Loft renovation.. Wondering about plumbing requirements!

markdrimoleague

Hi guys,
Trying to work out the feasibility of renovating an old building in our yard and moving in.. Have a few questions though and I was hoping to get some advice here!
The plan is to have a simple design: sink, electric shower, toilet and hand basin and a washing machine.. That's all I need. There is a excellent spring quite nearby that I can tap into as a supply. I really want to keep costs down too. So my main Q's are..

1. If I bring water down from the spring what kind of pump do I need to get it up to the water tank? The building is just a ground floor. Should the pump be under ground or in a small little house? How much does such a pump cost?

2. Is it common to fore go hot water in the taps? This would eliminate the need for a cylinder and heating element etc.. Hot water will be produced by the electric shower anyway.. With a kettle in the kitchen area. Is this normal or acceptable?? My current rented accom has had no hot water for 2 years because the immersion is acting up and I survive grand.. And I save a nice bit as a result I think

3. On the assumption that I'm on the right track so far, what size tank do I need to service the flat? All user points would be within 3m of it and it would be at head height or so.

4. Lastly.. I'm going to put a stove in.. How much additional cost would be involved in using it as a back boiler to hear the water? (rough figure). Just incase it's a viable option.

Thanks a million lads.. Very much appreciated! Any other advice or suggestions are welcome too!

Mark

Joey the lips

The plan is to have a simple design: sink, electric shower, toilet and hand basin and a washing machine.. That's all I need. There is a excellent spring quite nearby that I can tap into as a supply. I really want to keep costs down too. So my main Q's are..

1. If I bring water down from the spring what kind of pump do I need to get it up to the water tank? The building is just a ground floor. Should the pump be under ground or in a small little house? How much does such a pump cost? This is a difficult one withut seeing the spring but if water floed to the apartment then you can look at a sump pump to pump it up to the attic. That way you can feed the water into a sealed watertank and the sump pump pumps it up to the attic and it can be set up that its all on demand. You will need to use a pumped electric shower for this.

2. Is it common to fore go hot water in the taps? This would eliminate the need for a cylinder and heating element etc.. Hot water will be produced by the electric shower anyway.. With a kettle in the kitchen area. Is this normal or acceptable?? My current rented accom has had no hot water for 2 years because the immersion is acting up and I survive grand.. And I save a nice bit as a result I think No its not common and imo unhygenic. I dont intend visiting you but i dont fancy the thoughts of washing my hands in cold water in the winter. Especially after i just wiped my bum. You can use an undersink heater and a branch can be taken from the sump pump. You need at least one bar to open most water heaters thats why the sump pump will need to be branched.

3. On the assumption that I'm on the right track so far, what size tank do I need to service the flat? All user points would be within 3m of it and it would be at head height or so. A standard 60 gallon will be enough but you might need 2. Once at ground level and one in the attic.

4. Lastly.. I'm going to put a stove in.. How much additional cost would be involved in using it as a back boiler to hear the water? (rough figure). Just incase it's a viable option. If you put a stove in you are going to need a copper tank so you are doing what you are trying to avoid. I dont know about cost. It depends how its fueled.

Thanks a million lads.. Very much appreciated! Any other advice or suggestions are welcome too!


How do you intend heating the place....? If your buying the stove sometimes you can fit rads to some of these.

feckincrazy

Im not a plumber but a few plumbers ive talked to maintain if you plub rads to a stove there not as benefical. As a feisability cost tale it an average stove to heat rads be 1500 euro. Other costs included would be extra rads manifolds copper pipeing and extra works included in concealing of piping to rads etc. excluding instalation.

To say for instance a a decent stanley 8 kw stove costs rougly 600 quid excluding back boiler. Yea would have it hooker to a chimeny for under 500 quid i presume so all and all a thousand quid. For what money yad save you would put in the best of insulated plaster boards aprox 50 mm. maybe theres even a wider board. As well as upgrade and roofing insulation.

Im probley rong but from a long terms point of view any one that puts in a stove to heat rads maintain the amount of fuel ir takes to heat solid fuel rads is not feasable. As you are not heating water. where as a normal solid fuel stove your only heating a stove and a room.

markdrimoleague

Thanks to both you guys for the comments and advice.. I met up with a plumber and he had very similar advice for me too. i think i will ask him to come out and give it a proper look over at some stage in the next fortnight so he can assess it fully.

Much appreciated guys.. many thanks

Mark

knighted_1

Have you thought about a combi gas or oil boiler ? hot water to taps on demand so no need for a cylinder and this can heat your rads when required so no need for a stove and related issues .

feckincrazy

Very true. would yea not have to have mains gas for that though?

knighted_1

no you can have LPG or oil , once it's a combi boiler

http://www.firebird.ie/Products/StandardEfficiencyBoilers/Combi.aspx


http://www.vokera.co.uk/home-owners/condensing-boiler/combi-boiler/