Sloping Narrow site: Hamptons style build. Cabinetry

Everything looks great Chris! Good to see it moving along


Our 37sq Custom Hamptons Inspired Home:
http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=86931

Hey mate. Selecting the hydronic brand and the installer was one of the hardest choices I had to make. I'm a bit of a nerd and very fussy and wanted to not be stuck with a dud wasting big cash.

I got 7 quotes and they ranged from 11k to just under 20k.

In the end I got it from Nigel from H20 heating in Melbourne. His advice was most honest, quote was most comprehensive/transparent and he had time for my 1000 stupid questions. In the end I spent a little over 15k from memory. Went for a high efficiency immergas system.

http://www.h2oheating.com.au

What I appreciated about him was he was sympathetic to changes required on-site (swapping panels due to construction issues) and didn't try to sting me extra fees.

I was originally looking at Bosch hydronic units but then after a lot of research went for immergas due to their support network in aus and proven reliability.

PM me if you want more info happy to help mate.

Wow, the cheapest at 11k seems very cheap!

Thanks, I'll pm you. I'll show you mine (quotes) if you show me yours! lol

I'll give Nigel a call, can't hurt.

I've had quotes that included immergas boilers, they seem popular.

Are you going slab heating?

I'm getting slab heating for living/kitchen/ensuite/powder and panels everywhere else.

I was originally going to do slab heating but ended up going with panels everywhere. I wanted a faster turn-on time, slab heating needs to be on for like a day before you notice it, wherewas panels from what I understand will kick in within 20 mins. Also I was not convinced about how well it would work with engineered/timber floor so panels it was. Also if you have issues later, its easier to sort out with panels. With slab your kind of stuck later on. A friend of mine has 1/4 of his living room floor that doesnt heat anymore (not sure who he used) but they couldnt get it going again. So after 100 hours research, panels it was.

the 11k quote was from some cowboy who underquoted and undersized my boiler and tried to sell me a SIEM branded one (from memory). He also tried telling me to put regular radiators in the bathrooms which would have had no warranty as regular panels are not rated for bathroom wet areas. So we got the white towel rails instead at Nigels recommendation.

Nigel gave me good advice, and helped me work to get the panels the right size. Also the panel sizing software Nigel used was most detailed/complex. He actually used a copy of my energy report. It took into consideration window sizes, roof insulation, floor insulation etc to get panels bang on (which I then oversized slightly being stubborn).

let him know Chris sent you, you will be surprised. Even my builder was impressed with him and is using them on another one of their builds.

Lol I just checked my price on hydronic. Was actually cheaper than I thought. Less than 14k.

Wife wanted polished concrete, hence why I'm getting hydronic. I'm happy to leave it on longer (separate circuit) compared to the radiators.

Correct, timber floors and slab heating don't go well together.

I've researched SIME boilers and they appear to be widely used in the industry, so I don't have an issue with using them. They come with a 3 year warranty and seem to be widely sold.

Regarding using radiators in bathrooms. In one bathroom I replaced a heated towel rail with a radiator, the reason is that the only place I could install a towel rail or radiator is under a window and the 1500mm high towel rail would have been too low to the ground for my liking. So I replaced it with a 1800mm W x 300mm H radiator. That way I can place 2 standard towel rail above it.

You can put a radiator in a bathroom, you just can't add a TRV (thermostatic radiator valve) to a radiator in a wet area.

I also question how much output can a towel rail give compared to a radiator. It's suppose to be the same, but it doesn't seem logical to me.

you are correct, output on the towel rails is WAY lower. but if you actually ask the delonghi people (or the installers) they will tell you that the standard 10 year (or 25) warranty on radiators reduces to 12 months if you put them into a bathroom irrespective of TRV. Im pretty sure..

all good though, do your research you need to be comfortable! Its a big purchase.

I'll double check with whatever brand radiator I install, but perhaps it's only delonghi?

It doesn't make sense to me as the bloody radiator has water in it. lol

Plus a radiator has no moving parts so I wonder how moisture will affect it?

lol.. good point. I think its that it has water on the inside (copper) whereas the outside of the radiator is made of (steel).

But isn't the outside of the radiator the same material as the outside of a white towel rail?

Perhaps it's the paint finish. Maybe they won't warranty surface rust. Anyway I'm not too concerned if the installer is providing warranty on the job. If they install it, they have to guarantee it's fit for purpose.

Radiators in wet areas are very common in Europe.

Another annoying thing I found about towel rails is the fact they commonly only come in 600 or 750mm widths.

Bath sheets are ~950mm wide so why don't the rails come in 900 or 1000mm widths?

Roof started going on today. Yay finally some progress.

Roof is mostly on now finally moving

Bring on the bricks!! Let's hope it keeps moving from here on in

Looks awesome Chris! That's heaps of progress. NIce.

I finally had some good news today - on an unrelated topic - BROADBAND INTERNET!!!!

Because of our tricky site I had been trying to work with NBN and Telstra to get services pre-provisioned with conduits to the site, so that it wouldnt look like cr@p when it gets all installed and finished. Especially because the house is built boundary to boundary, it needs to be done right.

Long story short but NBN were not helpful as NBN wont be rolled out to my street for another 6-12 months at least, and Telstra for Cable/ADSL internet gave me the run around over the last 6 months when I have been calling them, passing me between different departments and eventually saying I had to talk to NBN. Very frustrating.

A friend recommended I try Wireless Broadband through a company called Uniti Wireless, who had joined them recently and was getting really good speeds. I contacted them today and within 5 minutes they have agreed to do a rough-in pre installation at my house in a few weeks to put the antenna on my roof and get me cabled up in advance. I really cant believe how good their service has been.

So fingers crossed if the reviews are anything to go by we will have fast internet at the new place as soon as we move in - upwards of 50 Mbits apparently.

Finally some progress today.
Scaffolding for roof went up and guttering is in. Roof flat colourbond roof also went in.

I paid the roofing guy for a few extras, we put the anticon blanket in and I've also requested 2 of those whirlie birds to go in.

Apparently roof will be in my Friday.

Broadband internet antenna and Tv antenna going in next Monday.

Exciting to see it take shape Chris!

Fantastic Chris!


Our 37sq Custom Hamptons Inspired Home:
http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=86931

thanks guys. the roof upstairs was done today, just needs some flashing.
OMG im so happy with it!! Will post some pics soon, the Dune roof against the surfmist gutter is great, makes it pop.

I feel terrible for having questioned my designer so much about her selections now lol!