Need some second opinions on new hep installation work

[rahbar]

I'm having a some existing pipework redone in the subfloor and a new radiator put in (plus feeds for shower and water softener and a further one to relocate the stopcock, hence all the runs back and forth) - see pics.
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The plan is for floor and walls will be fully tiled. The work has been done by the plumber in hep (see pics) who insists that it is fine, but I am getting worried that this was a really bad idea given the inaccessibility of the location (hard to fit access panels in an elegant way). I'm sure it will all work fine...but in a few years...who knows...leaks in those joints?

Should I insist on redoing all this in copper, or am I just fretting unnessessarily?[/img]

 

[ServiceNumpty]

Personally pay the extra for copper & clips.

 

[moggridgeplumbing]

My preference when using hep is for underfloor only with no joints. If walls and flooring is to be tiled then copper all the way. More expensive materials and labour, but darn sight cheaper than taking tiles back off, should a leak occur.

Assuming of course copper is installed correctly and pressure tested before covered.

 

[lawrance]

It looks like the work of a 6 week wonder.
Out of 10 I would give that shoddy work a generous 3!

 

[Agile]

You are the customer and the installer should do it as you want it.

However, as you have allowed him to fit it with plastic it seems a little late to renegotiate how you want it done without a lot of extra costs.

I would always do it in copper but often get undercut by those who want to do a cheap and quick job and many customers dont appreciate quality, particularly landlords!

Tony

 

[ServiceNumpty]

As much as that

 

[kirkgas]

It looks like the work of a 6 week wonder.
Out of 10 I would give that shoddy work a generous 3!

haha i posted pics of soldering my 9 yr old twins done last week, if they had done this i would make them rip it out again before i took a pic of it

 

[rahbar]

Mmmm...sounds like copper is coming back as the common theme here.
I am willing to renegotiate on costs if I am at fault - I am not trying to be cheap; cost is an issue but it has to be done right at the end of the day. I think my instincts were correct.

lawrance - can you be more specific? I have my views, but I'm not a professional so I'd like to hear a professional's take on the installation. Note that the insulation was my attempt to retrofit after installation as plumber felt 'not necessary'. I did not agree.

Agile - I see your point, but as the customer I am relying on the professional to guide me as to the best way to perform such an installation. It was never offered as an option.

 

[rahbar]

It looks like the work of a 6 week wonder.
Out of 10 I would give that shoddy work a generous 3!

haha i posted pics of soldering my 9 yr old twins done last week, if they had done this i would make them rip it out again before i took a pic of it

Lol, I looked at those! One of the reasons I posted! You've got a couple of good lads there

 

[lawrance]

1) very messy
2) excessive joints
3) 2 push fit couplers on a short bit of straight pipe
3) lack of clips
4) pressure on joints forced by bending of pipes which could cause leaks down the line
5) there is probably more but I have grown tired of looking at that mess.

 

[rahbar]

1) very messy
2) excessive joints
3) 2 push fit couplers on a short bit of straight pipe
3) lack of clips
4) pressure on joints forced by bending of pipes which could cause leaks down the line
5) there is probably more but I have grown tired of looking at that mess.

Thanks lawrance (and everyone else). If that is the case then I shall ask for the work to be redone. It seems sensible to change to copper at the same time given all the comments. Roughly how much extra time and material cost should I allow him to move to copper (not for the reworking - he can cover that). An extra 1/2 day and £100 materials? Is that reasonable?

One further question if I may - should the pipes go through the joists or via notches as per the picture. I had problems getting decent thickness of insulation on, so want to make sure its done the right way.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Amateur night. Given a couple of fittings and some pipe, I could show you in 10 mins how to do the pipework yourself, to a standard much better than this.

As said before, excessive joints (2 on a straight pipe??), inadequate clipping and strained pipes.

 

[Whitespirit66]

One further question if I may - should the pipes go through the joists or via notches as per the picture. I had problems getting decent thickness of insulation on, so want to make sure its done the right way.

The notches look OK. If you're going to use copper, you have to notch anyway. You can only use holes in joists with flexible pipes, as rigid pipes would be impossible to get in.

 

[rahbar]

One further question if I may - should the pipes go through the joists or via notches as per the picture. I had problems getting decent thickness of insulation on, so want to make sure its done the right way.

The notches look OK. If you're going to use copper, you have to notch anyway. You can only use holes in joists with flexible pipes, as rigid pipes would be impossible to get in.

Do you all still use that thin hairfelt stuff insulation - seems pretty below par for current regs these days, but much easier to handle? Otherwise spacing out the pipes enough to fit on chunky pipe insulation is difficult...? Guess you just have to do the best you can?
I've seen lots of old, weakly insulated examples but nothing done really well.

 

[Whitespirit66]

I only use hairfelt under ch pipes that are clipped to joists (like yours) to stop expansion/contraction noises.

If the pipes are too close, use something like pipewrap. You can wrap several pipes together, but best to keep cold supply pipes seperated from ch and hw pipes.

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