Central heating & Rewiring - Money PIT

poppyroberta

Hi

This is my first post on MSE so apologies for any mistakes.

Myself and my husband have just bough a 5 bedroom victorian detached house which has "a lot of potential" so everyone tell's me meaning "this is going to cost you an arm and a leg".

We love the house but both of us have no idea where to start or costs involved.

The first things we are looking at doing are guttering, central heating and apparently house needs re-wiring!!!

I am going to get quotes in for guttering and get an approved NEIC person in for a report but does anyone have any idea of what costs I am looking at?

I have started getting quotes in for the central heating. 1st chap said it would cost me a lot of money charged me £35 for turning up and not heard from him since. The second quote is £11,800 for a Worcester Bosch CDI (40kw) and includes 11 new radiators and hot water tank and includes having the megaflow option if that makes sense.

Not having new radiators in the 3 bathrooms as we will eventually when we can afford it in 2070!!! have underfloor heating!!.

The 3rd quote has come in at £5,060 but this includes only 2 radiators which I really dont like in the 2 loft bedrooms. The remainder of the radiators in the house are quite old but I like them as they look more in keeping with the house than the new types which are being installed. Anyway, the corgi man said I do not need to replace the radiators and they will give all 14 a power flush etc install a new Worcester Bosch Greenstar Condensing CDI boiler, install a new hot water cylinder (vented) and to include new immersion heater in the airing cupboard for a larger one to cope with eventually having 3 bathrooms. Also to include a pumped upgrade to comply with Part L building regulations. To also upgrade Gas Carcass pipework and remove old boiler install new and make good all plaster and roof etc.

They will also convert 8 radiators to thermostatic radiator valves and replace 8 with new handwell lockshield valves.

I am learning as I go along and unfortunately my last read was Vogue and not the DIY pages but my other half is as useful as a chocolate fireguard!!! Any help would be much appreciated. I really don't know what to do and sorry for the long essay.

Wanted to go with the megaflow option but the 3rd quote chap told me our water pressure is not sufficient for this. Severn Trent are coming to check this on Friday. Any help or advise would be much appreciated. Kind regards and thank you

laird

Having gone through the process you may well find it easier to have the electrics done first, that way the fused spur will be in place ready for your boiler to be installed.

A periodic inspection report may be of use but it may tell you little more in practice than "you need a rewiring". Once the house needs rewiring it will need to be rewired. To some extent your choice to pay for a report depends on your view having seen the survey and now having the opportunity to use the wiring in practice.

Ultimately the answer is to get quotations as it seems you have done, now you have a couple of quotes think carefully about what it is that you feel are the must have and would like to have features. Then have the heating and electricians tailor their quotes.

Personally to me it seemed far easier to hand over a piece of paper stating the scope of the works I wanted to be undertaken than having to talk through each option with the dfferent contractors and the contractors seem to like the speed with which they could price up the job too.

Canucklehead

Hi

Welcome .You might be a regular visitor here as you have bought an old house!

The 3rd quote . This one seems to know what he's talking about. If you feel comfortable with him then move on with the quote and refine the plan.
It might be worth fitting one of these..... http://www.fernox.com/?cccpage=boiler_buddy&sub=3 as you will have old radiators . (are they cast iron ?)
Whilst the water board are there get them to quote for a new incoming main.
If you can go the unvented (Megaflo) route then do so.It'll be worth it.

Good luck.

Corgi Guy.

baldelectrician

You should use a competent person for the electrical work, links below

In Scotland:
Individuals regitered;
http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/register/ListAC.asp
Companies
http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/register/SearchCo.asp?T=Construction&ID=2

In England and Wales:
http://www.competentperson.co.uk

There are several part P scheme providers, link above.

I would sugest (although I am biased) you use a smaller firm, rather than a large firm- more personal service.
Try and use word of mouth, if you can.

Rewires can vary in price from £1700 to £4500 or more, depending on the spec.

Make sure they are all quoting from the same hymn sheet.

I suggest you spec an MK consumer unit (12 way split load), there will be room for expansion.

Get the rewire done first, and make sure things go in the right place- for example have a fitted kitchen drawing and have electrics for this included in quote.

RZK3F8

I have recently undertaken a similair project (although on a slightly smaller scale- 2 bed cottage). It needs the full treatment in terms of rewiring, replumbing and dry-rot/beetle infestation. The rewireing has now been done, and I would strongly recommend doing this first. The reason for this is, one, it means you can work safely at night on other jobs and two, it will mean the points are in for the boiler etc.

I do not profess to know much about the heating as we have just opted to have a whole new system installed from scratch, which we have been quoted 4k (Bosch Combi/8Rads).

What I do suggest however, is a survey from a timber & roofing specialist as there may be problems you simply do not have the erxperience to spot (it also helps you plan the budget)...although get 2nd opinions on any major problems that it shows up.

Good luck!

poppyroberta

Wow!!! thank you so much for your responses. Just told my other half about your replies and how you have restored my faith in human nature!!! just wish you could come and sort out my re-wire and heating!!!

Thanks again for your help, really appreciate it.

Ref the re-wire I knew it would have to be the first job to be done but scared of mess to my lovely orginal coving etc but cannot delay this so will call round tomorrow for getting electricians in for quotes!!

My only problem is that at some point I want to change the back of the house. We have a dining room known as the "snug" which leads through to the kitchen. The Kitchen is about 25ft long and about 10ft wide. This is I think what was originally the scullery.

Anyway I want to knock down the adjoining wall (not personally!!) between the dining room and kitchen but this is a load bearing wall and if you look at this from the outside originally there must have been a fireplace somewhere as this is where the chimney is (Hope that makes sense). Anyway I know that the kitchen does not work for me and I need to do something (we definately need a completely new kitchen and appliances etc) but before we can look at this I need to work on how the whole dining room and kitchen plan will work as at the moment it does not flow or work for me.

Tried looking for architects but no luck so maybe try this avenue again as to what I can possibly do!! This is my main concern in respect of the electrics as the kitchen will not be something we can do right now and therefore have no idea how it will eventually be.

As for the heating the radiators we have are not the original cast iron they are more like the column radiators but really heavy and not like the new modern ones we see!! Sorry new to all this sort of chat ref house issues!!!


I love the house but getting quite depressed at how much everything costs and finding the right tradespeople that won't rip you off and will do a good job. Definately want to go with the megaflo option so will see what Severn Trent have to say.

never_enough

poppyroberta wrote: »

Ref the re-wire I knew it would have to be the first job to be done but scared of mess to my lovely orginal coving etc but cannot delay this so will call round tomorrow for getting electricians in for quotes!!

My only problem is that at some point I want to change the back of the house. We have a dining room known as the "snug" which leads through to the kitchen. The Kitchen is about 25ft long and about 10ft wide. This is I think what was originally the scullery.

Tried looking for architects but no luck so maybe try this avenue again as to what I can possibly do!! This is my main concern in respect of the electrics as the kitchen will not be something we can do right now and therefore have no idea how it will eventually be.

As for the heating the radiators we have are not the original cast iron they are more like the column radiators but really heavy and not like the new modern ones we see!! Sorry new to all this sort of chat ref house issues!!!

I love the house but getting quite depressed at how much everything costs and finding the right tradespeople that won't rip you off and will do a good job. Definately want to go with the megaflo option so will see what Severn Trent have to say.

Hi, :hello:
Don't worry about things, you will find amazing help & support here. I'm a bit of a dunce when it comes to some (most) diy stuff & I've had loads of help from people on this board.

I know nothing about heating & electrics, however when I had an electrician round recently to repair a little diy disaster (:o ) he said he could go under picture rails & coving. Of course it's a more expensive option, but worth it in my opinion.

I don't think its much more to get a bigger board (with your electric fuses on) which will allow you to use the spares for any extensions you may do in the future.

Re getting an architect. Have a look at the RIBA website
http://www.riba.org/go/RIBA/Home.html
There is quite a lot of useful info on there, plus you can search for an architect in your area.

I've found it quite useful when getting quotes to give everyone who comes a typed sheet so nothing gets missed off (as one of the other posters mentioned) If they want to add something that's fine, as long as it's separated (& you know what it is!) This only works if you have an idea what you're after though! I seem to be looking up stuff all the time. The internet can be a godsend, but sometimes I end up even more confused! Oh & if someone wants to charge you for a quote move onto the next person in your list, that's just wrong. Getting people to turn up is one of the biggest pains, but you could try getting recommendations from neighbours?

Good luck

covbaldy

Where abouts are you? Perhaps some MSER's can recommend some leccys & plumbers?

poppyroberta

Where abouts are you? Perhaps some MSER's can recommend some leccys & plumbers?

I am based in Kidderminster/Bewdley which is in Worcestershire.

If anyone can recommend any people that would be great. Moved here from Birmingham so don't know people or the neighbours at the moment. Tho they are now selling the house (hope that's not because of us!!)

Thanks again.

WestonDave

Re the coving they should be able to go up behind that - its not 100% foolproof as they will be drilling at an awkward angle but the guys that did ours did very little damage to the coving.

If you get a good electrician they will be able to work with your future plans - we didn't want our kitchen disturbing now but it will need replacing at some point in the future, plus we have "pie in the sky" plans for an extension. That being the case they largely just made the kitchen safe and replaced the minimum, and for the extension they've laid in cables under the floors which can easily be picked up by the builders if the extension ever gets built without having to rip the carpets up again. It made very little difference to the price other than having a slightly larger consumer unit, and a bit more work running the cables.

devmcc

Hi there
Just wanted to say - we bought a 3 bed WRECK that we fell in love with last August... it also needed the full hit! We were very excited initially but then as moving in day loomed it was all a little scary - we too had people saying we had taken on a money pit...
So, we have re-wired, full central heating installed and plumbing, damp coursed, plastered and WE LOVE IT!! I am so glad we didn't listen to the doubting Thomas’s... hang on in there - what might seem like a huge outlay now will be buttons in a few years time!
Everything you are doing is adding to your property so one day you will also be rich!!
Just a point on your old downstairs radiators - I would get them replaced... we used Victorian styled ones (column type) off the peg from B&Q - very reasonable (around £130 per rad) and they look smashing... just bought some nice valves to dolly them up!!

Anyway - all the luck in the world...