$$$$ What did you boiler install coat?

[Buzz Saw]

I'm curious what your guy's total cost were for installing your systems. I realize that everyone's system is unique and special.
I'm trying to get a feel for 1.)total project costs and 2.) Would I save money doing a boiler with stoarage or bite the bullet and get a Garn.

I really like the Garn, but I need to be able to justify the up front costs of the Garn to the Commander-in-Chief (my dearest wife) on paper.

In my situation I have a old drafty house built in 1900 plus a 32'x60' pole barn that I plan on heating with in slab radiant.

I understand that I need to tighten up the house to see real gains, which is also in the works. The budget will allow for a major renovation(complete gut ) in about 2 -5 years which will solve most of my draft and insulation issues in the house.

I know asking about others about thier money can be a touchy subject so please share what you are comfortable with.

Thanks!

 

[maple1]

My project was right around $15k CDN.

That includes boiler, loading unit, stand, extra set of refractories, storage tanks, new 80gal. electric water heater, used electric boiler for backup, circ pumps & FPHX & all the misc. plumbing stuff (which REALLY adds up). Also includes almost $2k CDN in just getting the boiler stuff to me (currency exchange, freight & customs/brokerage stuff). Also includes 15% tax on everything I bought here. Also includes stuff I bought to insulate with (pipe insulation, framing for storage tanks, couple bundles of Roxul...). Basically the whole shebang of my entire heating system, except the rads & that piping & zone valves.

I did everything myself except for wiring the water heater & electric boiler, which didn't cost that much - so if not DIYing it, there would be a sizeable install cost to add in too.

 

[jasonh]

Maple, not counting the 2k for customs and such and not knowing the exchange rate at the time you bought everything, I Googled it to be 10k US. Does that sound about right?

15% tax...holy crap

 

[maple1]

Maybe?

Exchange rate at the time was about $1 CDN = $0.95 US. Thought it was bad at the time but way worse now.

There are lots of other cross border variables though - odd plumbing supply stuff is easier to get down there I think, and priced differently. Local source of used propane tanks for storage & pricing is also a big factor.

Forgot another thing that was included in that - having local welder weld on tank fittings. Was a couple hundred or so.

 

[Buzz Saw]

Maple,

Did you have to buy a new chimney liner or a new chimney? That could be a big additional cost.

Also I'm having a heck of a time finding used propane/ anhydrous tanks.

 

[maple1]

No. Chimney was good.

 

[JP11]

I recall I was in the 15k range. I hired out the plumbing, but scrounged the tanks. Includes spray foaming the tanks, having a carpenter built and insulate the box around them after.

JP

 

[Buzz Saw]

15k is looking like the sweet spot if you are already set up for a hydronic system.

I have found used refurbished tanks for $699 plus delivery & tax. So $1500ish for 2 tanks. Does that sound high?

 

[JP11]

I had free tanks.. I think I spent 700 getting 'feet' welded on, and lots of good quality made in the USA fittings put in the sides, top and bottom.

What do guys say.. a dollar a gallon on tanks is about scrap price??

JP

 

[Buzz Saw]

JP11 did you have to bury lines or put in a chimney for your system?

 

[JP11]

Neither.

 

[Buzz Saw]

I had free tanks.. I think I spent 700 getting 'feet' welded on, and lots of good quality made in the USA fittings put in the sides, top and bottom.

What do guys say.. a dollar a gallon on tanks is about scrap price??

JP

I think finding the USA fittings might be harder than finding tanks. What brand fitting did you use? Did you get them at a supply house? Special order?

Finding tanks is the hard for me, welding on the tanks is the easy part for me if that's the route I end up going.

 

[maple1]

Welding fittings on the tank takes a big turn to the hard, when you accidentally pick cast fittings out of the bin at the supplier where it seems they mixed cast with non-cast fittings. Had to get my welder to come out & fix up some pinholes - he was a pro and it still wasn't easy.

I had no other problems with any of my black iron fittings, and I used a lot of them, and I think they all said made in China on them. I used lots of thread tape, and pipe dope, and big wrenches. So aside from making sure you don't get cast ones for ones you are planning to weld (which was hard for my untrained eye, they all looked the same), there might not be a lot more you can do - or at least there wasn't here where there aren't a lot of suppliers to pick from.

 

[Buzz Saw]

Welding fittings on the tank takes a big turn to the hard, when you accidentally pick cast fittings out of the bin at the supplier where it seems they mixed cast with non-cast fittings. Had to get my welder to come out & fix up some pinholes - he was a pro and it still wasn't easy.

I had no other problems with any of my black iron fittings, and I used a lot of them, and I think they all said made in China on them. I used lots of thread tape, and pipe dope, and big wrenches. So aside from making sure you don't get cast ones for ones you are planning to weld (which was hard for my untrained eye, they all looked the same), there might not be a lot more you can do - or at least there wasn't here where there aren't a lot of suppliers to pick from.

I've made the mistake of welding cast fittings in the past. Fought them the whole way. When I was on the last fitting a friend asked me if they were cast. WHAT! I didn't even know fittings were cast. After that day only steel fittings for welding. I started looking at the local supply houses and they have all sorts of fittings made for welding but Lowes/ Home Depot/Menards seem to only carry cast fittings.

I'm a pro welder of sorts, but haven't done any real world pressure vessel welding. The prospect of modifying & fabricating the tanks would be an awesome project. However with 2 young boys dropping in Garn sounds like a good prospect as well.

Time vs money vs wife... Let's see who wins.

 

[Carl Webber]

I tried to go as cheap as I could and only do the bare minimum and needed. I got an old tarm for cheap money and fixed it up myself and helped with the install as much as I could. I also skipped the thermal storage and i used as much used stuff as i could find. In the end I think in total it cost me $6000 plus another $2500 for wood for the winter as it was November and there was no time to let wood dry. If I calculated right my setup should pay for itself in about 4 years.

I'm already looking at trying to get some thermal storage but I think if I do it with propane tanks its still going to set me back another $2000. But the efficiency gains and convenience with storage make it well worth it.

When checking around I heard quotes for new fresh installs complete with everything and a gassification boiler as high as $20,000 and that was without storage.

 

[Tennman]

I welded 6" long x 1 1/2" NPT steel nipples to our tanks so we wouldn't have any threaded joints under 3-4" of foam. Used caps to pressure/ leak test. Had a few pin holes as usual. So all threaded fittings external to foam. The loads on the legs are huge depending on how they're attached. A failed leg weld could kill you (our tanks are vertical). Don't take the leg install lightly.

 

[Coal Reaper]

~$14k IIRC, doing all the work myself except for spray foam. plumbing stuff adds up...
if you PM me your email i can send you an excel sheet listing most of my expenses.
my install was 120' feet from house and i included a "finished" room within my barn.

 

[woodsmaster]

not what you asked but might be useful in making a decision. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/boiler-investment-payoff.55198/#post-55198

 

[MNfarmer]

I bought my indoor boiler used for $150, used heat exchanger for $100, probably $200 worth of copper pipe and fittings, and two pumps ( I forget their cost). I know the total was less than $900 and I did most of the soldering myself.