Victorian Semi - Concrete Ground Floor, re-instate flrbds?

[likelex]

We are looking at putting in an offer on a 2 Bed Victorian Semi and had now paid our 2nd visit to the property and have fallen in love with it. Before we put an offer in I thought I'd come on here and ask a few questions that are bugging us. I've had to split them into sections for different sections of the forum so pls feel free to go and look at my other questions!

Brief background to help-
Classic 2 up, 2 Down, no bay at front, front door on the side - steep stairs straight up, small kitchen off the dining room. Upstairs, bedrooms above living room and dining room and bathroom off bedroom 2 above kitchen. Fireplaces in all rooms incl kitch/bath.

ok, so I just wanted to know whether is was common practice to get rid of the old wooden floors in the living room and dining room and replace it will a concrete floor? It is our only real reservation about the property as we really wanted to have the stripped back wooden floorboard look. The concrete looks in pretty good nick, level and no damp patches to speak of. There is a slight gouge in the middle of the living room about fist size, don't know what that is about... Understairs is also concrete floor.

the annoying thing is we want to install Central Heating and therefore the pipes will be showing on the walls which is a shame, Is it acceptable to channel in the concrete and create a duct for pipes and board over the top? The only other option would be to dig out the concrete - what would be the options then for flooring? Would it be possible to reinstate a wood floor and would that be expensive?

 

[lawlor]

me again! lol
I think it is commonplace. we just replaced the board in our house but many people use the fix all that concrete seems to be! As for heating how about under floor heating. Or a Wood burner!? I have a friend who lives in a centre terrace house- old mining cottage. and they have it well insulated in loft but the only heating they have is one wood burner in the main living room. They have many benefits over central heating.

 

[likelex]

thanks again for reply! Yes we would LOVE a wood burner. I think that would be a great option for the living room but it's one of those trade-offs really - I think I really like the look of an iron fireplace and a roaring fire but the efficiency and down right cheapness of a log burner! Thing is I worry that sometimes you just want the heating 'ON' and it takes a while to warm up. Does a log burner really do the whole house toasty? I have heard that before you know but I can't imagine how.. The annoying thing is that open fires are suppose to be 80% heat up the chimney / 20% heating the room ad log burners the other way around.

We have considered underfloor heating as a clean and tidy option but then we would be limited to the floor covering.. The other annoyance is that the fireplace in the dining room won't be functioning as we will have to remove the breast from the 2nd bedroom to make it into a hallway from the stairs to the bathroom so we wouldn't be able to put anything in that room - a log burner in the dining room would have been nice as its central to the house and then a fireplace in the front room for the visual.

Hey ho, we haven't even bought the bloody place yet! lol

 

[lawlor]

haha so much to think about. a smallish wood burner can heat a whole house that is well insulated and open-plan. my mates house is very open on ground floor. and he just has a old Morso Squirrel.

My house is soon to become more open plan-with help of my trusty SDS! and im planning on getting a Burley Stove these are stunning at 90% efficient and with huge window glass. cost about £800 for stove plus you would need a chimney liner.

one other amazing fact about these stoves 100kg wood turns onto just one pint of ash!

 

[likelex]

absolutely amazing - I just love the thought as well of not paying or any gas bills!! Just looked at the burners you mentioned, really want one now! There seems actually to be quite a bit of choice out there but the prices can vary a lot and not to mention the installation/flue costs..

Yes can't wait to get the SDS out and tear all the years of crap away! Exciting!!

ok i think we are phoning out offer through now!

 

[lawlor]

Very exciting!!! good luck with it!
As for no gas bills thats what is making me go down the wood burner route. I was going to buy a cheap burner £250 ish and DIY install but once i saw the Burley and compare quality it was such a difference! They are cheaper than the morsos and Jotuls. and much more efficient and made in uk. Downside need good quality wood to burn and they only burn wood.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Woodburner fine as additional heat source, but i'd still look at central heating as well. You will need a source of hot water, and most people would like the convenience of heat when they want it. (You cant time a solid fuel appliance to come on, it needs to be lit!)

Pipes can be channelled into a solid floor, copper needs suitable protection as concrete will corrode copper and eventually it'll leak.

I have a Victorian Terrace, we have CH and an open fire in living room. We try and keep fire going 24/7 when weather is as present, use 'Homefire Ovals', put a few on before going to bed, rake it through first thing next morning and add more fuel, it's usually soon going again.

Heating is timed to come on in the morning (so house is warm to get up), and again in evening. However with fire lit the CH is cutting in and out, rooms are at a comfortable temp. (Not sitting here in shorts but dont need coats either!)

 

[lawlor]

Hugh your fire will be oabout 5-15% efficient so heating a house with open fires is hard, my folks do it... two open fires and and old wellstood range. A modern 90% efficient stove is a different world. Hot water can be heated via an immersion, and if needed you can put night storage heaters in bedrooms.

 

[marklamond]

Definitley think about a woodburner. The radiant heat from a stove is a match made in heaven for older/cold/damp properties. I have a Morso 1412 (which is basically a Squirrel) in a stone cottage which is dry lined but no insulation.

I have the heating on in the morning when there is no time to get the stove going, and an hour before i get back from work to take the chill off.

Other than that the the stove gets used for 5-6 hours a night, and costs me £1 an evening in sawdust briquettes & some hardwood. Running it about mid-throttle keeps the living room very cosy and others acceptable. And this is with no wall insulation - to be fixed soon though!

I don't think central heating with radiators is a good match for older houses, underfloor would be better i reckon. My CH seems to create lots of air currents. Quite often with the heating on it actually feels warmer when you've turned it off, and the air has stopped swirling around! It does not help that the radiators arent under the windows, will be sorting that soon.

Installing the stove is easily one of the most satisfying things i have ever done.