OT: New build all electric houses - costs

[tim....]

Hi,

I'm looking at buying a recent build (2007) apartment that is all electric.

Unlike older all electric properties that use E7 Storage radiators, this has normal panel heaters.

Presumably, the insulation requirements of a property of this age is superior to older properties, which is why that have used the panel heaters.

So does anyone know what the expected electricity usage for heating such a property is?

Or is there a way that I can calculate it?

(and yes I will ask the seller, but I'm not expecting an answer).

tim

[Dave Liquorice]

One of the heat loss calculators will give a reasonable idea but you need accurate information about the construction and insulation levels to feed it along with room sizes (all three dimensions), sizes of windows (and glazing type), sizes of external doors.

They surely have old bills? Ask for copies of the previous 12 months or better still 2 years.

[Simon C.]

A friend was in a similar position a while ago. He stuck a hand written note thru a few neighbours letter boxes asking for their experience. He put his land line number, address and full name on it to try make clear it wasn't some scam. He got a few helpful emails in reply. Might be worth a try. IIRC bills were about 30-50% more than you'd expect frpm gas+elec. Dunno if that was E7 tho.

[Peter Parry]

The reason for using panel heaters is they are very cheap to install (more profit for the developer) and you save a bit of space - very important in cramped tickytacky neo-slums.

[The Natural Philosopher]

About 50W/sq meter in winter, and about 15W/sq meter average annual at a very wet finger stab.

[tim....]

Per hour or per day?

Neither looks right

for 60 sqm:

328 kW per year is far too low

7884 kW per year is just below what (experience tells me) a 1960s un-insulated house costs. For 2007 insulation standards, I would hope for approaching half this figure.

tim

[tim....]

Actually the rest of the build is rather nicely done.

I know why they do it. The problem is that if you want to change to E7 and put in a storage radiator for "base" heating, you (ideally) need to connect it to the same time switch that switches the meter. But in these new builds the meter is in some common area miles away from the apartment so that extra feed is impossible (or very costly) as an add on, but would have cost very little in the original build.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Power has no dimension of time implicit in its definition.

KW per year is not a meaningful entity.

KW per year in not meaningful either. Sigh. However if we take that as KWh/year, its more or less what I meant.

It was a very wet finger stab.

[tim....]

I know. but you have to tell me how long this amount of power keeps the place warm for.

I weas just being lazy

but from where.

did it take into account the standard of insulation or is it averaged over all properties (the majority of which will predate meaningful insulation rules)

tim

[The Natural Philosopher]

Its about what my worst case heatloss is in a modern fairly well insulated house.

[Pete Verdon]

I'd have assumed it was because the intended occupants of small new-build apartments are both-working young couples who won't be in during the day when storage heaters are keeping the place warm, and instead return home in the evening just as the heat runs out.

Pete

[tim....]

In this particular case, because of the specific location, there's quite a demand from retirees trading down from their family houses

[tim....]

So I saw it without the owners present so there was no one to ask.

But, on this occasion, the EA had the key to the meter cupboard so I could read the meter (have tried this before without success).

There were two in the cupboard and it wasn't clear which was the flat in question, but one was at 12800 and the other 14400. As the block has been occupied for almost (exactly) three years that makes between 4-5,000 kWh pa

Experience tells me that a normal electricity usage for everything except space/water heating is around 2,500 kWh, so the heating element is going to be 1500-2500 which even at full price is less than I pay now for gas heating (and TBH it isn't much more than the cost of maintaining a gas CH system before you use an ounce of gas). So all in all, I like the deal!

Thanks for those who responded.

tim

[Owain]

Assuming the meter was installed 3 years ago, and was at 0 when it was installed.

Owain