Case Study: Full Heating & Plumbing Renovation for a Large Farmhouse in Lichfield

[Introduction Paragraph] Taking on a massive property renovation gives you the perfect blank slate to completely modernise your energy efficiency. For this project in Lichfield, Staffordshire, the clients had completely gutted a large, traditional farmhouse. They wanted to ditch the property's old, inefficient fossil-fuel boiler and replace it with a high-performance, low-carbon heating system that could easily meet the demands of a sprawling three-storey family home.

Because the property was stripped back to the brick, they brought in the expert team at Total NRG to design and install the entire heating and primary plumbing infrastructure from scratch.

The Project Details

Location: Lichfield, Staffordshire

Property Type: Large 3-Storey Farmhouse (Full Gut Renovation)

Previous Heating: Outdated Fossil Fuel Boiler

Technologies Installed: 2x Stiebel Eltron HPA-O 13.2 Plus Air Source Heat Pumps with a 500Ltr cylinder, 200ltr buffer unit.

Infrastructure: Underfloor Heating (UFH) across all three floors and complete primary plumbing using ROTH insulated press pipe.

The Challenge: Heating a 3-Storey Property

A large, multi-storey farmhouse requires a serious amount of heat and hot water. A single standard heat pump would struggle to meet the demands of a home this size. Furthermore, because the property was completely gutted, the clients didn't just need a heat pump—they needed a trusted partner to install the entire core plumbing infrastructure reliably, cleanly, and efficiently before the new floors and walls were finished.

The Total NRG Solution

We designed a comprehensive, heavy-duty renewable energy and plumbing package tailored to the farmhouse's large footprint.

Cascaded Heat Pumps: To meet the property's high heating demands, we installed a cascaded system with two Stiebel Eltron HPA-O 13.2 Plus Air Source Heat Pumps. These premium units work together in tandem to provide incredibly efficient, reliable heat. They were paired with a high-capacity Stiebel Eltron 500 Ltr DHW tank unit to ensure an ample supply of domestic hot water.
3-Storey Underfloor Heating: To ensure maximum efficiency from the heat pumps, we designed and laid a complete Underfloor Heating (UFH) system across all three floors of the farmhouse. This provides invisible, luxurious, and evenly distributed heat to every single room.
Complete Infrastructure Plumbing: We didn't stop at the heating. Total NRG installed all the main infrastructure plumbing throughout the gutted property, utilising high-quality ROTH insulated press pipe to guarantee a leak-proof, highly insulated, and durable water delivery system for decades to come.

The Results: A Future-Proofed Family Home

By bringing Total NRG in during the "gutted" phase of the renovation, the homeowners were able to completely transform the energy profile of this traditional farmhouse.

They have successfully moved away from expensive, dirty fossil fuels and now enjoy a fully modernised, smart-controlled home with luxurious underfloor heating on every level. The neat, professional plant room and premium ROTH plumbing infrastructure give them absolute peace of mind for the future.

Planning a Major Home Renovation?

If you are gutting a property, doing a barn conversion, or building a new home in Staffordshire or the Midlands, getting your primary plumbing and heating designed by renewable experts is the most important step of the build.

Total NRG provides complete, end-to-end design and installation services for major renovations. Contact us today to discuss your architectural plans and get a completely free estimation.