Electric underfloor heating in Kitchen with engineered wood on slab?
Elton Brown
8 years ago
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PROEnvirotecture
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Underfloor heating — worth the investment?
Comments (139)If those prices don't include the electrician's costs of connection then to me they don't match up and I'd say your supplier/installer can't do maths lol. Pricing will change between supplier and of course electricians, and of course I'm working off the impression that the floors are flat where you want it installed. If the quote includes the electrical work, as in it covers everything besides tiling to where you can switch it on, then it looks reasonable to me and sits around the ballpark of what we paid. With the electrician's connection costs included then the figures match up better between the bathrooms and the living area, looking at it from a total per m2 viewpoint. If it includes the floor covering as well, then I'd say get on the phone and book the job straight away before they realise their mistake lmao. For instance if the quote is just for material and install, without electrical connection then the two bathrooms are quoted at $166.66 per m2 and the living area is quoted at $53.57 per m2. A large difference at cost per m2. If however the quotes include the electrical connection then you can average out the m2 cost across all three rooms and it amounts to $73.53 per m2. The electrician would be charging the same price for connection of each room (with only minor differences) if there is nothing out of the ordinary in any room. That means it's a static cost in each room that could make the bathroom quotes look inflated, and the living room look on the cheaper side. When you have a m2 quote on something across multiple rooms of different sizes, it's important to factor in anything outside of materials that's included in the quote. Assuming the install could be considered standard (whether it be underfloor heating, tiling, carpet, etc.) there will be other costs involved such as labour hours, wiring connection, installation materials, etc. Some can be considered static such as the electrician installing a single thermostat in each room, whatever actual size that room may be. Others will be more fluid such as labour hours for the tradesmen doing the install - will take a lot longer to lay tiles in a room of 56m2 than it will to lay them in a room 6m2. Whenever you are given a quote involving installations by m2, it's important to get them to detail what exactly is included in the quote. If you don't do this you run the chance of ripping yourself off. Let's say you get 3 different quotes from underfloor heating suppliers who all give you different prices but without details. One may look more expensive than the other two but actually be cheaper overall due to including everything up to 'turn on' phase, where the other two may only include supplying and laying the underfloor heating with you having to organise your own electrician after install....See MoreKarndean vinyl wood look planks and under floor heating
Comments (3)As Australias largest supplier of hydronic heating, we have been providing Australian homes with stylish, safe and comfortable hydronic heating and cooling solutions. As exclusive stockists of an extensive range of premium products, we ensure that all homes can enjoy the benefits of a low carbon, energy efficient system. We have just released an industry leading guide on Underfloor Heating, that contains information for both homeowners and installers, I believe the content within would be the perfect for many commenters on this post. If you're unsure on how to proceed with your project I recommend you take full advantage of our personalised consultation service, available for both homeowners and installers. Using the latest design software and coupled with the expertise of our Customer Service Team, you can rest easy knowing that we’ll design a bespoke solution that delivers superior comfort that is also environmentally friendly and energy efficient. If you would like a copy please email me on sophieo@huntheat.com.au, alternatively head to our blog to download a copy: Hunt Heating Blog...See MoreHydronic heating and cooling — worth the money?
Comments (38)Hydronic slab heating is fairly straightforward to install and not that expensive compared with other forms of central heating. If you try to cool the slab, it becomes a lot more complicated. First up, cooling the slab does nothing to remove humidity from the air, which is a large part of what makes you feel hot. Second, you need some way of controlling the heat pump between heating and cooling mode. Usually we use mechanical thermostats which switch on when the house gets below the set temperature, but when you change to cooling mode it needs turn on when the indoor temperature is above the set temperature, so instead of a standard central heating thermostat you instead need an electronic temperature sensor. Anything is possible, but the short answer is that having a chilled slab will be more complicated and more expensive than an air conditioner, and less effective. You'll also need to find a contractor to design the system, and because it will be a custom design if you have any issues in the future you'll need to get the same person who installed it to come and fix it, which is a problem if they move, go on holiday, or close their business....See MoreShould we insulate and plasterboard to reduce heat?
Comments (16)Judging by the plan, the photos and your comments it appears that too much heat is coming in from high light glazing (clerestory windows) into the lounge and dining areas. Both rooms will be cold in winter because the direct heat from these windows is not enough and not absorbed in an thermal mass and they do not have ground level windows or glazed doors facing north. The elevated floor means that it is cold under the house so heating in winter goes down as well as up. The roof would lack adequate insulation due to the period in which the house was built. The roof tiles probably have another 15 years maybe a bit more so it is costly to insulate from the top (i.e. taking roof tiles off adding insulation then putting roof tiles back in again. The colour of them is contributing a lot to the heat. So what to do. - add external shading device to the highlight glazing, maybe timber battens 40 x 40 at 20mm spacings. This will block direct sunlight within the shading season. That helps to reduce heat intact and see how you go. If that does not work then - add a rigid foam core board to the underside of the timber ceiling, e.g. Foilboard which is 20mm thick r 2, then install a 12mm plywood ceiling lining under this. That way you retain the timber rafter ceilings but also one that has a light coloured (hoop pine ply) timber in between. (Note this is costly) - big gains in heat loss is achieved with underfloor insulation. Try r3 bulk squeezed tightly between the floor joists. Then you can plan for the future with the following - change glass in windows and glazed doors to a low e glass - install insulation into the cavity of the external walls using a company called envirowall. - replace roof tiles with a light coloured metal roof, replace the existing roof battens with a 100 x 40 batten so that you can install a 100mm thick anticon insulation. All of the above costs money and if you don't do it then it costs money to burn energy to keep the living rooms between 21 to 27 degrees year round (what we consider comfortable) so if it tough to decide what to do or not. As an alternative For about 40k you could spend 30 of it on solar cells, and an awesome battery (Tesla powerwall 2) and buy some wall mounted ac units. But that would be kicking the can down the road. But sometimes you have no choice. Good luck...See More
Wayne Zedd
8 years agoWayne Zedd
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoWayne Zedd
8 years ago- PRO
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