New build house: do I install underfloor heating or traditional radiators?

[mcfadden]

About to create a new house on the seaside. It will have gas heating, but how should that heat be distributed? By traditional radiators or underfloor heating? Doesn't that turn the whole house into a giant storage radiator? And how responsive would that be?
Any suggestions or experiences would be appreciated.
Steve

[buildersmate]

Giant storage radiator? - yes, in a way. Water runs through the fabric of the floor in 'zones' at about 40 degrees (where it enters) and heats the floor surface to about 27 degrees. This heats then convects upwards and heats the house.
One of the better systems IMHO with a lot of info on the website is here
http://osmaufh.wavin.com/master/master.jsp
I don't have this system - I have another one but I'd seriously consider Osma if I was doing it again. Suggest you talk to range of suppliers to get knowledgeable.
Advantages are:
Wall-space not used up by rads
Even-ness of the heating throughout
Control to each room through zones, each with their own thermostat - beter control than TRVs
Disadvantages are:
Almost certainly more expensive to install / requires more controls
Requires lots of insulation below the UFH - otherwise as much heat as comes up will be lost into the sub-base
Can't put thick carpet down - requires wood floors and/or mats (or little heats gets out)
the storage rad effect - slow to heat / slow to cool down. Mine comes on 4am mid-winter and goes off 8pm at night
HTH

[pingping]

what do you look like buildersmate? you always write such fantastic answers, I�ve built up this mental picture of you as some sort of god. Are you!?!?

Sorry mcfadden for going off-question!

[terence7556]

ill definately second that, the only one i would look at twice is the cost of surveyors and you need to use them to know. i have a mental picture of adam hart-davies or david attenborough? on a building site

[Figi]

Having lived with underfloor heating I'd say don't touch it with a barge-pole. There's nothing like radiators (apart from an open real fire) when you want a quick blast of heat - and anyway you can't sit with your back to underfloor heating while reading a book!

[buildersmate]

Well thanks, Pingping. Maybe I should establish a fanclub.
Seriously, I'm just a regular guy who like to do most things practical and built his own house over the last four years.