Heating upgrade?

[Neil]

OK Guys here is the background, I and my SO have both recently been made redundant by our employers and are intent to start a newlife T. To this end we will be ski bums from Dec onwards and after that who knows - letting our house seems a good idea as ski bums get paid little (but hey 22wk season!).

I know house needs redecoration - and maybe drastic measures are called for to make it a better prospect to lease too.

The real bit starts here: -

1970's self build house with Baxi Solo WM50/4 boiler, 3 port heating/water zone valve (knackered and in manual position), and upstairs radiators are controlled by a 2 port zone valve.

As header tops itself up I appear to have a leak too and so no fernox, I therefore suspect the original radiators need swapping out fairly soon?

Rads I'll do room by room, but the heating system other than boiler is original. I think that as well as rads I need/want to upgrade the cylinder to heatbank/thermal store, it's currently a 36/18" indirect with a woeful jacket - what does the 'panel' think/recommend (not Drivel/Adam or whatever he calls himself these days).

I am quite happy to do all the plumbing myself, and given sufficient justification would upgrade just about all of the 'system' if it would be a fit and forget solution even if some of it involved corgi.

Neil

[Phil L]

Which means you'll still need somewhere to live for 32 weeks over here.....*very* short tenancies are a royal PITA, anything less than 6 months is seen as a waste of time by most people.

You can get a complete new system fitted for less than 2K (NW England) or buy a new system inc boiler for around £700...considering you are contemplating being abroad for months at a time (mostly winter ones too) , it may be better to go with no worries about the heating failing and therefore loss of rent.

[meow2222]

I'm puzzled why you intend to replace anything other than the zone valve & fernox. Maybe spend the time/money on things that will affect the rental income.

NT

[Neil]

Hi Phil

We are contemplating doing other stuff that is 'all found' Site Wardens etc so lease of house can be long term once it's sorted.

I'm in NW (merseyside) so would be interested in any links to links/websites as I like to have someone else to blame ;-). I reckon after a season in the alps I'll fit below the floor so could do a full system reinstall next year...

Thanks for heads up on lease considerations.

Neil

[Neil]

Hi Neil

The system has probably been leaking for years so will be well aerated by now which can't be good for 30 YO rads, and the zone valve is a pig to get at (not a good reason I know) but I also have an eye on possible affect on selling price and also energy costs if I have to return to the real world and live there.

Good point though

Neil

[Phil L]

based here in St Helens and regularly advertise full systems fitted for £1790 + VAT...about £2100 in total

[Neil]

Hi Phil

Ta La ;-)

Neil

[meow2222]

Energy cost depends on boiler efficiency + thermostatic controls, so no need to do replace rads or pipes for that.

As long as you stop the aeration and add inhibitor, rusting should stop, so as long as you repair the leak the rads should stay ok for years yet.

On the subject of inhibitor, I'd steer clear of protex, http://82.24.138.95/~john/Inhibitor/index.htmlfound protex more corrosive than untreated water.

I think advertisers today must be beside themselves with joy, having trained so many to buy, throw away, buy, throw away and buy again, even while the goods they bought still work fine.

NT

[Owain]

A 1970s house could probably do with loft insulation improving, and a new foam-insulated rapid-recovery hot water cylinder. (Both cheap to do.)

A programmable thermostat may improve comfort and save the heating being left on when it doesn't need to be. (Cheap to do, wireless ones avoid cabling.)

*If* the existing windows are in poor condition it may be worth replacing with plastic DG, which are usually preferred by buyers (and to a lesser extent tenants) and in a 1970s house are unlikely to be any worse in style than the existing. Probably not worth doing if the windows are in good condition or if you would not be BIYing it. 1970s bathroom and kitchen - replace/upgrade? White suite and new tiles is quite cheap, put in a power shower. For letting you want a cheap new kitchen that can economically be replaced, and free-standing appliances (ditto).

Realistically I suggest you look at getting 2 year tenancies as longer term tenants may be less likely to trash the place, you will have fewer void periods, and fewer refurbs between tenants.

It is illegal to do your own gas work on rented property, and all rented property must have a current CORGI Landlord's. Check with your local council about landlord or HMO registration requirements.

I wouldn't bother with a heatbank or thermal store for a let property; if you are out of the country you will want to let through an agent and they will have their preferred plumber for repairs - and he may not be familiar with any esoteric. Keep things as simple and standard as possible, as any repairs have to be done quickly with parts available from the merchant on Sat mornings.

Owain

[Neil]

Hi Owain

Loft is converted and very well insulated both above and below the room there. Foam cylinder is on the cards if I don't heatbank/whatever. Is it worth having cavity done? 4 bed detached in Merseyside.

Controls are currently a 16 way clock and the zone valves mentioned.

Fortuneately the windows are rather nice hardwood - from the days when Everest meant something (and sikened from new) - although the alu. patio door from same era has just been replaced.

Both refurbed by me in the last 5 years to a nice standard.

This is the bit we dither about - how easy is it to get tenants (in+out!)

Of course.

Oh good point - hadn't thought of that.

Thanks for that.

So it's swap rads as I see fit (SWMBO wants nicer!) and replace cylinder with foamed cyl and renew controls a bit - job done! Sounds easy...

Neil

[Owain]

Unless it's a particularly exposed location, probably not; I don't think it will add much to the house value, and if you're not staying there long you won't recoup the energy savings. It certainly won't add to the rent.

Depends. If the location is suitable for students, then you can let on

9-month tenancies and they'll be leaving at the end of the academic year no problem. OTOH you may then have HMO legislation to contend with. Let as a house to a group of four named individuals, not as separate bedrooms. You might, again subject to location, be able to get summer holiday lets. One of my neighbours does very well, he has 2 students in his flat for the academic year, smartens up the place every May, and then has weekly holiday lets (probably £300 pw compared with £400 pcm) until September. Most of the time he seems to get the same students back again for the following 2 years. Of course there are quite high maintenance costs in keeping a property to this standard but he does get good tenants (no noise etc).

If on the other hand you let to a family, and the wage-earner loses his/her job, and the housing benefit doesn't come through, and they've got nowhere else to go (not many 4 bed council houses in most areas) then they have nothing to lose by just sitting tight and laughing at you. If you have slipped up in your tenancy agreement then you may lose a lot of legal powers.

Owain

[David Hansen]

On Mon, 25 Sep 2006 16:48:55 GMT someone who may be "Neil" wrote this:-

Yes, do it this autumn. You should find your energy suppliers offer a discount on the cost as part of a government scheme.

Of course one of the problems with the way party politicians have set up things in the UK is that energy suppliers and landlords have no incentive to reduce fuel consumption of tenants.

[Tony Bryer]

The incentive should come when landlords are required to produce energy certificates. In theory tenants should be willing to pay a higher rent for a cheap-to-run home. But in reality people (for the most part) do not care and will (q.v. halogen spots) spend money to increase their energy usage.