I am starting a large victorian renovation and it will involve, (amongst everything else) installation of an entirely new heating and plumbing system.
Plumbing, like most trades, seems to have two main aspects; design and installation.
The installation part on my last two projects was painful. The plumbers seemed happy to work to a wider tolerance that I'd deem acceptable. I had to repeatedly check and correct the setting out of 1st fix & associated ware positions. I seemed to spend much time overseeing a supposid specialist trade and in frustration I frequently said to myself I could do this myself!
Clearly I wouldn't have the knowledge or speed of an experienced plumber, but being a carpenter by trade and therefore well experienced "on the tools" I believe I'd have the dexterity to install a large amount of plumbing/heating system. Perhaps then enlist a plumber on a day rate for soldering, final connections, etc.
Currently I don't have the knowledge to design the system. I see a lot of commentor's on other self-build forums design their own systems. Perhaps it's something I could design if there was a suitable "design your own" resource.
From initial research I have a basic idea of some very general specifics for the system but clearly this is far from a working design:
I've worked on large scale projects where the MEP system is designed by specialist MEP consulting engineers but does anyone know if there are smaller MEP engineers that design the plumbing & heating system for domestic projects and if this is a common procurement route for a self-builder?
Has anyone had a design drawn up this way? Maybe someone can recommend an designer.
Plumbing, like most trades, seems to have two main aspects; design and installation.
The installation part on my last two projects was painful. The plumbers seemed happy to work to a wider tolerance that I'd deem acceptable. I had to repeatedly check and correct the setting out of 1st fix & associated ware positions. I seemed to spend much time overseeing a supposid specialist trade and in frustration I frequently said to myself I could do this myself!
Clearly I wouldn't have the knowledge or speed of an experienced plumber, but being a carpenter by trade and therefore well experienced "on the tools" I believe I'd have the dexterity to install a large amount of plumbing/heating system. Perhaps then enlist a plumber on a day rate for soldering, final connections, etc.
Currently I don't have the knowledge to design the system. I see a lot of commentor's on other self-build forums design their own systems. Perhaps it's something I could design if there was a suitable "design your own" resource.
From initial research I have a basic idea of some very general specifics for the system but clearly this is far from a working design:
- The house is Victorian with solid brick external walls. I won't install EWI, neither IWI due to the risk of interstitial condensation so I'm not chasing thermal efficiency with the refurbishment works. In such situation I understand that a gas fired CH system with radiators to be the most suitable
- Pipework in Hep20 or similar to facilitate a simpler install
- All F&R to radiators on individual loops from a manifold
- Domestic feeds similarly from a manifold
- My rear facing roof surfaces are perfectly orientated to capture sun rays so I would like to instal solar panels although I have no idea how these will be integrated into the MEP system
- I believe the house will be far from airtight so no MVHR but
I've worked on large scale projects where the MEP system is designed by specialist MEP consulting engineers but does anyone know if there are smaller MEP engineers that design the plumbing & heating system for domestic projects and if this is a common procurement route for a self-builder?
Has anyone had a design drawn up this way? Maybe someone can recommend an designer.