A large extension doubles the footprint of this 18th century end-of-terrace, providing the perfect opportunity to add underfloor heating
Project Brief
When Faye Perkins and her partner Matt were planning their dream self-build project, underfloor heating was high on their list of must-haves.
The couple wanted warm floors as well as different zones that could be heated depending on which areas the family were in. “That, and we were not keen on having radiators on the walls”, comments Faye.
…we were not keen on having radiators on the walls
But when their self-build plot purchase fell through, they had to make a hard choice. “We were set on the village of Brigstock, and could either hang around waiting for more land to become available or find an existing property we could transform into what we wanted”, comments Faye.
As luck would have it, a period end-of-terrace came up only a few streets away from the plot the couple had originally planned to buy. Faye and Matt were quick to purchase it.
Thanks to the large rear garden, the property had plenty of room to extend, and the couple added a large block and stone extension that increased the home’s existing footprint by 50%.
The addition of the expansive single-story extension allowed them to move the kitchen out of the original part of the building, whilst adding an open-plan dining area, utility room, cinema room, and additional bedroom with ensuite.
Faye and Matt wanted both the extension and existing ground floor to have underfloor heating, spanning new and old parts of the property. However, with some areas of the building dating back to the 18th century, they wondered how easy it would be to find an underfloor heating system suitable for their home’s various floor constructions.
Another consideration was the home’s upstairs radiator network, which would need to work alongside the ground floor underfloor heating system.
With so many factors that could affect the way the heating system worked, a bespoke underfloor heating design was a must.
“We knew our project would be anything but standard. With so many factors that could affect the way the heating system worked, a bespoke underfloor heating design was a must. Having worked in the construction industry, I’d heard Nu-Heat mentioned a lot, so they were my first choice for bespoke underfloor heating. Being able to entrust Nu-Heat with all the calculations and product choices was a relief,” explains Faye.
Being able to entrust Nu-Heat with all the calculations and product choices was a relief
Bespoke Underfloor Heating Design
After seeing the project plans submitted by the couple, Nu-Heat suggested a combination of the retrofit LoPro®Max system for the existing parts of the property and a ClipTrack® screed system for the newly built extension.
Designed specifically for renovation projects, LoPro®Max could be laid over the top of the home’s existing floor deck, so no excavation was needed to lay the pipework. This low-profile underfloor heating system also kept height build-up to a minimum – something particularly important in the older parts of the property where ceiling heights were limited.
To keep costs down, Nu-Heat specified the ClipTrack® screed system for the extension part of the property, which could be laid during the build schedule.
Combining the LoPro®Max and ClipTrack® systems was possible thanks to the separation between the new and older parts of the property, which allowed each system to heat different zones, with multiple, strategically-placed manifolds providing warm water to each.
Thanks to the bespoke design, providing warmth to rooms with different heat losses was also not a problem, with speedy response times ensuring the underfloor heating could keep up with the existing radiator network if required.
Installation
“A key reason for choosing Nu-Heat was the design service and drawing plans they provided” explains Faye. “To keep costs down, Matt installed the majority of the system with a plumber taking care of the more advanced parts and commissioning. The design plans were easy to follow and we had the underfloor heating installed quickly without any headaches. Nu-Heat’s tech team were also on hand to answer any questions we had during the install process”.
A key reason for choosing Nu-Heat was the design service and drawing plans they provided
“Because part of the system went over the top of the existing floor, it didn’t hold up the renovation process”, explains Faye. “The LoPro®Max underfloor heating solution which Nu-Heat recommended was a quick-dry product, so we were able to carry on with other work shortly after the self-levelling compound went down.”
End result
“We’re really happy with the underfloor heating system”, comments Faye. “When we decided to go for a renovation instead of a self-build, we weren’t sure how underfloor heating could work, but Nu-Heat’s choice of system and bespoke design service meant we could have the type of heating usually associated with new-builds in an older property, despite some bits being over 200 years old. Now that we’ve been living with underfloor heating a while, we often take it for granted – we’re reminded when visitors remark upon what lovely warm floors we have!”
“We’d definitely recommend underfloor heating to anyone who doesn’t have it, and if we could go back in time, we’d probably have put it upstairs as well. Once you have it, you’ll never go back to radiators.”
We’ve been living with underfloor heating a while now and often take it for granted – we’re reminded when visitors remark upon what lovely warm floors we have!
