how do you work out how much pipe is needed??

[beesley121]

im doing a job for a mate. Need to rip out all the non barrier pipe in his house and replace with barrier pipe and new boiler. This is the biggest job ive had since I started up on my own and its going to be the hardest as all the pipes have got to go back in his walls
say this, its also going to be a job that Im not going to be earning the money i want to earn as hes a mate so when costing up materials apart from the obvious ie boiler, rads, trv's etc how do you guys work out how much pipe you will need? trying to keep costs down

this job will all be done in plastic barrier pipe but I cant help woundering if it will cost less to do it in copper as the pushfit fittings cost a fair bit but plastic is faster to fit. Anyone advise here? its for astandard 3 bedroom detatched house. new build
also, to save money, would you guys re-use the plastic fittings already installed or would you buy new for reassurance. polyplumb fitting used

 

[Gray0689]

If its a new build go for pipe in pipe back to a manifold don't re use fittings

 

[Gray0689]

Ps roughly measure what pipe work you need then add 10% on for any wastage ect

 

[barronbathrooms]

Pipe from rad to manifold in10mm plastic as long as runs are not to long. no fittings to buy pipe and clips are cheap and easy to feed around!

 

[AWheating]

i would replace the fittings with new. 10mm runs should be kept short if possible. As its a new build ask if theres a copy of the plumbing and heating drawings in the original house builders handover pack, you will normally find them if its been built by a decent builder. You could use these to help calulate pipe lengths.

I would also allow some extra labour for the work required to fix the floor back correctly if its chipboard floor. If its been build in the last 10 years is likely to be chamber joists and glued floor, you may need some timber for noggins and new flooring.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

and don't forget you will need some copper to join the boiler to the plastic pipework, i think it is about a meter from the boiler before you can use plastic.

 

[gav8]

Heads up, stock clearance at Screwfix..

JG Speedfit 10BPB-50C-DG Polybutylene Pipe Grey 10mm x 50m | NoLinkingToThis
JG Speedfit 15BPB-50C-DG Polybutylene Pipe Grey 15mm x 50m | NoLinkingToThis
JG Speedfit 22BPB-25C-DG Polybutylene Pipe Grey 22mm x 25m | NoLinkingToThis

JG Speedfit so it is quality stuff, there are manifolds, inserts and fittings on offer as well, might be cheaper to t-off instaed of using manifolds, what is the layout like?

 

[glenno1]

Id go with the manifold and 10mm plastic pipe to keep costs down,but as said before you need 1 mtr of copper from the boiler

 

[AWheating]

manifolds are fine aslong as all the rad connections can be within 5m of the manifold otherwise your 10mm runs will be near the point they need to be increased in size.

 

[gav8]

He is GSR (fitting a boiler?) he will know that.