Raft vs Piling foundation

[Alex C]

In my slab there are 2 layers of mesh as it is actually a reinforced raft, I think there is normally only 1 in a slab. The pipe was laid on top of the lower layer as it would have been too near the surface if it was on top of the top layer. The pipes are about 100mm below the surface which is lower than in most slabs, but this has not been an issue and I suspect it actually means a greater thickness of slab is heated which then emits its heat gradually over a longer period of time. Seeing as heat rises would it be a good idea to heat upper floors and not lower ones?  Personally given the low price of pipe I would be installing it and then maybe take a view later on connecting it up. Finding out later that the ground floor is cool would be annoying at best.

[Dreadnaught]

Don't forget the UFH tubing can also be used for cooling as well as heating. Give how cheap it is to include it, perhaps that could a motivation to install it even if heating is not anticipated?

[deuce22]

21 hours ago, Alex C said:

Seeing as heat rises would it be a good idea to heat upper floors and not lower ones?  Personally given the low price of pipe I would be installing it and then maybe take a view later on connecting it up. Finding out later that the ground floor is cool would be annoying at best.

I wasn't planning on not heating the ground floor, I was just planning on using radiators and not UH heating. 

[Randomiser]

OK, this is no doubt going to turn out to be a very dumb question, but what the hell if you don't ask you don't find out...

 

We expect to be using piles, if we ever get to the point of building, but I have been mulling over the possibility of an insulated slab.  Our proposed house has an attached garage and I wondered how this would be dealt with in an insulated slab, surely you would not insulate under the garage floor but if not how is it part of the same slab?

[Oz07]

I think you would keep on same raft to simplify. The eps is probably cheap I'd guess it's the prep and the technical which costs. Maybe a break in the conc of some kind where it joins house