I didn't choose Octopus Energy or Heat geek over British Gas for my Heat Pump

[@joshuam5826]

Really appreciate how informative your videos are. Thank you for the great content around heat pumps, has really helpful both here & on the Facebook groups. I've certainly been asking more questions since. I'm due to begin my retrofit project in late Jan from Oil along with a raft of other energy measures, needing to have a upgraded new three phase supply fitted from the roadside by the DNO to a new meter box externally (32m in total) a smart meter with isolator, consumer unit/tails, smoke alarms, Heat Pump with a wireless controller for auto Adaption function & concrete foundation for it to stand on, hot water cylinder, 12 new rads, pipework, insulation/Plastering in the loft room, solar panels, inverter, battery storage system, Zappi EV charger point, loft boarding, lighting & lastly a new concrete path round the exsternal of the house. So going to have a house full of contractors

[@UpsideDownFork]

That's going to be a very busy time and like you say, lots of contractors. Good luck! 👍 If there's anything I've missed in the videos then please let me know.

[@crm114.]

Nice overview. I couldn’t believe the variation in heat pump size that was being quoted. A lot of cowboy installers out there. The HP should match your heat loss or will run inefficiently. Just got a Valliant Aerotherm 5kw unit for our house installed. So far, it’s brilliant. We are using less than a fifth of the energy to heat our house than with the gas boiler. The heating in the house is also less variable.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Thanks for your comment. In defense of the different companies, nearly all of them will do a quick desktop survey before visiting the property. They base their assessment on a previous EPC and before the insulation upgrades that I had made. Of the companies that did visit in person and conducted a full heat loss survey, they did reach the same heat loss figure of around 5800W. Many more videos are on my channel detailing our full installation and how we are running the heat pump as well as our financials of running costs. Take care!

[@AlanWhite-d8m]

signed up with BG back in July For ashp install agreed price etc as of today still not installed phoned yet again to find out when this may happen. as before told it is planing dept and that will contact me when that are ready when I pointed out 5 months in planing a bit much. i was told it was a waiting game. I am now arranging for other installers for quotes. not happy with BG at all

[@UpsideDownFork]

That's a shame to hear your experience. I first enquired with them in January, accepted quote in March and Installation happened for me in November. I did need to get planning permission and also could have had install quicker if gone with Daikin gear instead of Vaillant, but yes, it was a long wait. From what I understand, they were sub-contracting the heat pump work and stopped doing that as they hired and trained in house teams to do the work. It seems like a complete lottery as to where you are located and who they have recruited in that area. More info in some of my other videos too. Good luck on your journey!

[@AlanWhite-d8m]

@@UpsideDownFork to be fair a good price but the wait with no indication as to what's going on is just frustrating and does not bode well for service

[@_Dougaldog]

My survey was done August, I accepted contract September, within a month a December install date was given, slipped to January, and now February. In Scotland there's a nine month window to complete works and claim grant (otherwise will need resubmitting). No planning permissions needed (within permitted development guidelines). I'm hopeful that all will work out within timescale. My thought is that Scottish Gas (as BG is badged here) will be around long enough to honour any warranties, and their guaranteed performance (or money back) gives additional reassurance as to their installation & design abilities. As an aside, I've noticed OVO (who are trialling HP installations) are suggesting they'll be using Heat Geek as partners, and a tariff of 15p/kW 24/7 through a separate meter for HP. Interesting times we live in.

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@_Dougaldog please let us know you get on 👍

[@UpsideDownFork]

Apologies for the delay. The full British Gas quote breakdown is now live on the channel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4OniZeYl8h0fKc

[@calmeilles]

I'd have been seriously tempted to put some triple glazed glass doors in the "gap" leading to the conservatory and given up attempting to heat it beyond frost protection during the colder months. More generally why do people build conservatories then treat them like any other room? In many cases a conventional extension would serve the same purpose much better.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Yes, we were seriously tempted to door that space up! Unfortunately with 3 kids, we really needed the space to be usable all year round. When we made the offer on this new to us house, the energy prices had not yet rocketed up and we had assumed the electric underfloor heating to be adequate. Well big lesson learned. The warm roof on that room now makes the space into a truly comfortable extension all year round. Nearly a year since we fitted the new roof and it's been the best investment in this home yet. People selling conservatories should really have further regulation/restriction or something to try and prevent the methods they use to sell an unachievable dream. Thanks for the comment.

[@IMBlakeley]

I've had conservatories at a few houses, already existing I'd never add one in the UK, only really usable 1/2 the year. I used to use my last one as a big dining room come Christmas/New Year when we had loads of visitors. It had two small panel radiators to keep the place from actually freezing but needed two portable gas fires around 10KW of heat to make it usable in the winter.

[@Biglenton]

The size of heat pumps you were quoted for seems to vary quite a lot. Really surprising to see 12 and 14kw units. Makes a big difference on price of the job. Looking forward to watching the install video by British Gas (as an ex BG employee and current heat geek)

[@UpsideDownFork]

Yes, doesn't give confidence when they are all over the place like that. As an aside, the new heat Geek tool to give a rough idea on cost etc thinks my house has a heat loss of 4kW! I'm just finishing up the detailed video about the BG quote but the installation documentary is already live on the channel!

[@Biglenton]

@@UpsideDownFork yes watching it now. I would have guess that you would be more about 4/5kw looking at the house. ‘New build style’ houses are normally pretty good. You’ll probably be able to tell if the unit is a bit over sized by how much it cycles on and off but a 7kw shouldn’t be too much over. Heat engineer is a good accurate software for heatloss but you have to pay per survey. The job BG did looks like you got an absolute bargain. Just all of the parts and materials would probably have cost me in excess of £10k not to mention 4 guys a day for over a week. Even if they were all employees that would have cost me £1000 a day for all four. Looks a pretty good job so far, not got to the end yet but for what you paid it’s an absolute steal. The proof will be in the scop over the next few really cold months

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@Biglenton thanks for your comments. So far the efficiency is looking good and I have no doubt that they made a significant loss on my installation. A few bits rough round the edges but it seems to be working well. Last week I looked and the app said 480 hours running time and 280 cycles, which I think is really good from my research. I guess the buffer tank helps here?

[@Biglenton]

@@UpsideDownFork would think the buffer would have been because of the microbore and possibly overall low system volume to make sure you have enough volume for a defrost cycle. No other reason for a buffer at your property really, they normally slightly lower efficiency. Agree, towards the end of the video the finish wasn’t great, that lagging outside is a bit rubbish but still great price and also great equipment. Rather that than the octopus units from what I’ve heard.

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@Biglenton I've got 6 large radiators downstairs and another 8 throughout the rest of the house so I don't think volume is an issue. BG just seem adamant that every system will be fitted with a buffer, guess it hides any mistakes with calculations along the way 🤔 I'll see how the winter goes and maybe get the pump removed and then piped on the return as a volumiser next year 👍

[@stuartornum]

I’m going through the same thing with BG now, coming over next week to do a full heat loss calc. I agree with what you’re saying, it’s a new dept, a bit rough around the edges but will to be accommodating. For example I want a L3 heat meter installed from OpenEnergyMonitor… BG said “yeah, we’ll fit it”. Prices are all shocking though with the grant, they should be removing VAT from the bill, however they just increase the ex VAT number. You can buy the HP (inc VAT) from your local merchant cheaper than they are supplying it supposedly ex VAT. Crooks.

[@UpsideDownFork]

I've shared several previous videos about BG but my next video which I'll hopefully have ready this evening or tomorrow will go through the BG surveying and quoting process along with pricing and showing my real world documentation as examples. Stay tuned and you might find this video helpful kzbin.info/www/bejne/roC4c5-Bid6hm9U

[@JohnnyMotel99]

Will you challenge BG on the HP price vs local merchant price?

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@JohnnyMotel99 I don't think it's an issue. The kit was cheaper on my quote. I did price up the pump, cylinder, buffer, main controller, sensocomfort and sensonet module, without any valves, pumps, pipework or other bits and BG still came in cheaper than the merchant price for me 👍

[@UpsideDownFork]

Apologies for the delay. The full British Gas quote breakdown is now live on the channel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4OniZeYl8h0fKc

[@Gazmaz]

Reference the Heat Geek installers, I got a similar issue, one Heat Geek would charge to come out and survey only knock that cost off if I went with him, Octopus did the same but would pay that cost back whatever I did, another heat geek guy keeps promising to come and survey but 6 months later he still hasn’t appeared even though he keeps contacting me asking when I’m free. It seems that getting a good installer is almost the hardest thing.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Wow, I see i'm not alone. I really wanted to go for a Heat Geek and was prepared to pay the premium, but once i'd received the cheap quote from British Gas, it was too difficult to resist. From a purely financial point of view, I would never recoup the extra investment through marginally greater efficiency and lower running costs, so i'm not yet regretting my decision. More content in my other videos about the costs etc and more videos are on the way!

[@IMBlakeley]

That seems to be the case with everything. I am about to move, the boiler is an old non condensing. I hope I can spin it out for a bit because I want PV and a battery and EV charge point before I want to upgrade the boiler or fit a heat pump. I'd prefer to go heat pump, switch the hob to propane and get shot of the mains gas but we will see.

[@Muppetkeeper]

I had my heat pump installed back in October 2020. My HW tank was leaking and my boiler 12 years old, radiators approaching 30 years. I had a quote from BG just for a new boiler / HW tank / change to no header tanks, that was £6000. I paid £13.5k upfront for my heat pump, but that included 13 new radiators and new pips where needed, but thanks to aggressive inflation, lo get all of that back through the RHI grant.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Thanks for the comment. Looks like you made a great choice!

[@heatpump8566]

How can cinergi offer you a 14kw option and a 10kw? Strange

[@UpsideDownFork]

Probably because of how the heat pump naming works. Some output 14kw at 7 degrees outside whilst others will rate it is 14kw at -5 degrees outside. Hopefully there will be some standardisation going forward.

[@marksticky0688]

What was your predicted heat loss from HeatPunk software? And how does that compare to the reality now? Thanks. I'm just in the process of getting quotes and have done a HeatPunk calculation.

[@UpsideDownFork]

5.8kW was the approx heat punk figure. Using the Vaillant figures at the design temperature, our heat loss is probably just a hair over 5kW.

[@marksticky0688]

@@UpsideDownFork Thanks for a quick reply! That's encouraging that mine might be in the right area (if a bit higher than yours). Be very glad to get rid of a very inefficient non condensing oil boiler and a rusty tank!!

[@constructioneerful]

Very interesting and informative.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Glad you think so!

[@UpsideDownFork]

Apologies for the delay. The full British Gas quote breakdown is now live on the channel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4OniZeYl8h0fKc

[@datoon83]

We had a BG heat loss calculation at 7kw compared to 11kw via Octopus. The person doing the survey suggested upgrading and downgrading all my radiators upstairs!

[@UpsideDownFork]

That's a big discrepancy. Personally I would like to see both their working to find out how they ended up so far apart! Regarding radiator changes, why would they suggest 'downgrading' any radiators?

[@datoon83]

@@UpsideDownFork I went with octopus in the end. It was the BG engineers 2nd visit, they struggled to answer the questions I had. Such as why downgrade radiators.

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@datoon83 hope it's working out well for you and the pump is not oversized 👍

[@edwardpickering9006]

What I don't understand is how most of these companies did quotes without every doing a heat loss survey...

[@UpsideDownFork]

Probably more accurate to think of them as remote estimates using my EPC and photos of the property. Each of them was subject to an in person survey before finalising the quote.

[@JohnBrophy-z1c]

Very interested to hear about your heat pump journey with, on time frame, was almost identical to mine. Getting quotes early this year and having just had the system installed. A Vaillant arotherm plus 10kW with 300l Unistore cylinder and Vaillant controls. I also found that I mostly knew more than the suppliers I talked to but that didn't bother me much as I have always done my own plumbing and was confident of what I wanted. I have to say that I am blow away by the efficiency of the system so far. I also have 10mm microbore to most rads which is no problem at all ( and it was -2C outside the first day after the install). My system is somewhat oversized, based on my measurements, but I could not get the surveyor to adjust the air changes in the heat loss calculation, which I think is the reason for the discrepancy. However, so far, this doesn't seem to affect efficiency.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Very interesting! Air changes were also something that the surveyors were not interested in adjusting. I think that's why mine came in 5% and 4% lower than the 2 professional surveys carried out. I would have liked a 5kW unit really and I'm sure that's what I would have got with a heat geek, but so far the 7kW seems to be doing really well at modulating down, even on these warmer winter days we're now having. I guess the buffer tank also helps in this regard and will prevent cycling as the outside temps get warmer. My biggest bugbear about the whole process is how unfriendly it currently is to Joe Public. You really have to have a technical mind and your wits about you, to successfully make the transition from a boiler to a heat pump. The market seems very young and raw. There are many people out there who really know their stuff, but they're not even a drop in the ocean compared to the amount of homes that will need to be converted in the next decade. Even with the big companies like Octopus and BG, you need to know the right questions to ask and you have to push them on some things to get the best outcome. Anyway, i'll step down off my high horse. Many more heat pump related videos coming over the next couple of weeks.

[@JohnBrophy-z1c]

Totally agree

[@Ben-gm9lo]

Awesome video, thank you very much. I had taken a look at Heatpunk, but the website failed to accept a password on registration and then wouldn't let me reset the password although it said I was registered. However, today it let me get on and I have had a lovely afternoon measuring up and inputting my house's info. TLDR, you got me to go back to Heatpunk, it worked and now I have a basic report. What a lovely tool (Heatpunk, not you!). Appreciate your sharing, looking forward to the next video.

[@UpsideDownFork]

You're welcome!

[@UpsideDownFork]

Apologies for the delay. The full British Gas quote breakdown is now live on the channel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4OniZeYl8h0fKc

[@Ben-gm9lo]

Thanks, watched, enjoyed, commented. British Gas coming to survey my place early Jan! You are a star.@@UpsideDownFork

[@salman79uk]

Hi, thanks for this video, quick question did British Gas give you any say in which model of heat pump to install, in particular is the model they installed reversible so can be used for cooling in the summer?

[@UpsideDownFork]

Hello there, I somewhat covered this in my other videos. I had to take a Vaillant over a Daikin unit because of the noise assessment and proximity to neighbours. The more expensive and premium Vaillant will do cooling but as I understand it, it's not very effective with standard radiators in use. My heat pump is the same model that Heat Geek use for their cooking test. Hope that helps 👍

[@terryT-r5o]

In my case they didn’t give me a choice and it’s not reversible. Mine ( still to be installed awaiting planning permission) is an 8kw Daikin altherma 3.

[@salman79uk]

@@terryT-r5o Are you sure, I think you will find the Daikin alterma 3 is reversible?

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@terryT-r5o Thanks for commenting. Did you enquire about upgrading to the Vaillant? They won't offer other models as a matter of course as the Daikin always bring the more competitive price to the customer.

[@terryT-r5o]

Can’t see a mechanism to reply to your reply. But re the Daikin Altherma 3 it’s possible there is a reversible version, but the one specified for me isn’t.

[@hazmat5749]

Couple of questions about heat pumps in general - 1. Why do you have to have a pressurised system with a heat pump? Whats wrong with open vented? 2. Why cant you keep your old hot water cylinder, if it works with a boiler flow temp of 50 degrees why change it?

[@UpsideDownFork]

1. This is not heatpump specific. This has been part of regulations for many years, heat pump or not. Unvented is more efficient. 2. You can, but it will take much much longer for the water to heat up. Larger coil = quicker reheat and/or better efficiency. I suspect once the BUS grant goes, many heat pumps will be installed on the original tank. MCS guidance and BUS requirements push for certain efficiency levels.

[@Gianlucadarkside]

@@UpsideDownFork Buffer tank for heat pumps got an extra thermal exchange surface coil. Cause the lower primary circuit Temp.

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@Gianlucadarkside buffer tanks don't usually have coils in them.

[@Gianlucadarkside]

@@UpsideDownFork ok, isn't a buffer ... boiler sorry, but for heat pump needs double exchanging surface coil.

[@UpsideDownFork]

@Gianlucadarkside yes, to get good efficiency, that's the best way 👍

[@IMBlakeley]

My prior experience with BG would make me really nervous about using them but fair play if they do a good job at a fair price.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Thanks for commenting. It wasn't an easy road but we got there in the end.

[@MrKlawUK]

did you say how much BG came back with? And your heat loss is 12kw? That seems high. Have you considered not heating the conservatory as part of the fabric of the building by dooring it off? curious how much difference that would make and any other changes to get more insulation etc?

[@UpsideDownFork]

Thanks for commenting. In my next video I will be going through the BG quote in detail. I have now fully insulated the conservatory with a 0.12 U value roof system from Leka which I have detailed in other videos on my channel. I've also increased my loft insulation from 150mm to 350mm. The total heat loss of the property is now around 6kW. The 12kW estimates were desktop surveys, rather than a full on site heat loss calculation so they can be taken with a pinch of salt 👍

[@MrKlawUK]

@@UpsideDownFork nice. Should be a nice single fan unit so no plannign permission. Looking forward to more info :)

[@UpsideDownFork]

In my case i needed planning because of siting it within 1M of the boundary. Fully detailed in my other videos that are already live on the channel 👍

[@UpsideDownFork]

Apologies for the delay. The full British Gas quote breakdown is now live on the channel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4OniZeYl8h0fKc

[@vertogenltd-variablepitchv1168]

Having a large Barn conversion with heat pumps. Having 2 large conservatories 8x6 Meters with a U value of ZERO, they where replaced with Over spec insulated buildings. like I suggested, 1st task INSULATION. My heat pumps in 2007 used large amounty of underground pipes and the installation was around 40K.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Yes, I have covered that in my other videos about how we insulated. Especially the conservatory roof. I did a whole series about that project. By the way, a U Value of zero means that it transfers no heat. Higher numbers are worse. Your conservatory may have had a U value of 3 or higher.

[@KavanOBrien]

How or where do you go to get the government grant for the heat pump scheme, does everyone get it or do you have to qualify by some means test ?

[@UpsideDownFork]

The grant is not means tested so anyone can get it. In England it is applied for by your installer and credited to your final bill.

[@KavanOBrien]

@@UpsideDownFork thank you kind soul.

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@KavanOBrien good luck to you. I believe in Scotland it's a more complex situation for the homeowner. 👍

[@KavanOBrien]

@@UpsideDownFork is it because those politicians have bankrupted that part of the UK ? I feel sorry for our cousins up there who have been given a false dream for independence from politicians who were only interested in getting money for jags and camper vans and making their future secure. You can’t take it with you on the final destination = the Egyptians tried but got robbed , sorry I digress, may I ask how much it cost with bills with the heat pump compared with cost from gas or are you going to do future videos covering this subject?

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@KavanOBrien I have started documenting the running costs here : kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqKkZ2WEZ61lqbM I will continue to post monthly updates going forward.

[@lhfloors]

Hi what was the total cost thanks

[@UpsideDownFork]

For the BG quote? Big reveal in my next video!

[@UpsideDownFork]

Apologies for the delay. The full British Gas quote breakdown is now live on the channel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4OniZeYl8h0fKc

[@_Dougaldog]

Another interesting video, thank you for posting it, I can now set aside my guilt trip of going straight for the BG quote :-) In terms of choosing to go for a heat pump my journey was similar in doing a lot of online research and getting up to comfortable speed on most things heat pump related. With this in mind & £7.5k grant the heat pump option for me was a no brainer really at

[@UpsideDownFork]

Good to hear! Congratulations on doing your homework and making a good decision to swap to a heat pump. Many more videos are on the way!

[@UpsideDownFork]

Apologies for the delay. The full British Gas quote breakdown is now live on the channel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4OniZeYl8h0fKc

[@normanboyes4983]

Absolutely excellent video which covered all the bases. It highlights how essential it is to be an informed consumer in this market where not all installers are necessarily up to the job. A heat pump installation is not a project a consumer should ever just stumble into. At the end of the day this is not rocket science and there has never been a better time to get to grips with a ‘new’ subject - with YT Heat Geeks Glynn Hudson John Cantor and Urban Plumber as four stand out resources as well as some of the dedicated forums (like Heat Pumps UK). All you need is the attitude and application to learn.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Thanks for your comment. My biggest bugbear about the whole process is how unfriendly it currently is to Joe Public. You really have to have a technical mind and your wits about you, to successfully make the transition from a boiler to a heat pump. The market seems very young and raw. There are many people out there who really know their stuff, but they're not even a drop in the ocean compared to the amount of homes that will need to be converted in the next decade. Even with the big companies like Octopus and BG, you need to know the right questions to ask and you have to push them on some things to get the best outcome. Anyway, i'll step down off my high horse. Many more heat pump related videos coming over the next couple of weeks.

[@normanboyes4983]

@@UpsideDownFork You are absolutely right - but - as a consumer you do not necessarily have to have a technical background just an attitude (and determination) to learn.

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@normanboyes4983 Yes, I agree. A considerable amount of time and effort is required. Maybe there will be a future where the consumer's part is easier?

[@BerlietGBC]

Good luck with BG , they mite talk the talk, but let’s see how good the work is, I know I sound negative but I’ve seen there work over the years, I hope I’m surprised

[@UpsideDownFork]

I've already documented the installation. Let me know what you think. kzbin.info/www/bejne/roC4c5-Bid6hm9U

[@markkunes9711]

We had our solar panels put in by BG 12 years ago. A bit of a nightmare and at one time 12 people here - electrician two teams, fitters, scaffolders, chippies, solar 'expert' and so on - I showed them the Monty Python gas cooker sketch because it reminded me of this (wrong panels delivered), asbestos discovered (it was concrete), people queuing to do their bit:- kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpW5nJd5hqh0iZI&ab_channel=CaioBadner but it seems others had already showed them it for some reason - all was OK in the end.

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@markkunes9711 A great sketch, it's been a few years since i've watched it! Our heat pump installation was a little like that I guess if you've already seen my other videos about that!

[@BerlietGBC]

@@markkunes9711 I picked a independent local installer for my solar , was brilliant him and a roofer one day the electrician the next day job done

[@markkunes9711]

Hi - I saw this video first but have now seen the instal one - very good. Our solar panels promised 2 day installation took 13 - wrong design from Ist Solar expert, stopping work for 'asbestos; to be tested, faulty scaffolding and so on @@UpsideDownFork

[@middlesbrough123]

Vaillant are a boiler manufacturer I do have confidence in their product but I wouldn’t put them above Daikin who have been in the ASHP business along time . Personally my rule of thumb would be if yiur on gas stick with gas . Install is higher maintenance cost will be higher and uncertain regarding what potential costs would be .

[@UpsideDownFork]

Thanks for your comment. Heat geek and the like seem to regard the Vaillant units as a step up from Daikin but as a layman I'm not to know.

[@garywright8846]

You did very well not getting a Midea, Vailiant is excellent as is Daikin and Mitsubishi, all the others are to be avoided

[@UpsideDownFork]

Thanks for sharing your perspective.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Apologies for the delay. The full British Gas quote breakdown is now live on the channel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4OniZeYl8h0fKc

[@caravancapers5091]

I tried British Gas but they couldn’t help as mine is a brand new self build and still being built.

[@UpsideDownFork]

In that case you would definitely want to work with an engineer who can design you a perfect system. You have the perfect blank canvas to hide everything away neatly. Good luck.

[@CrashUK28]

would be better off getting a warm roof installed on that conservatory you going to find it hard to keep it warm with heat pump. Also why do what a heat pump?

[@UpsideDownFork]

You're correct. I have fitted a Leka roof on the conservatory. You can see that project here : kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmqsaYuef66Zo9E It's now as warm as the rest of the house. If you watch the other heat pump videos on my channel then you will see that a heat pump is cheaper to run than a gas boiler, warmer and more comfortable as well as greener. If you have the space for one then there doesn't appear to be any downsides against a gas boiler.

[@jimmaxwell2259]

I've had a seriously negative experience with BG. Back in 2010 I was wanting to instal a CHP unit and was looking to get grant help before the window closed. Only BG could instal these and they had no one in Scotland that could provide a quote. They eventually quoted six months later, (sent someone from England) by which time it was too late for either the CHP unit grant or to claim against an ASHP grant, so was really let down. To add insult to injury, getting someone to service such a unit was going to be difficult and costly. The basic pipework costs ware astronomical, let alone the cost of the unit. I had the feeling it was priced to not want the job. I later found out these were getting installed in Technical managers homes etc. I'd be loathed to let BG back through my door to be honest. I really was the case, that the FIT was designed to help the installers, not the purchasers.

[@UpsideDownFork]

That's a shame. Things have move on a lot in 14 years but I can understand how a sour experience like that is difficult to get past.

[@Allegedly2right]

Really good video they have did a proper job some amount of hours put in by British Gas can’t fault them,my heat pump was thrown in complain all you want MCS they all throw you a deaf ear,installers changed their name that old chestnut left me high and dry with a very expensive system to run.Free gift haha should have known better government grant.Doomed haha 10/10

[@UpsideDownFork]

Sorry to hear that. There's plenty of people complaining about British Gas but the job is better than a lot I've seen online! Watch my other videos for more heat pump content.

[@LawrenceTimme]

Should have ditched the tank and just got a Combi boiler 😀

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@LawrenceTimme yep, we did consider that. Also more expensive than getting the heat pump 👍

[@8skellerns]

Would never use a legacy company for a heatpump like BG, Scottish Power etc. They have had their days ripping off the public.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Thanks for your comment.

[@dontuno]

I might yet view your entire video but given the stress that BG put me and my mother in law through, I will NEVER deal with that vile company. They could offer to pay for the whole installation and I would still not deal with them such is my utter hatred of BG!

[@UpsideDownFork]

Fair point. I think that's the trouble with such a massive company as BG. It is a total lottery of who you get on the phone, who visits you etc. Your experience could be great, or terrible or anywhere in between. I have published a dozen or so videos about heat pumps, I hope they help you inform yourself, even if you choose a different avenue like Octopus or a local independent installer.

[@onlineo2263]

Wow that was tiring just watching this. Thst is far too long a process just to get a quote, and quite frankly I don't think I could be as clued up as you before going into this process.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately I agree that the process is not friendly to consumers, at all. As the market matures, I hope that will change drastically.

[@bm8641]

The best on the market today Jan 2024 are Daikin, Mitsubishi and Vaillant. All these can operate at -15C outdoor temperature and will supply 65 and 70C easily to your rads even at -5,-6 C outdoor temp. All other manufacturers are really bad and to be avoided like plague. European and American manufacturers are really bad. A big gap between written specs and real performance, I guess the industry must adapt and regulate better.

[@UpsideDownFork]

What about Viessman and Panasonic?

[@kevinjackson6387]

I won’t have one to much monies far more exspensive than a combi boiler ,all that mess fitting cylinder and where to put it ,and might have to change rads ,

[@UpsideDownFork]

They are not a great solution for everyone but if you already have a cylinder and an aging boiler then they are a great option and in our case, actually worked out cheaper than replacing with gas.

[@kevinjackson6387]

@@UpsideDownFork I can see them working in new builds when the insulation la up to scratch,but average joe blogs is trying to save monies not pay out more .Ele is far more exspensive than gas ,but if you have monies to waste fair enough ,better to put more insulation into your house first before you do anything anyway .

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@kevinjackson6387 This is 400% efficient so the running costs are lower than a gas boiler. They will work well in any property as well as the radiators are sized correctly. You can see my data here : kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqKkZ2WEZ61lqbM Yes, we also topped up our loft to 350mm insulation as well as putting a warm roof on our conservatory with a U Value of 0.12. Thanks.

[@kevinjackson6387]

@@UpsideDownFork ok but the cost of fitting it all so much more than a new efficient combi ,it just don’t make sence to me ,I’ll stick with what I know .

[@mikeypc3592]

​@@kevinjackson6387so why exactly are you here then?

[@PeterUn-h1i]

No modern houses have a space for a hot water tank. You never see one of these videos in a real size home, always big , as TV adverts which make me laugh as the kitchens are bigger than my house lol

[@UpsideDownFork]

We have friends in a small new build 3 bed semi and they have a hot water cylinder in an airing cupboard. That's anecdotal and I don't know what the wider trend is but it wouldn't surprise me if house builders are fitting combis to save themselves some cash.

[@PeterUn-h1i]

@UpsideDownFork I don't know of any new houses that are built with airing cupboards, please tell me which building company does, thanks in advance

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@PeterUn-h1i I'll ask him who built those houses. Think they're 2 years old 👍

[@1mikechung]

For every unit of electric use , you get more normally 3 back, that’s where you gain. Get your insulation out 1st. I have had heat pumps since 2007.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Thanks for taking the time to comment. We are aiming to get a SCoP of 4, but we'll see how that goes next year! We did a few bits of insulation to help lower the heat loss of our property.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Apologies for the delay. The full British Gas quote breakdown is now live on the channel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4OniZeYl8h0fKc

[@Tim_Small]

That conservatory is a killer. If you don't have the funds to scrap it and build a proper extension, then why not put some doors on it?

[@UpsideDownFork]

You can see how I tackled the conservatory in my other videos here : kzbin.info/aero/PLxiY5khGACu33-pgH-1AkLKSZ7uFEQA6E

[@Tim_Small]

@@UpsideDownFork I can see the attraction of wanting to keep it, but the problem is that even with the roof insulated, it's still a massive heatsink - conservatories should only be seasonal rooms in the UK climate. It wouldn't pass building regs as an extension because the U value of the "walls" are similar to an uninsulated solid brick wall. I know someone who did a similar thing with a conservatory (although their's had some doors on it). A few years later they ended up demolishing and building an extension anyway.

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@Tim_Small maybe we will in the future, but for now the 2 large vertical radiators overcome the heat loss and we're very warm in there, whereas last winter it was unbearable, even with 2kW electric underfloor heating and 3kW of infrared patio heater!

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@Tim_Small as a side note, I don't know what roof your friends put on, but as I learned during that project, most insulated roof kits for conservatories are junk and if they're not installed perfectly then the insulation gaps can be a significant problem. 👍

[@stevoone342]

It’s amazing amount of grant but you shouldn’t rely on grants, certainly when considering future replacement costs. Fact is its very expensive especially compared to replaceing gas - hydrogen combi. Especially if you have to factor replacing rads and pipe work. Also living in a remote area in the north uk, i do not want to be fully reliant on electricity- grid. And living in a old property with i love, its not going to get to A grade the only way is if i wear rich and had a money train which will then end up with a completely new property. Obviously that’s a no go for myself, so ill stick with my reliable fire and gas-hydrogen combi. I wouldn’t touch British Gas with a barge pole they ripped my dad of on a basic combi boiler and made mistakes that a private plumber had to put right.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Some fair points. Future replacement will not be as expensive because the rest of the system has been upgraded to heat pump standards of low flow temperature heating. If the electricity goes out, your gas or oil boiler also won't work, so that's not exclusive to heat pumps. You will be reliant on a lot burner or a home storage battery if you have one of those. British Gas may not be the best but we ended up with a good installation at a cost that was far less than replacing the gas boiler.

[@Kfiskplumbing]

Midea is one of the best units on market. Compared to a mitsubishi they are so much better.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Yes, I wish I had known a little more about them before receiving the quotes but i've subsequently learnt that they are tried and tested!

[@m23605]

Heat geeks are expensive. And like in your first quote, you have to pay for all their time. They can get much more money working on mansions or hospitals and they don't have to crawl around lofts or worry about neighbours.

[@UpsideDownFork]

That's the privileged position of when demand outstrips supply 👍

[@UpsideDownFork]

Apologies for the delay. The full British Gas quote breakdown is now live on the channel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4OniZeYl8h0fKc

[@Orthodoxuk]

No matter what company, why choose a heat pump at all, well you'll learn, eventually?

[@UpsideDownFork]

Haha, maybe you should watch all of my videos. I go through many reasons why I wanted a heat pump and since having it installed I'm happy with the decision.

[@onlyme972]

Heat pump not much saving compared to Pv solar. Most of the year I gain feeding power back to the grid. My electric combi has separate heating and instant hot water systems so i only use the heating when needed.

[@JBraith-iy6iq]

Your price to pipe and fit your vertical radiator is truly shocking. At least 400 quid too much

[@UpsideDownFork]

I was a little shocked but I also appreciate that it was a big job.

[@Medea007]

Why so secretive about BG quote?

[@UpsideDownFork]

Not secretive. Just didn't want the video to be an hour long. I've made a complete dedicated video about the BG quote and their process and it will be live shortly.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Apologies for the delay. The full British Gas quote breakdown is now live on the channel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4OniZeYl8h0fKc

[@MrMedicalUK]

Oh dear lol

[@UpsideDownFork]

Thanks

[@grantmidd]

Unfortunately heat pumps are not better for the environment, burning the gas directly at 80-90% efficiency is better than the max 50% efficiency of the power plants. I have an eco home, I still use gas and a log burner. Because of the solar and wind I generate I am more carbon efficient than if I had a heat pump.

[@rosssherlock]

You've demonstrated a fundamental lack of understanding of heat pumps and the basic calculations that underpin why they are beneficial. A heat pump with a COP of 4 (which is reasonable for a modern correctly sized unit), would need electricity to be produced at circa 20% efficiency to be equivalent to burning gas for heat at home. As for log burners, at best they are 80% efficient, realistically somewhere in the 70% range. If you have solar and wind as you say, it's madness to continue to burn gas and wood when you could heat your home at potentially no cost!

[@_Dougaldog]

If 50% lost in UK grid, heat pumps if correctly installed are still more efficient with gas generated electricity if SCOP (Seasonal COP, the average over year) is greater than 1.6 for your 80% efficient gas boiler, or 1.8 for your 90% efficient gas boiler (UK gas boiler average is 83%). Typical SCOP for a heat pump is 3.7. A heat pump could also make very good use of your home generated electricity perhaps negating your need for gas or logs. In North of Scotland electricity is often 100% renewable; likewise South Scotland, NW & NE England are very close to Carbon zero with the aid of Nuclear supplies. An application 'National Grid ESO' gives good estimates. So in most respects heat pumps are better for environment than burning fossil fuels or trees.

[@UpsideDownFork]

Ditto what the others have said. The grid continues to become greener. Gas never will.

[@LawrenceTimme]

​@rosssherlock you forgot that the heat pump will be a rattling mess after 5 years and in a landfill so you'll have to make a new one whereas the boiler can last 20-30 years.

[@LawrenceTimme]

​@@_Dougaldogelectricity it's way way more expensive so it still doesn't make sense.

[@jaybrox1652]

Your photos are blery. You hiding something😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@UpsideDownFork]

???

[@over-engineered]

I don’t see the point of heat pumps UNTIL the electricity supply is green.

[@maxsec2]

still better than burning stuff directly.

[@richardlphillips]

If you ran heatpumps with a COP of 3 average and the supply was 100% gas. You would use about a third less gas for the same heat output. Given the UK grid is about 46% low carbon, it does make sense to do it before the whole grid is transformed. Heating is the biggest challenge for the grid though, so significant upgrades will be required, but its a transition over decades.

[@UpsideDownFork]

@@richardlphillips Thanks for covering the important facts.

[@markkunes9711]

Its 45% green or thereabouts and growing. What will you use instead gas? But your post got me thinking about how much energy is lost from the power station to your house. For electricity about 7% is lost and for gas only 0.3% (found indirectly from here) :- www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/2015/06/energy_efficiency_directive_report_-_final_for_publication.pdf Gas losses are from leakage and pumping for Electricity mainly through losses in the wires.

[@McOw123]

Plus it becomes even more sensible when combined with solar/battery installations. Heat pumps should not be looked at in isolation but as one piece of a wider jigsaw puzzle, in my opinion