Heating consultant?

bryaj

Hi contractor is leading refurbishment of a semi detached bungalow circa built late 1970's early 80's
Bungalow was externally insulated circa 10/15 years ago
Refurb includes for insulation of suspended timber ground floors, triple glazed windows & doors, upgrade attic insulation, hole in wall ventilation, complete re-wire and re-plumb with new heating system.
Client has bulk gas present on site and wants high efficiency radiators considered.
Contractor has own competent plumber on board but is looking for a heating consultant or other independent professional to advise/design heating system with imput on insulation upgrade.
Who should i be looking for to engage on this project which is due to commence early june.
House is near naas.
Thanks

Metric Tensor

Good question! There's no specific single qualification that would point you in the right direction - there are some very competent architects, engineers and technicians out there who really know their stuff and will give great value for money in terms of guidance but there are also many members of the above groups who don't have a clue!

So how do you pick a good one?

I'd say contact a few and ask them to meet you for a chat. This should whittle it down and then the few that you like ask to talk to people who've engaged them previously. Much of the work you might expect to review is how they helped achieve Part L compliance on recent new builds and how the sensitively retrofitted older buildings.

This is assuming you want specifications and heating system types. If you want the actual nitty gritty of the heating system design - i.e. pipe diameters, runs, wiring diagrams, etc. then you need a mechanical engineer and an electrical engineer. On small domestic jobs competent plumbers often do this in conjunction with their suppliers.

Calahonda52

Good luck with finding someone to get into this predetermined project: Contractor starting maybe next week, so pricing and all agreed and now he wants someone to sign off against a predetermined budget.
Heating engineer reporting to plumber.
It exemplifies the pre-Neanderthal Man approach to such projects in Ireland: Ready, Fire, Aim.

Metric Tensor

Hadn't thought of it that way Calahonda52!

Love your analogy I've often found even as an afterthough that the "Aim" part is optional!

bryaj

Calahonda52 if you have nothing positive to post - please dont!

DOCARCH

bryaj wrote: »

Calahonda52 if you have nothing positive to post - please dont!

I think he has a fair point!

bryaj

How many building contractors come on here looking for some advice and then get slated for doing so?
Part of the project involves a complete re-plumb & heating system. The contractor wishes to bring on board a professional to properly size boiler, rads etc. and has asked who is the best person for the job?
The contractor is willing and is going to pay this person.
What is the problem with that.

Metric Tensor

Nothing wrong with that bryaj - it is conscientious and shows a desire to do the project properly.

The issue that people were getting at is that if the contractor has already given the client a fixed price then there may be a lot of pressure put on the professional to specify a system that's less than ideal but fits within the pre determined budget of the contractor. Most professionals will be concerned about getting involved because they will then get blamed for "pushing up the cost"

I'm not saying this is the case in this instance - there may be a different arrangement here - but it has probably caught us all at some stage.

893bet

bryaj wrote: »

How many building contractors come on here looking for some advice and then get slated for doing so?
Part of the project involves a complete re-plumb & heating system. The contractor wishes to bring on board a professional to properly size boiler, rads etc. and has asked who is the best person for the job?
The contractor is willing and is going to pay this person.
What is the problem with that.

If all the consultant is going to do is size rads and boiler then they are not needed.

Perhaps a BER or DEAP assessment is the way to go that will give info on Airtightness targets, insulation levels, heating requirements may be useful.

bryaj

I have engaged a chartered building surveyor to carry out an energy audit and deap assessment and carry out ber assessment when works completed.

893bet

Good stuff. I wouldn't worry too much about the Ber once competed. Unless you are selling it is off no value to you really. Invest in advice now.

sydthebeat

bryaj wrote: »

I have engaged a chartered building surveyor to carry out an energy audit and deap assessment and carry out ber assessment when works completed.

That's the right engagement.

The ber is a correct move too as the surveyor can include the particulars they specified and inspected on site.

If it is left till a later date, an assessor may not be able to include the specifics and therefore you'd get a lower rating.