System design ??

[Sanke]

Hi all
Got to go to look at a job tomorrow where I may have to design all the plumbing for both DHW & CH as the house has been completely stripped Have any of you got tips/links for designing complete systems ?
Thanks

 

[wnjswozo]

come on steve your having a laugh ,just had look at your website,dont tell me you dont know what your doing

 

[justlead1]

Check out Yellow pages, lots crying out for work.

 

[Kip]

And your call yourself a plumbing and heating engineer. I have one tip, pass the work on to some worthy. GET A GRIP.

 

[bobpape]

I have a tip, make sure you charge for the design because after you submit it, the
buyer will no doubt use it as a specification for other firms to price against,

 

[Sanke]

Thanks for the constructive remarks, The system will have to incorporate underfloor heating, LPG, Geo thermal, Rainwater & grey water harvesting for a 5/6 bed house and a seperate system for an office building, So not the normal set up
I will as advised only reveal to my customer the total prices & generally what it includes. The design will remain in my possesion

 

[justlead1]

Hi. I have found this publication very good for information on the type of situation you describe. [DLMURL="http://www.ciphe.org.uk/Professional/Publications/Plumbing-engineering-Services-Design-Guide/"]Plumbing Engineering Services Design Guide - CIPHE[/DLMURL]

 

[Puddle]

Thanks for the constructive remarks, The system will have to incorporate underfloor heating, LPG, Geo thermal, Rainwater & grey water harvesting for a 5/6 bed house and a seperate system for an office building, So not the normal set up
I will as advised only reveal to my customer the total prices & generally what it includes. The design will remain in my possesion

As said if you do have to give details of design,would charge for it and tell them the price is deductable from the submited quotation,if works carried out by yourselves
On a system like you mention I sometimes say a third party is involved in the system design and therefore there is a charge

 

[Sanke]

Thanks for the help guys I will look to buy the book from CIPHE

 

[migoplumber]

sounds like a nice large job. if your giving a written quote/estimate to anybody, be sure you know what your doing, just be very carefull. sometimes its better to employ a man for his knowledge and add yourself 10% to the clients bill. that way you wont get stung.
good luck

 

[Renewable M]

Shaun has it in one. Be careful providing a design. make sure that a disclaimer accompanies it..... there is liability here if someone relies on your info and it's wrong or you've missed one of the million regs. Your insurance needs to cover you for such eventualities also - this is a specific area of work.

One route is ask the client to get a chartered engineer to provide a design and the calculations, and you (and anyone else) can provide a price. Effectively their design & spec becomes the 'tender' document. Their architect should be able to get the ball rolling. They will already have the SAP which tells you a lot if you know where to look.


This route is more common practice than you would think on good jobs like the one you have described.

Make sure your control issues are covered between the different heat sources, that's your nightmare in waiting.

Hope it goes well.