Are you wasting your money on designer radiators?
It’s an interesting question – and no, I’m not for one second saying that designer radiators are a waste of money. They can actually be a great investment that can make a real statement in your home.
So, what am I saying, exactly?
Well, whether it’s due to making common installation errors, ordering the wrong thing or just thinking they’ll add more value than they actually do when it comes to selling, a lot of homeowners are wasting their money – one way or another.
So, as an experienced engineer, I’ve decided to put together some of the biggest reasons that people are wasting their money on designer radiators. These are worth being aware of if you’re considering such a purchase for your home.
1. Ordering without measuring for heat loss
Let’s start with the biggest issue here. There’s absolutely no point in having a beautiful set of radiators that simply don’t heat your rooms. You could have the most stunning radiators, but if they aren’t doing their job, they become expensive ornaments.
I always say it’s better to fit two radiators, or fit a wider, higher radiator, than it is to underheat a room. I’m always paranoid and do my best to make sure my customers will never get cold in their homes.
I can’t bear to think of someone being cold and uncomfortable because of a job I’ve done. Which is why your chosen engineer should measure your heat loss and advise you before you commit to ordering your new designer radiators.
2. Ordering without planning for future decor
Now, I’ve got a couple of points to this section. I’ve seen people spend large sums on designer radiators, then decide to open up the room by removing the wall the radiator is fitted on.
Other common one is to fit a radiator under a window, and then switch to patio doors. It’s not too bad if the radiator will fit on another wall.
I’ve also had a client specifically order pink radiators for their daughter’s bedroom. Two years later they fitted white ones instead. It was an expensive replacement!
This is also a common problem in kitchens, where people fit a specific colour radiator, then a year later replace the entire kitchen and suddenly the colour scheme doesn’t quite fit. So, the moral of the story here? Definitely plan ahead!
3. Ordering without measuring for valves
Another all-too-common layperson error is to order designer radiators without thoroughly considering the space they’re going to go in. Say you purchase a 1000mm radiator which requires a space of 1100mm to allow for the valves and access space.
If you haven’t allowed for the valves at either end, it could be a very costly error!
Some designer radiators have the connections at the bottom of the radiator instead of at either end. This means the pipe centres will be less than the length of the actual radiator.
Again, this is something an engineer should be able to help with, to avoid you having to fork out for new radiators or extra pipework to make your radiator work in your space.
4. Renovating for profit and making a loss
Column radiators and vertical space-saving radiators can look in any home and can add value when you’re renovating. However, choosing special colours or designs could not be to every buyer’s taste.
Especially if you’re looking to sell up in the next couple of years, it might be worth it to choose designer radiators that are neutral enough to work with a range of different decors.
Whereas, if you were to fit bright red radiators in your home, someone may struggle to see how they can personalise the room to their tastes without resulting in a colour clash.
5. Fitting special radiators too soon
This next one often comes as a surprise to people. I’ve personally seen numerous situations where the pipework and radiators were fitted too early during decoration or renovation.
The result? Beautiful designer radiators get scratched, damaged, and covered in dust plaster and paint.
There’s also the issue that radiators have to be removed and re-fitted for walls to be painted and wallpaper hung. This gives a chance for radiators to be dropped and scrapped.
The pipework should be fitted in the exact positions, then the radiators installed only after all plastering, painting, decorating and carpets have been fitted.
Advice from an experienced engineer
If none of the above apply to you, then you’re in no way wasting your money. In fact, designer radiators can be a great addition to any home. Well, as long as you’re happy paying the extra money, of course!
TIP: I’ve compared some of the different types of radiators in my recent blog, so you can get a better idea of some of your options.
Just recently I did a job for a client who wanted white column radiators and a special finish sculpted cast iron radiator. We calculated the heat output for them. The customer measured the walls themselves and suggested the radiators.
On visiting, before ordering (as these were special order and paint finishes), we discovered something alarming. The customer had forgotten to add the extra space for the valves.
This could have ended up costing the client a huge amount of money. So, always measure twice, so you only have to cut once. Got it? Good!
Conclusion
Thanks for reading. Designer radiators are becoming a more common choice for modern households. This can be a great choice, but unfortunately not everyone makes wise decisions.
So, check the above points and ensure that you’re not wasting your money on designer radiators. If you need any help or advice, an experienced engineer should be happy to help.
Do you have any questions about whether or not you’re wasting your money on designer radiators? Leave me a comment below. I’m always happy to hear from you!
