UFH heating installation

[djkprojects]

Hello guys,

 

I’m having a kitchen extension built with concrete slab, insulation, UFH and then liquid screed.

 

I’ll be buying the UFH from Wunda and  will need a plumber to install it. He’s saying he’s done it many times in the past but Im a bit worried as he doesn’t seem to have UFH gear such as decoiler or stapler so Im a bit worried about his experience here or maybe I’m overthinking it and thedecoiler is not needed?

 

How long does it take on avg to install the UFH pipes on an approx 50sqm area and then connect the manifold etc.? Day, days, a week?

 

I’m also considering laying the pipes myself but never done it before so have zero experience here.

 

Thanks

Edited October 27, 2022 by djkprojects

[Chanmenie]

Well I’d never done it before, and managed 130m2  750m of pipe in 1 & 1/2 days.

Only needed the decoiler for the 500m roll, with 100m or 200m you can just uncoil it as you going by rolling it, it is a 2 man job though 

Edited October 27, 2022 by Chanmenie

[Thorfun]

31 minutes ago, djkprojects said:

I’m also considering laying the pipes myself but never done it before so have zero experience here.

we also had no experience and did our basement UFH ourselves. the wife was stapling behind as I lay the pipe down. it was actually quite enjoyable. I can't really say how long it took as we were doing the odd hour here and there but it all seemed to be ok and there were no leaks when I connected them all up to the manifold.

 

I go in to more detail about ours here

 

 

Edited October 27, 2022 by Thorfun
typo

[djkprojects]

Thanks guys,

 

The works look very neat indeed. Did you use Wunda UFH ? I guess you had to buy the stapler gun as well to clip the pipes? Thanks

[Thorfun]

Just now, djkprojects said:

Thanks guys,

 

The works look very neat indeed. Did you use Wunda UFH ? I guess you had to buy the stapler gun as well to clip the pipes? Thanks

yep. Wunda for us. and bought the stapler but I'm sure I can sell it on once we're done with it so total cost won't be too much. you 'can' push the staples in by hand but life's too short to do something like that!

[Chanmenie]

56 minutes ago, djkprojects said:

Thanks guys,

 

The works look very neat indeed. Did you use Wunda UFH ? I guess you had to buy the stapler gun as well to clip the pipes? Thanks

I used UFH trade direct as recommended by @Nickfromwales

https://www.ufhtradedirect.co.uk/
very competitively priced and they did the spiral design, most do the serpentine but I believe spiral is more efficient.

I bought a second hand stapler, but with a small area I’d just push them in by hand to be honest.

[SteamyTea]

15 hours ago, djkprojects said:

having a kitchen extension built with concrete slab, insulation, UFH and then liquid screed.

My socks could be insulation. You need to know how much, and what type is fitted.

[Thorfun]

2 hours ago, Chanmenie said:

most do the serpentine but I believe spiral is more efficient.

Wunda default to serpentine but I asked for spiral and they did that instead no questions asked.

[Russell griffiths]

If you want to do it single handed get a de coiler 

i bought a de coiler and staple gun and sold both afterwards. 

 

Do not be tempted to take the pipe off in coils, you will end up in a world of pain. 

[Nickfromwales]

On 28/10/2022 at 16:10, Russell griffiths said:

If you want to do it single handed get a de coiler 

i bought a de coiler and staple gun and sold both afterwards. 

 

Do not be tempted to take the pipe off in coils, you will end up in a world of pain. 

Yup. Decoiler all the way for me too.
Just back-breaking work rolling a bog heavy coil around IMO, even if there’s 2 of you. When the coil pulls off from the internal ‘windings’ you have to rotate the coil 1.5 times per rotation as when the larger circumference goes 1m, you haven’t then dispensed 1m of pipe. Just becomes a real pita afaic. 
On a decoiler it is just sooooo simple and easy, why struggle? One man application is a breeze. 
My opinion is based on pulling all the loops off big 500m or 200m coils, as the purchase / installation / labour economics / are better if there’s less downtime, plus it tends to give less waste as you’re not trying to match loops to loop lengths and then being stuck with loads of short ( useless ) off cuts.