Browse Forums Eco Living 1 Oct 19, 2013 7:36 pm We received a quote from our builder for a 2000L Slendastyle tank with mains change over system incl connection to 2 toilets for $3120. Is this reasonable or is it worth installing after handover? Re: Quote by builder for rainwater tank 2Oct 19, 2013 8:34 pm Given that it is a 2,000 litre tank, I assume that you are in Victoria. Is the estate connected with recycled water? The price is very reasonable...which makes a huge change from the usual price gouging that goes on as evidenced in the forum's threads. You obviously have a builder with ethics. Well done! A few notes though... I don't know which Slendastyle tank you have settled on but beware of the honeycomb slimline tank design as they are very difficult to clean. It is best if the tank has a meshed opening at the top at each end to help cleaning. The overflow outlet also needs to be accessible from the top as the mesh barrier can gum up. If this can't be cleaned, the tank will over-top during heavy rain. Do you have a space problem with the tank's location given the style of tank selected? Make sure that the tank isn't optioned with the outlet that supplies the pump (if it is an external pump) fitted very close to the bottom of the tank as you don't want the pump vacuuming the sediment layer. Tanks in Victoria are required to harvest a minimum 50 sq m roof area for the 6 star standard and this requires at least 2 downpipes to be harvested if you have either 100 X 50 mm rectangular or 90 mm round downpipes. The additional downpipe is then either plumbed along a wall (ugly) or a wet system pipe is used. Wet systems are bad news but I can advise on best practice to avoid the usual problems. The plumber is highly unlikely to know. Water tanks supplying water for sanitary flushing are required to have either a manual or automatic mains water change over device fitted. The automatic option is the most expensive and it also has the highest potential for expensive problems. Have you been allowed a manual or automatic change over device and do you know the make and model? Read the thread below (and links) if you are having an automatic mains water switching device. http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-re ... ?t=2170029 Are you having a pressure pump or a submersible pump? 2,000 litres isn't much storage, have you considered more capacity? 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Quote by builder for rainwater tank 3Oct 20, 2013 6:59 am Thanks for your advice!! Will check it all out with the builder, since we have not discussed it in detail. We just asked if he could include a rainwater tank into the quote. Don't think it will be a wet system, did notice the second downpipe before. Eventhough that is indeed ugly it will not bother us to much since the rainwater tank will be next to the garage. What's with the 6 star stuff? We do not include this to get a 6 star house, if that's what you mean. House is 6 star already, but we like to upgrade a few energy efficient items such as double glazing for the entire home and a rainwater tank. Expected that the 2000L would be enough for a couple with no kids who are both at work during the day. Will look into the amount of water we would be able to collect from a 23Sqs house in Gisborne, Vic. Thanks again, DD Re: Quote by builder for rainwater tank 4Oct 20, 2013 8:14 am DoubleDutch We received a quote from our builder for a 2000L Slendastyle tank with mains change over system incl connection to 2 toilets for $3120. Is this reasonable or is it worth installing after handover? That's great, I have been charged 3000l slimline tank $7800 including connection to toilets, laundry,garden taps and overflow to streets. Compared to mine, yours excellent. Re: Quote by builder for rainwater tank 5Oct 20, 2013 8:43 am Cameron32 That's great, I have been charged 3000l slimline tank $7800 including connection to toilets, laundry,garden taps and overflow to streets. Compared to mine, yours excellent. Thanks for the info! Looks like we made the right choice with our builder, they are more expensive on the base price but their quality inclusions are great and their upgrades are cheap compared to the big volume builders. Re: Quote by builder for rainwater tank 6Oct 20, 2013 8:58 am sounds good, best luck with your builder. who you building with? Re: Quote by builder for rainwater tank 7Oct 20, 2013 9:09 am DoubleDutch Thanks for your advice!! What's with the 6 star stuff? We do not include this to get a 6 star house, if that's what you mean. House is 6 star already, but we like to upgrade a few energy efficient items such as double glazing for the entire home and a rainwater tank. In Victoria, new class 1 buildings are required to have either a 2,000 litre rainwater tank that harvests a minimum 50 sq m roof area and connected to all toilets for the purpose of sanitary flushing OR a solar HWS. If the toilets are connected to a recycled water system, then application can be made for consideration as an alternative to a rainwater tank. If the house already complies with the 6 star requirement, then a minimum roof harvest area is not applicable. http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/__ ... 011_55.pdf DoubleDutch Expected that the 2000L would be enough for a couple with no kids who are both at work during the day. Will look into the amount of water we would be able to collect from a 23Sqs house in Gisborne, Vic. If it's just for sanitary flushing and occasional other uses such as washing the car and windows etc, it will be fine. You can always add another one later if needed. You calculate the roof area harvested by finding the gutter's high points either side of the downpipes and multiplying the harvest area by the average annual rainfall. This figure will need to be adjusted for evaporation and other yield losses. A yield of 85% is considered good but it will be less if first flush diverters are used. A handy hint...a 12 mm garden hose will subject the pump to a lot of friction loss. You can buy an 18 mm hose and attach a metre or so of 12 mm garden hose to the end so that you can use the standard hose fittings. At 20 lpm, an 18 mm hose has about 8 times less friction loss than a 12 mm garden hose. High friction losses cause decreased flow rates and buying an 18 mm hose is a lot cheaper than buying a big pump. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Quote by builder for rainwater tank 8Oct 20, 2013 9:25 am DoubleDutch Looks like we made the right choice with our builder, they are more expensive on the base price but their quality inclusions are great and their upgrades are cheap compared to the big volume builders. Project builders lure people with low base prices then sting their customers with the upgrades. That's where the profits are and many inclusions can be mandatory!!! The link below is off Bashworth's blog and it makes interesting reading. http://www.anewhouse.com.au/2013/08/lov ... play-home/ 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Quote by builder for rainwater tank 9Oct 20, 2013 9:32 am SaveH2O In Victoria, new class 1 buildings are required to have either a 2,000 litre rainwater tank that harvests a minimum 50 sq m roof area and connected to all toilets for the purpose of sanitary flushing OR a solar HWS. If the toilets are connected to a recycled water system, then application can be made for consideration as an alternative to a rainwater tank. If the house already complies with the 6 star requirement, then a minimum roof harvest area is not applicable. I was aware of the 6 star energy rating for new homes, our home will have the solar HWS, so this will be additional. Thanks again SaveH20 for all the information and links, will check it out shortly. Great to have such an inormative home forum. Cheers 18 90414 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair But if it is a ground level open pit, then it is not a charged system. No surprises there. The pipes have obviously been altered and there would be a reason for this.… 3 31235 Grate, thank you! RexChan if thats the reason i could sleep well without thinking about additional cost. But 1st i'll need to read about NRV cleaning/replaing stuff. I… 7 31111 |