the developers to cut costs. After all, wiring is cheaper than pipework, and there are no boilers, pumps or radiators to break down or leak, requiring remedial call-backs. On the other, it might be a blessing in disguise for the new owners. Sure, they are paying more per unit for electricity than for gas, but their annual maintenance costs will be practically zero, whereas gas-fired central heating incurs considerable maintenance and depreciation costs. So let's have a closer look at the subject.


Fuel prices vary across the country, and different suppliers have different charging practices (some add standing charges, and some operate a sliding tariff, with the first hundred or so units being more expensive). But roughly speaking, a standard "unit" of electric power, a kilowatt-hour (kWh) - which will heat a one-bar electric fire for an hour - costs about 7p. Off-peak electricity ("Economy 7") costs about 3.5p per kWh. Natural gas piped into the house ("town gas") costs about 2p per kWh, but gas boilers might be only 75 to 80 per cent efficient, giving a truer cost of nearer 2.5p. Heating oil and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas, or "Calor Gas"), using similar boilers, currently provide heat at a rate equivalent to 4.5p and 4p per kWh respectively.

On the basis of fuel costs alone, gas, oil and LPG are cheaper than standard-rate electricity. But this does not take into account the costs of buying and installing boilers and fuel tanks, nor the annual maintenance costs, nor the fact that boilers have a finite life. The trade price for a new gas boiler is about £600, but you'll be lucky to find a gas fitter who will supply and install one for much less than £ 1,500. Big companies such as British Gas routinely charge £3,000 or more.

Old gas boilers had few moving parts and could be expected to last for 30 or 40 years, but the new ones are packed full of electronics and might last 10 years or less. So let's budget £200 per year in boiler depreciation. Then there's an annual servicing cost of at least £50 - and some readers are still paying £180 or more to British Gas for annual breakdown cover, even though this does not include a proper strip-down service. So readers who think that gas is the cheapest fuel should remember to factor in £250 to £400 per year as an extra "standing charge" when they do their calculations. (Add to that the annual landlord's gas safety certificate - £50 - and the Government's proposal that in future every home might also have to have an annual gas safety inspection.)

Electric heating, by comparison, is practically maintenance-free, and has a conversion rate of energy into heat of 100 per cent. For readers with an existing gas, oil or LPG heating system, the most economical option is probably to keep it going. But for those considering a change of fuel, or starting from scratch, there's a lot to be said for wiring-in electric panel heaters or night-storage heaters, or even simply plugging oil-filled electric radiators into the existing wall sockets.

dbrooks19

Thanks for the reply's, and thanks for the interesting article Cardew.

I have the savings to install a central heating system and feel it would add value to the property in the long run (i only plan on staying there for the next 2-5 years). Would i be correct in assuming this?

Having looked into storage heaters a small amount i would need at least 4 storage heaters which looking on the internet is going to cost me upto £1000 which seems a lot of money for what they are.

I'm was after a rough idea of price which i now have an idea of.

Thanks for your help