When Robert Tomaino of Foremost Constructions began planning a new home in Port Melbourne, the heating had to fit the architecture. Wall space was limited, the owners wanted an all-electric home, and the floors would change from engineered timber in the living areas to tile in the bathrooms and carpet in the bedrooms.
The owners also had two young children who spent much of their time playing on the floor. Whatever system Foremost chose would become part of everyday life throughout the house.
“We looked at hydronic and at other electric systems,” Robert says. “Warmset gave us a single solution working under the engineered timber, the tiles and the carpet — one system, one control philosophy, right through the house.”
The completed home has 111 m² of underfloor heating across 168 m² of heated space, divided into 11 independently controlled zones. Most areas were designed at 75 W/m², with higher outputs of 120–150 W/m² limited to the wet areas.
Getting the details right before installation
Warmset was brought into the project before electrical rough-in. That gave Foremost, the electrician, the flooring trades and Warmset Australia time to work through the heating zones, thermostat locations, electrical loads and floor build-ups together.
It was Foremost’s first Warmset installation, and Robert found that the design required more detail than he had expected. The system had to be planned room by room around three different finishes, their heights and the transitions between them.
The lesson we took from it is about communications rather than technology,” he says. “Confirm during design planning and development the complete floor build-up clearly, the transitions and the threshold heights— not on site.
That experience has given Robert a clearer picture of what to establish early on the next project. It also showed him the value of having knowledgeable local support when a builder is working with the system for the first time.
Support that stayed with the project
For Robert, technical support from Warmset Australia was part of the reason Foremost felt confident proceeding. He had one local point of contact through system design, electrical planning, coordination with the flooring trades and commissioning. That support continued after the family moved in, while they were learning to use the thermostats.
The installation team also worked directly with the other trades to resolve the unfamiliar parts of the job.
"What made the difference was that the Warmset Australia installation team took on the unfamiliar parts of the work themselves rather than handing us a manual and standing back,” Robert says. “On a first installation that is the thing that determines whether the brand holds.”
That support mattered in a home with premium finishes. The Made by Storey engineered timber, in particular, was a significant investment. It was acclimatised in line with the manufacturer’s instructions, while floor sensors and thermostat limits were set to keep it within the specified surface temperature limit.
After the home’s first winter, Robert reports no visible change to the timber: no movement, cupping or change in appearance. The tiled and carpeted areas have performed well too.
How the family uses the heating
The thermostats were initially commissioned at 22 °C. Once the family had lived with the system, they reduced the setting to 20 °C, which they found more comfortable.
Robert sees the result as the heating and the seven-star home working together. The well-insulated building holds warmth, and the family experiences consistent heating throughout the rooms without radiators or fan units taking up wall space.
"They are delighted with the type of heat,” he says. “It is consistent right through the house.”
The electricity bills during the initial period were within the owners’ expectations for a large, all-electric home. The rooftop solar and battery system had not yet been fully commissioned during the period those bills covered, so its contribution was not fully reflected in them.
Foremost is now considering Warmset for two further Melbourne projects. Robert expects to need less guidance the next time, but knowing that technical help is available locally remains part of the appeal.
“Bring Warmset Australia in early and use the technical and installation support on your first project,” he advises. “There is a learning curve, because the system has to be coordinated with the electrical design, the floor finishes and the program. But you are supported through it, and the second project will not look like the first.”
