New House - Central Heating

tomelk31

We have had an offer accepted on a 3 bed house which requires some modernisation as well as central heating. We are planning on plastering, decorating, carpeting every room (helped by the fact we have plaster / decorator in the family) and new central heating.

We are trying to work out order in which to do the work. We were considering plastering, decorating, installing central heating and then carpeting. What does everyone think?

How much mess will be made when installing the central heating and how long will it take? Will the floors need to be ripped up to install the pipes underneath?

marksoton

Central heating
Plastering
Decoration
Carpets

Top first to bottom last

LEJC

all the messy stuff first...central heating because you will need to lift floorboards then anything electrical,then plastering,decorating and finally carpeting

Nobbie1967

Not sure why people are suggesting central heating before plastering and decorating. You'd have to move the boiler and rads to do the plastering and decorating of the walls. Central heating isn't that messy, it's just inconvenient as you have to take lots of floorboards up. The only issue to think about when plastering is whether your going to run any wiring under the plaster, although I assume thermostats are wireless these days.

Mossfarr

I would always do the central heating first, rads can be left off for decorating and connected up after. I like to hide as much pipework as possible, you can bury pipework beneath plaster and just have enough poking through to reach rad valves. Much neater job.

patman99

Electrics first (so you can chase the walls and install conduits), then plaster, then central heating, then decorate.

DaftyDuck

This will be my eighth new central heating system in a large, old do-er upper project. Central heating and rewire go first in line. I take radiators out again where needed. It's a ten minute DIY job. Keeps them perfectly clean. With correct lock valves fitted, no need to drain the system completely.

Carpets last. Redecorate after all building work done.

That's the plan. Seldom works perfectly in every respect, but it's still a target.

dimbo61

Talking £2,500-3,000 for new boiler fitted.
Do you need all new rads as well ?

bigfreddiel

Surely your family member, the plasterer/decorator will know the order in which this type of work should proceed?

Cheers fj

tomelk31

Thanks for all the replies.

Yeah we would need new radiators as well. Currently the house has storage heaters

kataklysm

Did just this, a few tips:

1: The fusebox will probably needs to be upgraded to handle the extra load of the boiler, remove the storage heater connections, and have everything relabelled up to code for if/when you sell later.
2. Get National Grid to test the pipe to the property (if there is one) to ensure there is a live gas supply - do this before you exchange! If there isn't a live supply, it could cost you thousands.
3. Get a gas account set up after exchange / before move in, so they can fit a meter when you arrive. The process can take a good 4-6 weeks. You'll also need to switch the electricity from Economy-7 or 10 to a single rate meter, but that's not much hassle.
4. Make absolutely sure that your tradesmen are accredited and above board. Ask for their Gas Safe ID, and check it online. Do not pay them until you have the relevant building regs installation certificates in your hand - both for replacing a fusebox and installing the CH system. And don't get non-certified family members to fit anything gas or electric related - you need to declare any work post 2005 when selling along with correct certs.
5. Consider plastering/painting and other dusty jobs like sanding or replacing skirting etc before the rads go on the wall. Made the final finish much much easier.
6. Finally, get the work done before you move in if you can. Living with no heating for many years was no fun at all..

G'luck!