Taylor Wimpey questions

player1_2

Hi all, I have decided to move to a new TW build (3 bedroom Baxter). I have a couple of questions and may have some more in the days to come! 

The house is GCH with radiators throughout except in the kitchen which is heated via a grill under the units. What is the source of this heating ? Is it from pipes running from the boiler and vented through the grill, or electric ?

The house has Hyperoptic FTTP. Is this a good fibre provider (I currently have Sky 1Gb FTTP but think Hyperoptic router may be better). Can SkyQ and Sky Glass run on Hyperoptic network?

Is Openreach FTTP also available in TW new builds (either via the same or a different fibre) ?

Any other TW or Baxter specific hints and tips gratefully received. 

Thanks 😀

BobT36

Unsure about the routers or sky packages, but one of my colleagues at work (I.T sector) rates HyperOptic as a provider. 

You should be able to check OpenReach fibre availability on the OpenReach website, just stick your postcode / number in. 

player1_2

BobT36 said:

You should be able to check OpenReach fibre availability on the OpenReach website, just stick your postcode / number in. 

Thanks Bob, only the frame of the house is up so fat and the address won’t be registered in databases yet since still a building site. 

secla

plinth heaters are available in both electric and plumbed in, i would expect it to be plumbed into the central heating in a new build if for nothing more than to get a better EPC report.

[Deleted User]

Commiserations on your purchase.

You mention a boiler. Check that, it should be a heat pump. It's much cheaper to get a heat pump installed now, with suitable size rads. Otherwise you will have a big bill coming when the boiler needs replacing and new ones are no longer available. You may also have costs related to disconnecting gas, and obviously using electric is going to be better because you have solar and some storage.

As for broadband, steer clear of OpenReach. Overpriced and poor service.

player1_2

You mention a boiler. Check that, it should be a heat pump. It's much cheaper to get a heat pump installed now, with suitable size rads. Otherwise you will have a big bill coming when the boiler needs replacing and new ones are no longer available. You may also have costs related to disconnecting gas, and obviously using electric is going to be better because you have solar and some storage.

It’s definitely a gas boiler - I suspect heat pumps are still a few years away but I do recognise there may be a future replacement cost. 

[Deleted User]

player1_2 said:

You mention a boiler. Check that, it should be a heat pump. It's much cheaper to get a heat pump installed now, with suitable size rads. Otherwise you will have a big bill coming when the boiler needs replacing and new ones are no longer available. You may also have costs related to disconnecting gas, and obviously using electric is going to be better because you have solar and some storage.

It’s definitely a gas boiler - I suspect heat pumps are still a few years away but I do recognise there may be a future replacement cost. 

Heat pumps are ready now and new builds should not be installing boilers. It's not just the boiler, you are paying for a mains gas connection that will be obsolete in a decade.

I'd get onto that urgently. It's not just the heat pump itself, they need to size the rads or install underfloor heating to suit it, and of course all the plumbing and the outdoor unit. It will be a major and expensive hassle down the road.

Incredible that they are still doing this. Presumably it at least has decent insulation and solar?

[Deleted User]

Oh, and a charger for an electric vehicle, or at the absolute minimum a suitable location for one. You don't want to be trailing a cable over the pavement, or paying public charging prices in a few years.

player1_2

[Deleted User] said:

player1_2 said:

You mention a boiler. Check that, it should be a heat pump. It's much cheaper to get a heat pump installed now, with suitable size rads. Otherwise you will have a big bill coming when the boiler needs replacing and new ones are no longer available. You may also have costs related to disconnecting gas, and obviously using electric is going to be better because you have solar and some storage.

It’s definitely a gas boiler - I suspect heat pumps are still a few years away but I do recognise there may be a future replacement 

Incredible that they are still doing this. Presumably it at least has decent insulation and solar?

It looks like hardly any developers are yet installing heat pumps. Redrow seems to be the exception and they have only just announced their plans. So there is no current path to gas free heating across the house building sector.

but yes to decent insulation and solar panels

MultiFuelBurner

[Deleted User] said:

player1_2 said:

You mention a boiler. Check that, it should be a heat pump. It's much cheaper to get a heat pump installed now, with suitable size rads. Otherwise you will have a big bill coming when the boiler needs replacing and new ones are no longer available. You may also have costs related to disconnecting gas, and obviously using electric is going to be better because you have solar and some storage.

It’s definitely a gas boiler - I suspect heat pumps are still a few years away but I do recognise there may be a future replacement cost. 

Heat pumps are ready now and new builds should not be installing boilers. It's not just the boiler, you are paying for a mains gas connection that will be obsolete in a decade.

I'd get onto that urgently. It's not just the heat pump itself, they need to size the rads or install underfloor heating to suit it, and of course all the plumbing and the outdoor unit. It will be a major and expensive hassle down the road.

Incredible that they are still doing this. Presumably it at least has decent insulation and solar?

What law says builders should not be fitting gas boilers?

AFAIK that law comes into effect in 2025

National builders will generally do the bare minimum before being forced.

mills705

my partners old house was a TW but a 2 bed, the heater works pretty well. No idea how it works but its a pain to clean as stuff gets caught in the vents!