Combi v conventional

PoGee

Which of the 2 above would add more value to a 3 bed 3 public room semi? It's conventional at the moment. If it's combi, how much would it cost to rip out the whole old system including all tanks but keeping the immersion tank, new 'good' boiler/ radiators/ all gas and water pipes? The upheaval involved is putting me off a combi. (It would be easier to keep the water copper pipes + tanks and just get new conventional boiler and radiators.) Any advice would be appreciated.

BarelySentientAI

Keep the tank.

Neither is more valuable than the other.

Ectophile

If the new owner ever decides to get a heat pump, then they will need the hot water tank.

ThisIsWeird

PoGee said:

Which of the 2 above would add more value to a 3 bed 3 public room semi? It's conventional at the moment. If it's combi, how much would it cost to rip out the whole old system including all tanks but keeping the immersion tank, new 'good' boiler/ radiators/ all gas and water pipes? The upheaval involved is putting me off a combi. (It would be easier to keep the water copper pipes + tanks and just get new conventional boiler and radiators.) Any advice would be appreciated.

I take it you reckon you need a new boiler, then?

In which case, the cheapest and most sensible option would be to replace with the same, a 'Heat-Only' boiler. Cheapest to do, and undoubtedly the most reliable over time.

I would certainly consider going 'System' boiler, which is essentially the same, but you lose the wee F&E tank in the loft - and that, too, usually adds to long-term reliability.

On a different note, you say that if you change to 'combi', you'd still like to keep your 'immersions tank'? Combis and hot cylinders don't go together - combis deliver instant hot water on demand.

You also mention 'radiators' and all gas and water pipes? Why? Do they need replacing? You may need - fair chance - a new, larger, gas pipe to supply a combi, but all other pipes should be ok.

FreeBear

Ectophile said:

If the new owner ever decides to get a heat pump, then they will need the hot water tank.

DHW tanks for heat pumps are quite a bit different to conventional ones (or at least the ones I've looked at). So what ever is fitted now will probably get ripped out if/when a heat pump is installed. There is also a limit on the length of pipework between a HP & cylinder (around 10m max), so the tank may need to be put somewhere else - That is/was one factor that pushed me towards a combi last year.

But with recent changes to insulation requirements and the increase of the government grant, I would give a HP serious consideration if I had to replace a boiler now. Worth giving Octopus a shout to see if they cover your area and the sort of cost to expect - They were quoting me about £2700 (subject to survey) which isn't far off the cost of a gas boiler.