Anyone recommend an Eco/green builder?

[hanstands]

Hi! Hello! Does anyone know a builder or loft conversion/extension company that specialises in eco-retro-fitting or similar and has completed/been involved in a few projects using re-purposed materials and incorporating new green technologies e.g. grey water use/underfloor heating etc. It would be a creative project and would include a loft conversion and back kitchen diner extension on a 3-bed small semi working to quite a low budget. Many thanks for any thoughts or contacts.H

[secleaningltd]

What does "green technology"

Got to do with underfloor heating ?

The only green thing about the underfloor heating system is the colour of the pipes I guess ...

As long as there are no solar panels powiring up your heating there is nothing green about it

[hanstands]

Hi there! Thanks for your comment. I do have solar panels installed already and these would be partly powering any underfloor heating, I guess. It also would be helpful in theory as we have a woodburner downstairs and the two together means we could cut out all radiators at least from the ground floor. You're right it wouldn't be worth having it interms of the environment if it didn't make any difference to carbon emissions, although I have read a few times that even without solar panels, underfloor heating technology uses less energy than traditional radiators, though the difference is apparently not huge... though I don't know much more about it than that am afraid. A great discussion point though! I love this subject and appreciate opportunities to learning more...

[secleaningltd]

Good insulation makes the house more efficient and more environment friendly .

The type of heating you use doesn't make any difference to the nature ...

By the way do you think this will use more or less energy - look at the PIC

In my view this is a lot of pipes

My radiators do the job just Wright

(30 min on every 3/4 hrs on a timer)

The truth is that years ago There used to be people who claimed that smoking wasn't going to hurt us...

Were they right ?

There is people now who claim that every new technology is better more efficient with less carbon footprint than the old one... Etc .

Is it really? What difference does it make ?

Obviously it's the estetics as there is no radiators hanging on the walls

But think about the cost of materials, labour, time consumption and the outcome of it ..

As I see it is :

When my radiator fail it won't be much headache to fix it ..

If your underfloor heating fails then you'll see how painful experience it will be and how big impact it will have onn your wallet

The fact is that the choice is yours

You can believe in everything people say

And if you want to spend less on heating

Make your house draft free

[hanstands]

Hi again, this is an interesting discussion! But slightly off topic on this thread but could be continued on a different thread maybe? In response to your point though, your radiators do sound really good, and definitely they sound a lot more durable and could keep you warm over the years ahead. They also sound much better than the setup we have here. As our system is very old and clunky and is currently not working anywhere near what is 'normal', neither economically or environmentally, plus the fact that we need to extend onto a brownfield site at the back plus the fact that the floors will be taken up anyway and insulated, plus the fact that we will be using repurposed materials as much as we can find/is possible, and I could go on with more and more reasons then we are still very much considering this option. I hadn't thought about the aesthetics of having no radiators on the walls, and actually I rather like how they look, infant I might even miss the radiators if they do go, so it certainly wasn't for that reason that I have been looking into underfloor heating, but to be honest if it was for that reason then I don't really have a problem with that too. But as I said before I appreciate a chance to debate all these things and I appreciate you sharing your point of view, but things perhaps aren't as black and white as what you are suggesting...

Anyway, back to topic, if anyone knows any builder who has had experience with 'eco- refurbishing' or retrofitting projects in the past and would like to quote for one here then please do get in touch! Thanks...

[Landmark Lofts]

Hello,

We are a loft conversion project management company that works in your area.

It sounds like a really interesting project you're working on and one we'd love to help out with.

We've helped manage several loft conversions with an environmental slant to them i.e. fitting solar panels & under-floor heating. As a company we try to be as eco-friendly as possible, using sustainable timber and recycling over 90% of waste created on site.

We're able to remove and re-fit solar panels which can then be used to heat your water supply. And we also uses high-performance insulating board which is CFC/HCFC free (http://www.landmark-lofts.com/about/our-green-credentials/)

We would love to hear more about the specifics of your project and discuss how we can help. Please give us a call on 020 3150 0505 to arrange an appointment and free quote.

Landmark Lofts

[Chancellorscaff]

Hi To Landmark Lofts,

We are a local scaffolding company, we are reliable, competitive and are committed to health and safety. We would be very grateful for the opportunity to quote for any future works you may have.

please give a call for a free quote on

Chancellor Scaffolding Services Ltd

0207 924 4887

[www.chancellorscaffolding.co.uk]

Kindest Regards

Hayley