What a joke! 3 boxes in the house for duct pipe...

[Aulyna]

Hi,

Just after the $8.5k fire protection issue, 10 days later, my builder informed us: to run the heating and cooling pipe to downstairs, on upper floor three wall-robes have to be partly used and 3 boxes has to be build in 22 bed rooms and gallery (about 500mm width, the pink sqare with cross inside)

I'm told the reason they need to run so many pipes to down stairs is:
There are 2 steel beams cross the house, so the pipes couldn't get through. That means downstairs is divided into 3 areas by the beams.

I don't know if there is similar problem with ducted vacuum later on.

On the plan, no pipes using wall-robe at all.

Is it acceptable by you? What would you do if it’s your new house?

Regards, Aulyna

 

[Minx]

Well unless you have seen them, steel beams are rather thick. The chances of getting the pipes through there and the floor joists are slim to none.

I'm shocked that it's just been bought to your builders attention.

However, my house that i'm currently building has ALOT of steel. I am having the heating and aircon for the top floor installed. The unit will be installed in the roof and the vents will be in the ceiling. As I will be living in the upstairs part when I move in, I decided my priority was to get that area done. It cost me about 15-16k off the top of my head and that is for a brivis heater with add on refridge aircon.

Ground floor will be done at a later date after I move in. I'm able to do this as my house is on stumps, so I can get the heating installed outside with the vents in the floor.

Question is are you building on a slab? That is the only reason why I could see the builder doing it that way.

 

[Aulyna]

Thanks

Well unless you have seen them, steel beams are rather thick. The chances of getting the pipes through there and the floor joists are slim to none.

I'm shocked that it's just been bought to your builders attention.

However, my house that i'm currently building has ALOT of steel. I am having the heating and aircon for the top floor installed. The unit will be installed in the roof and the vents will be in the ceiling. As I will be living in the upstairs part when I move in, I decided my priority was to get that area done. It cost me about 15-16k off the top of my head and that is for a brivis heater with add on refridge aircon.

Ground floor will be done at a later date after I move in. I'm able to do this as my house is on stumps, so I can get the heating installed outside with the vents in the floor.

Question is are you building on a slab? That is the only reason why I could see the builder doing it that way.

Hi Minx,

Thanks for the only reply you given.

Yes, our building is on a slab.

Because of the pipe work issue, when the builder made their changes, I asked to move the door to ensueit inside the WIR, so that I could have a longer wall to put my bed against. The builder is asking $432 for it.

Do you think it's fair to charge me? If it's me who required all the changes, I think the price is reasonable; but as the builder will be using 3 wall robes, my WIR, half of the liney cupboard, and 2 corners of bed-rooms, shall I charge them too?

The dream house seems like a cheap renovation now. How awful it is!

Regards, Aulyna

 

[AlmostBob]

I don't know about the vacuum being as hard, aircon pipes are typically bigger 6-10 inch, vac pipes are 2inch, so fit adequately inside walls, used to have a drill bits long enough to drill 2 1/8 holes from the top cap to the foot plate in one go, for installs in established houses, its very easy at frame stage.
Very strange that the ducting was not in the drawing. I thought that was the reason architects get $$.

V.I. vaccuum installer tip, sweep tee pipe joints only install 1 way round

 

[Aaron Sice]

can you not run it on the OUTSIDE and use a brick box to box it in?

i wouldn;t accept the boxes inside the bedrooms, but the ones in the robes are std practise.

 

[Aulyna]

Hi Blue Card!

Thanks for your advice.

can you not run it on the OUTSIDE and use a brick box to box it in?

The answer was NO to run the pipe outside, as I was told the cooling pipe couldn't be "turned" as the pipe is 400mm and the gap between the lower floor ceiling and upper stair's floor is only 300mm. So the cooling pipe almost directly "down to the point it will sit".

i wouldn’t accept the boxes inside the bedrooms, but the ones in the robes are std practise.

I asked to move the boxes inside the robes, only get the one in bed 3 moved. I would like to NOT accept them.

What will happen if I refused to have the boxes inside the room and they don't have other solutions?

Regards, Aulyna

 

[Aulyna]

I don't know about the vacuum being as hard, aircon pipes are typically bigger 6-10 inch, vac pipes are 2inch, so fit adequately inside walls, used to have a drill bits long enough to drill 2 1/8 holes from the top cap to the foot plate in one go, for installs in established houses, its very easy at frame stage.
Very strange that the ducting was not in the drawing. I thought that was the reason architects get $$.

V.I. vaccuum installer tip, sweep tee pipe joints only install 1 way round

Hi AlmostBob,

Thanks for the tip.

Haven't got time to talk to the guy who will install vacuum. Just wondering if the vacuum need extra long holes. That will reduce the suction power.

What a mess. Will let you know after talk to the vacuum intaller.

Regards, Aulyna

 

[AlmostBob]

Hi AlmostBob,

Thanks for the tip.

Haven't got time to talk to the guy who will install vacuum. Just wondering if the vacuum need extra long holes. That will reduce the suction power.

What a mess. Will let you know after talk to the vacuum intaller.

Regards, Aulyna

vaccumm pipes are very polished on the inside, so air flow is good. pipe run has little or no effect on suction until something gets stuck in a joint or elbow. the motor in the garage pulls air out of the pipe, the air rushes in the pipe at the other end to fill the void. if the pipe is long, very long it just takes the motor a few seconds longer to evacuate the pipes to develop full suction, when you first turn it on. most central vacs have motors in them that are nothing like the conventional vaccuum, 3 stage fans, separate cooling, and way more powerful.

central vac motor, many have 2, up to 10" across 1500W triple stage fans (golf ball & garden hose)

conventional vac motor, 1, -5 inch across 750W single stage fan​

 

[Aulyna]

Hi AlmostBob,

Thanks for your kind explanation. Feel much released with vacuum now.

I'll keep you informed after talking with the installer.

Have a good day.

Regards, Aulyna

 

[fernfurn]

I have a top storey and had to run all ducted heating pipes around inside the ground floor roof, with vents only coming out of the ceiling where the top floor wasnt. Subsequently all vents are around the outside of the rooms. This works fine and is nice and hot.
In another house the main lounge room was on top of the garage with solid concrete between. Had to have a special galvanised box 7mts long coming out of the side of the house and running alongside the lounge room and into the two vents. I was naive at the time and didnt ask whether they were packing insulation around the pipe between the gal box. Suspect not as it doesnt work very well.