How much did your in floor heating cost to install????

[Bigcanuck]

I searched what I feel is very throughly(though I'm sure someone will post a link to a forum that I missed) about the total cost to get the in floor heating setup and actually get it in the floor(minus concrete). I'm building a 34x44x14(1496 sq/ft) pole barn. There will be 2 12x12 overhead commercial style roll up doors, 1 8x7 standard door. There is no R factor in those roll up doors. I know with my current radiant heat in my existing detached garage the second I open the door it's frigid. I'm told the heat remains much better in the building with an in floor heating system when the doors open. I also have a 12x34 attic and a mezzanine type area that are elevated in the barn.

I need to do the slab this year or I fear I won't do it forever as then I'll have to move my equipment all out into my attached garage while working.

Anyways I can't seem to find what these kits cost in total. I live in Ontario and get cold winters so I'm thinking 2" foam under the slab. I live right at the US border and maintain a US mailbox so ordering my stuff from US suppliers isn't an issue.

I've looked into the blue ridge system and see I'm looking at 500-750 for the tubing but what else am I looking at for boiler costs and the hidden stuff you don't find out until you're already into it. I would like to put the tubing in this year and next year when funds allow hook up the tubing to the system.

I have 220 and natural gas at the barn.

Thanks

 

[Bigcanuck]

Permits are a non issue

 

[koditten]

My biggest expense was the foam board, parimerter and under the slab. I am only going by memory here, but I think I had 700 bucks in foam. The pex and clips was actually the cheapest, 1000 foot was less than 200 bucks.

I picked up a used boiler on CL for 200 bucks. Had a buddy in the biz check it out and bless it. I had another 300 bucks in copper pipe and zone pumps. 70 bucks for a chimney. The cost of running the 300' foot of gas line to the house was 270 bucks. The plastic gas line was less than 100, the rest of the cost was for the risers.

As for the boiler, I wanted an older boiler that was pre circuit board. 12% more in efficiency could not be justified for a shop. The break even point would have been 30 years. The older boilers are super simple. Gas valve, thermo coupler, relay and a thermostat. Not much more to go wrong than that. Plus the $200 vs $2000 was an easy choice to make. I have experience with boilers in one of my houses, so using a boiler was the only choice for me when it came to a heat source. Besides, thats what boilers are for. I think there was another 150 for a thermostat and a zone pump relay.

If I had to do it over I would have added another 2" around the parimeter. It amazes me to see no snow 6" from the edge of the building.

I forgot 1 thing (so far), I had to spend another 100 on a pex ring clamp tool. Of course having another tool is never a problem.

I knew it would be more expensive going in, but having my shop at 50* is perfect for me. I'm a welder so I have extra clothes on anyways.

Later

KO

 

[Blk88GT]

My 2000sqft shop costs broke down like this:

96 sheets of 2" XPS: 2500
20kw electric boiler/pump/autofeeder/manifolds/related fittings/etc: 4000
Breakers + misc wire/connectors/conduit: $150

The in floor pex was supplied by the concrete guys.

I bought the foam in the US and the rest up here with my wholesale discounts.

 

[PhantomEB]

The infloor heat retains heat better why?...... cause its all one warm slab and even will warm up tools left on the floor etc.... even a beer! Not like most shops where the slab is cold or barely lukewarm to the touch and the air is warm.... once the air disappears, you are left with the cold slab and all the warm air is gone. In floor heat, all you need is a small air unit to heat the air back up and it dont take long!

No other way I will go but infloor heat! And I am in Calgary, so take that to heart in your warmer enviroment!

 

[koditten]

Ha, ha. I forgot about the problem of leaving beer on the floor. I used to leave the beer on the floor of unheated shops and it was the perfect temp. Can't do that anymore.

KO

 

[BigGMC]

The floor is too far away to set my beer on

 

[jlckmj]

About $2 per sq foot.

I have about $1,200 to $1,300 into my system not counting the water heater because I had a used one that I got free. I did not count the gas line because I would have run that for any other type of heat I used.

Add a heat source onto the project (another water heater for me) $500 - $800 and it would bring my costs up to about $2000 for 1,000 Sq ft. Add a boiler into the mix and you are looking at another 2-3K

Jim

 

[Bigcanuck]

Thanks for the info. I think my budget of 4k will work then.