New boiler and central heating install

drbeat

Hi,

I'm just looking to gain a bit of advice from those on this board who are more in the know with regards to new CH and boiler installs. I intend to get 3 quotes for the job but just want to know what to expect or even look out for!

Currently I live in a 1 bedroom flat that is without a boiler and CH. The flat is situated in what on the outside looks like a semi house. The flat I live in is the 1st floor - so the floor comprises of wooden floor boards.

The hot water comes from an immersion tank in the airing cupboard that also has a seperate cold water tank on the top of the cylinder. We've had to replace the element a few times over the last 2 years due to the hard water in the area (Worcester).

I've decided to bite the bullet and get CH and a boiler installed.

I've been looking at the Vaillant Ecotec Plus 824. Would this boiler be suitable for CH and for someone that enjoys there bath? - of course I understand that with combis you can only have one or the other at the same time.

We're looking to have 4 radiators - Living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. I would like the piping to go under the floorboards - is this possible?

I have a budget of max £2000 - do you think this is enough for such a job?

Am I mad for going for a Vaillant? Reason is that I intend to rent this flat out so am quite keen to sort the CH etc but aslo keen to have reliability. I don't want tenents going without hot water.

I don't want to hook the shower up the boiler - again I'd like to keep the elctric shower as is - incase of failiure of the boiler I'd like tenents to be able to at least have a hot shower.

So any advice or pointer - and answers to the above - would be fantastic!

Cheers

EliteHeat

The 824 is a decent boiler and is entirely suitable for your property.

You will have to learn to live with the fact that it will take an age to fill the bath. So, unless you enjoy sitting in a puddle, have a cup of tea whilst it is running.

Although the boiler will provide a vastly superior shower than your electric one, your reasons for keeping it are valid.

The pipework can of course go under the floorboards, it is more a question of what sort of floor covering you have installed.

Finally, your budget is very low and I would be surprised if you managed to get someone legal to supply & install it all for this price. I say this knowing that many other people here seem to manage to get this sort of work done for practically nothing - I don't know how they do it though.

Do you have an existing gas supply? stand by for a shock if you don't.

drbeat

Hi EliteHeat,

Cheers for your reply! I'm a little confused on the bath filling element - why would would it take long to fill a bath? Is it to do with the 9.4 litres per minute that the boiler can provide? Currently the hot water from the immersion comes out at nearly 10 litres per minute from the bath tap - or is that not related? See what I mean, I haven't got a clue!

The flooring is carpet in the bedroom and living room. And old 80s black tiles in the kitchen and bathroom.

Yep property does have exisiting gas supply - gas cooker and fire.

Cheers

EliteHeat

drbeat wrote: »

Hi EliteHeat,

Cheers for your reply! I'm a little confused on the bath filling element - why would would it take long to fill a bath? Is it to do with the 9.4 litres per minute that the boiler can provide? Currently the hot water from the immersion comes out at nearly 10 litres per minute from the bath tap - or is that not related? See what I mean, I haven't got a clue!

The flooring is carpet in the bedroom and living room. And old 80s black tiles in the kitchen and bathroom.

Yep property does have exisiting gas supply - gas cooker and fire.

Cheers

I consider 9-10 iitres per minute to be a low rate. If you only have that already then you won't feel any worse off! remember though that boiler manufacturers quote the flow rate in terms of raising the temperature by 35 degrees centigrade. So, it is likely that your hot water from the cylinder is hotter than the combi will produce. A 24kW combi is a bit weedy to be honest.

Due to your floor tiles, it would not be possible to conceal the pipework under the floorboards.

drbeat

EliteHeat wrote: »

I consider 9-10 iitres per minute to be a low rate. If you only have that already then you won't feel any worse off! remember though that boiler manufacturers quote the flow rate in terms of raising the temperature by 35 degrees centigrade. So, it is likely that your hot water from the cylinder is hotter than the combi will produce. A 24kW combi is a bit weedy to be honest.

Due to your floor tiles, it would not be possible to conceal the pipework under the floorboards.

Cheers for taking the time to reply to me.

Can I ask what you would recommend boiler-wise? Your opinion would be much appreciated!

Many thanks

EliteHeat

A Vaillant every time, I would go for the 831.