Heating solution for complete renovation job

Hi there,

I've posted about this a few months ago (thanks for all the helpful replies) but my situation has changed a bit - I got the keys to the house last month and have builders lined up ready to go. I am looking for some advice on heating my newly bought home - a 3 bed mid terrace , 2 story home in Inchicore, built circa 1936.

The house has being unoccupied for nearly ten years and has being gutted before sale. It needs a complete renovation re plumbing/heating/electrics.. no central heating sytem/boiler in situ.

There is a lean to type extension across half the width of the back - this was used as the kitchen. It’s sub regs now so we are knocking it and replacing it with a full width extension - so excavation and groundwork required here.

The first floor throughout this house composed of 1” thick tongue and groove deal timber sheeting on suspended timber joists. The ground floor throughout this house composed of 1” thick tongue and groove deal timber sheeting on suspended timber joists and tassel plates having underfloor ventilation.


Relevant quantity survey recommendations :

1 -INSULATION -
Attic fiberglass insulation 300mm
Internal walls standard 12mm slabs, ceilings up stairs insulated board 27mm, bathrooms 12mm moisture resistant boards.

2 HEATING SYSTEM: wall mounted gas fired condensing combination boiler linked to the main town gas supply to provide domestic hot water and heating needs of the house.

3 NEW FLOOR: The ground floor to this house is composed of 1” thick tongue and groove deal timber sheeting on suspended timber joists - in an open plan room (which will be open to the full width extension). There is evidence of timber decay and with repair at this time at an approx. cost of €250.00 will suffice for another five to seven years at which stage one could then consider replacement with a new concrete floor at the same time as the rear extension is being replaced. This replaced concrete floor would contain damp proof membrane and underfloor insulation to facilitate underfloor heating (UFH) if required.

4 WINDOWS: The windows to this house are the original deal timber windows casement type single-glazed -to be replaced by moderm windows incorporating double/ triple-glazing

My dilemma:

The rear extension is getting built immediately - as in, excavation to start next week. So we are gonna replace the suspended timber floor with a new concrete floor at the same time as laying the extension floor.

So I just need to decide what heating system to go for. I would like to embrace the most energy efficient and sustainable solution, to do my bit to counter global warming and possibly save some money on bills -so that would be air to water heat pump and UFH (with 4 rads for upstairs bedrooms and bathroom). But I’ve being warned off against it by a plumber who had a look at the site - he said he could do it but if it was his house, he wouldn’t. Basically because it’s an old house.

But with the new double/triple glazing, the new floor, the attic insulation and the internal dry lining - won’t it work just as good?

The other option is the GF combi-boiler feeding UFH (with rads upstairs).

I have done a cursory exploration of Solar PV and IR panels but I'm not convinced the IR panels walk the walk.

Any helpful advice most welcome! Thanks!