Is there an inexpensive MVHR diy option?

[Post and beam]

What i saw at the show when i looked inside their unit.  Cheap looking bent tin and electronics that looked like a 4th form GCSE project using an Arduino. Untidy & cheap looking. 

Their summer by-pass was an extra cost add on, dont like that.

Rega vents design was a branched  idea as well which i expressly did not want.

[Nickfromwales]

6 hours ago, Indy said:

Care to expand why?

 

I was also quoted a similar amount for a REGA unit - £5k for supply only, £7k for supply and install. Chose to go with Zehnder based on recommendations (which has turned out to be much more expensive sadly!) but I'd like to understand why REGA are considered so bad.

I could show some pics of installs, ducting like tumble drier hose, held up (strangled) with cable ties, and other such very 1st year apprentice stuff. Looked like fed up teenagers fitted it as part of community service. 

 

Just worse than bread & butter stuff, and failures of whole house systems which needed total gut out by replacement suppliers and installers.

 

As said, avoid. Or don’t. 

[Pocster]

@Wadrian . I did it. That's all you need to know for how easy it was. I think from memory and some years ago unit and pipework maybe 3k ish.

[Pocster]

On 02/07/2026 at 17:42, Wadrian said:

Think I had read £10k on earlier post on Buildhub. Would be good to know if this is wrong 

10K is correct. That's what I charge.

[Nickfromwales]

7 hours ago, Pocster said:

10K is correct. That's what I charge.

He actually only charges £9k, the rest is my manager's fees. 

[Indy]

I know some will baulk at these costs but £10k is exactly what I paid so that number is not unrealistic for a fully designed, supplied, installed and commissioned system. Mine is the Q450 with 90mm ducting 

1. Design - £600 

2. Supply - £6400

3. Commissioning - £500

4. Install - £2500

[Square Feet]

Many thanks for this thread. It's been really useful, cheers.

[LnP]

If you go for the semi rigid radial ducting as recommended by @Nickfromwales, in a timber frame with metal web joists, what do you need to do regarding planning the duct runs. Assuming you're going to buy the kit and organise the installation yourself. Can you get duct layouts done? Who does that?

 

Thanks

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, LnP said:

If you go for the semi rigid radial ducting as recommended by @Nickfromwales, in a timber frame with metal web joists, what do you need to do regarding planning the duct runs. Assuming you're going to buy the kit and organise the installation yourself. Can you get duct layouts done? Who does that?

 

Thanks

Current plant room design:

 

 

Designs via CVC Systems, Oxon, supported and then installed by some good looking welsh fella:

 

 

Ground floor

First floor

7” wide service riser for 18x 92mm ducts for FF into posijoists. 

 

 

Then plaster-in ceiling outlets through, bar a few cheaper ones for where they don’t need the extra time/money. 

 

Basics of layout at the design stage gives me the number of ducts / outlets and then I just crack on basically, adapting to suit reality. Steels were designed in by me, many months before concrete went down, which makes life easier with penetrations where they’re needed; all considered to delete any boxing in or loss of GIA whatsoever. 
 

 

Tres bien 👌

 

[LnP]

No doubt you're Welsh and the jury's out on the good looks 😉.... but I imagine you need to be an olympic wrestler to manipulate all that ducting into place. I recall your preference for radial systems but don't recall the reason. Might a branched system have been easier to accommodate in the building structure and to install? Or is it down to performance? Grateful for a reminder why you prefer radial systems.

 

Thanks

[JohnMo]

1 minute ago, LnP said:

Might a branched system have been easier to accommodate in the building structure and to install

Long lengths of solid metal duct around 125mm dia maybe some of it bigger. Noise attenuation between every room. Great if you don't want to hide it away such as an industrial look. Pretty pants otherwise without loads of pre-build planning to accommodate.

[Bramco]

@Nickfromwales

 

So your distribution boxes are hidden behind walls if I understand the diagram and the photos.

Ours ended up being above the (lowered) plant room ceiling (daft fire concerns as there's no gas)   But....     If you do need to clean each inlet and outlet connection through the semi rigid pipes, how do you do this?   Or is it not considered necessary?