Advice on new gas installation and CH

[Malc]

I've inherited a house and I looking at options. It has E7 heating as when it was built there was no gas. There is gas and I've been playing with the online quote here. This comes up some rather strange figures. If I position the meter near the electric the cost is over £2k. If I put it as near as possible then cost is £1k. And from the £1k point if I move say 5-10m further it jumps up to £2k. I wonder if this is a you know need 2 reels of pipe not one. That's the only explanation I can think of otherwise it is daft.

This would put the meter on the other side of the house to the kitchen. Can you run gas across a house? Or would it be better to bury your own gas pipe round the outside? We're looking at modifying the house so tearing up floors in not an issue. Or, don't have gas cooking and mount the CH boiler near the meter. Where are suitable positions? In a cupboard in a hall? Would need to be sound proofed to stop noise reach bedrooms as you can't just shut the door like a kitchen. Any rules?

 

[Tibbot]

I wouldn't pay them anything. Rather put it towards cost of alternative.

 

[Malc]

That is one school of thought.

Not keen on warm air, had that 30 yr ago and it blew dust everywhere, SWMBO would stand for that. Oil is about the same now but that could be temporary and cost of tank install is similar to gas. Easier to shop around on gas (I'm currently on oil). E7 more than gas. Heat pump to underfloor is possible but I like carpet with thick underlay. Heat pump to radiators is too big a differential I reckon to be efficient so with full price electric I doubt it would match gas cost, which is what this says. My gut feel is that there are so many gas users that it will always be the cheapest or near the cheapest cost.

 

[Tibbot]

They want up to 2k to install their (never yours) equipment for the opportunity to demand their outrageous tariff. Heating oil prices have immediately halved, mid-winter, in line with falling costs. One gas supplier is cutting a swindling 1% after the cold weather ends.

 

[Malc]

I run our local oil club so I know oil costs, last buy (13/1/15) cost was 34p. On my boiler (not condensing, so could take off 10% say), this is 3.91 p/kWh (plus VAT) so 4.1 p/kWh. However, I bought oil in the summer at 49p so what I'm currently burning cost me 5.64 + Vat, 5.92 p/kWh. Gas would have been cheaper except at the moment and how long until things return to normal?

A plastic tank is at least £800 and then it needs a base. Not much different to the cheaper (£1k) gas install cost and gas boilers are cheaper than oil boilers so overall costs are similar. The 2k cost is a different matter I'd agree. The link above reckons 4.37 p/kWh so on that basis, using the summer oil price, gas is 35% cheaper, break even for the extra £1k is about £3000 of gas, 5yrs?