Possibly a cheaper heat source might be a pellet stove or 2 downstairs, but they can be expensive to buy and have fitted if your chimneys need lining. We haven’t done a proper winter in the house, but I suspect heating cost around 35-50 euros per week with our 12kw stove and letting the heat go upstairs
1 Like
Thanks I will try. I am deeply appreciative of your help and a recent devotee of this forum (see other posts) but am a normal human being I.e. thick and you are obviously working on a higher level than I can attain. It’s all a mystery to me. But thank you anyway. I need to figure this out but doubt that the average estate agent is at 3rd Dan like you. As Saxondale said: Your Kung Fu is good!
2 Likes
Ah that’s more like it.
As for energy prices in Spain & France I can’t help but a quick search on the web should do. What you will need is insulation this could half or more the costs of heating, If you do change the boiler you can also install a hotwater tank coupled to it for winter use this will cut your electricity bill by ±/ 40% during those months.
If I were you, I’d ask for copies of the owner’s energy bills.
2 Likes
Not surprising, building calculations are all part of my day job. Though I’m not even a white belt when it comes to martial arts. I did work for a few years with a Sensei 8th Dam in judo. He wasn’t the most diplomatic person I’ve worked with, had a deep maffiosi type of voice, so I handled the clients, did the admin, quotes etc. He did the leg work on the sites, we had the cleanest most efficient & safest building site in France.
1 Like
Ive got a house in Normandy of similar size. Log burner in lounge and oil fired CH. We use about 8 stere of wood (€600 ish) and about 900 litres (€1000) of oil/year. Also 1 gas bottle/year and €95 electricity /month, including EV charges
1 Like
Seconded!
2 Likes
Wozza, my message was a joke based on the little known but revered comedy character Saxondale. (Steve Coogan’s finest hour). Ex roadie turned suburban pest controller. In one great episode he confronts a hi-fi salesman on db etc of speakers and cables. The salesman gets one up on Saxondale who then says: your kung fu is good. Watch it. Hilarious.
Little did I know you are the real thing Martial arts-wise.. My best friend is at shave your head stage. Got arrested in Cannes last year for beating up two muggers who tried to grab his Breitling (he is also a pilot).
Fun real stories…and old TV that keeps me sane. None of this modern Sexflix crap.
Oh no, not me, but a chap / we became good mates, I worked with. Sounds like he and your friend will get along well together. My friend used to train the GIGN, so well known to the police, which helped him out on the odd occasion 
The energy ratings quoted by estate agents come from the diagnostic surveys which are notoriously variable and inaccurate. The ‘Que Choisir’ organisation had a number of surveys done on the same house and the ratings varied from C to E ! As others have said, the best thing to do is to ask the current occupier if you can see their bills for the last 12 months.
My own stone built home has 12 oil fired radiators, which dependent on the weather, consume between 1000 and 1200 litres of fuel oil per annum with a boiler that is 25yrs old. Our electricity bill, which includes some heating and a fair bit of AC in summer is 1,500 Euro p.a. In fairness, all of our external walls are internally insulated and we have a 30cm depth of loft insulation. Most people who visit us remark that it is warmer in our home in winter (around 22C), than that to which they are accustomed. We are in Vendee on the west coast with perhaps a milder climate than more inland areas.
Having said all that I still think that an estimation of 6 - 8k a year is ridiculous.
You are welcome. I forgot to mention the oil central heating does the 21C average. In the evenings we light the living room woodburner and easily arrive at 26C doors closed. Doors open heats hallway and upstairs rooms and keeps the overall temperature overnight. Our rooms are on average 35 - 40m2, overall size of building is about 300m2 incl. unheated Attic
1 Like
Thanks a lot Robert. You confirmed my thoughts - incredibly variable and somewhat dubious…
Thank You will look into that.
There is a bill that has received support in the Senate to review the energy audit details of already climate efficient old stone properties.
Might take time to change, cinsidering recent political issues.
Sorry, public health warning follows…
Do NOT run a wood burner with it’s doors open, ever. You will fill the air in your your house with dangerous particulates which can cause all kinds of respiratory problems.
Also the less efficient burning of wood caused by not closing the fire properly will increase the amount of air pollution outside your home too.
1 Like
I second/third etc. that, but would also add that you need to ask about their lifestyle during the heating season i.e. do they heat the whole house continually or do they hunker down in as few rooms as possible?
Thanks, will do. Also re woodburners, you are right. Even closed they are a health hazard. We forked out 6,000 euros for ours here in Spain, because it is Danish and has latest EU certified features. For anyone looking for a good safe woodburner - look to Denmark!
There, I fixed that for you.
I imagine/hope @Bettina meant leaving the internal house doors open rather than those on the woodburner
3 Likes
I stand corrected but in my case I have to have one because of the house I have. Plus a do like a fire in winter.