Boiler Quotes - Help Me Choose!

mleonard79 · 14 July 2006 at 1:29PM

Hi everyone,
Hope I'm posting this in the right place. Ok we're in the process of getting a new boiler through the EEAC's Heatcare scheme (my dad's in his eighties so we qualify for a grant of £500 and int free loan up to £2000.) As our boiler, radiators and pipes are nigh on 20 years old we need to get the boiler replaced with a combi condensing boiler, new radiators and new pipework. I've got two quotes to choose from but am not sure who to go for and need to decide soon as the application needs to be in next week.

1 Evo 30 Condensing Combi Boiler
6 off stelrad compact radiators (all K2)
7 off 15mm westherm thermostatic radiator valves
9 off 15 mm astra lockshield valves
All pipe and fittings required to complete job

£2,980 (Gas Line)

2 Condensing Combination Boiler from range (depends what they have in
bulk at the time but would probably be a Vokera or Ideal model)
6 Barlo steel panel radiators
1 Room Thermostat with Boiler interlock
Pipework

£2,870.00 (Danros)

I know the quotes aren't especially detailed - this is because that is all the EEAC apparently need to push through the application. What is the Evo 30 boiler like?? What do people think of the costs? They're reasonably similar so I'm not sure who to go with. If anyone with knowledge of these things has any opinions let me know. Also if anyone has used the companies in question I'd be really greatful to hear your experiences. Thanks a lot.

Michelle

Mr_Warren_2 · 14 July 2006 at 3:08PM

I would go for solution 2 with additional Thermostatic rad valves (they cost £7 each from Wickes)

mleonard79 · 14 July 2006 at 5:39PM

Hi Mr Warren,
I think thermostatic valves for all the radiators are included in option 2 - the guy who did the quote set it out in very simple terms for the EEAC requirements but other things are included (ie all the new pipework) and he did talk about thermostatic valves for the radiators at the time so I'm pretty sure they're included in the price. The guy who did the first quote was more thorough but I think the second quote probably included just as much. Any other reasons why you'd go for 2? Thanks.

the_gasman_2 · 15 July 2006 at 10:44PM

Michelle,

Just to let you know that the Evo boiler is actually an Ideal Isar, but badged up as an Evo for plumb centre. Its identical with same literature, but works out slightly cheaper. I watched them being made when i went to Hull to ideal boilers.
Early Ideal Isars had a problem with the components not working together during field trials. This has now been ironed out and i have been asured by Ideal that the performance of these boilers is now greater than the Ideal classic(extremely reliable boilers).
I am now installing worcester bosch as i find them to be the best boiler on the market for the customer, but remember all installers have their own recommendations.
Good luck.

mleonard79 · 16 July 2006 at 2:04PM

Hi Gasman,
Thanks for that. The guy who came to do the quote did explain that it was an ideal Isar just under a different name and with a better extended warranty. I think I will go with the other quote though so not sure what boiler I'll be getting yet but he did say most probably a vokera or ideal. What do you think about the two quotes? Thanks again.

Michelle

MarkyMarkD · 16 July 2006 at 4:18PM

I'm not sure why your pipes and rads should need replacing after 20 years - our system in our old house was well over 30 years old (boiler, pipes, rads, the whole lot) and worked perfectly well.

Are they not just changing the type of system from a traditional to combi system for the sake of it, and bumping up the cost several-fold accordingly?

Our current house is 23 years old and so is the whole system, and even if I did get a new boiler (which I'm not planning to) I certainly wouldn't intend to replace anything else.

(Innocent customer perspective - professionals' comment welcomed).

mleonard79 · 16 July 2006 at 6:33PM

Hi MarkyMarkD,
Well some of the radiators don't work very well so we were keen to get them replaced ourselves but I guess they may not work very well due to the old boiler not working well. As for replacing the pipework with the new combi condensing boilers the kind of pipes we have are far too narrow to work so this is necessary apparently. I didn't know you could still get conventional systems? As far as I know the combi ones are the best though. Of course I'm no expert either so any experts that want to chip in with their views are more than welcome!

Michelle

MarkyMarkD · 16 July 2006 at 9:36PM

You can definitely get conventional boilers, although they should be condensing conventional boilers from what I understand.

The fact that it's the change to a combi system which is causing the pipework to need replacing is what caused me to question the change of system type.

From what I have seen/experienced, combi systems work OK in flats/small houses with little use of water; they are pathetic in large houses with lots of use of water. This is definitely my opinion and not established fact.

My parents (in a large house) went from conventional to combi and now suffer from appalling low hot water pressure - almost a given with a combi system, I believe - which is very annoying indeed. The cost savings from not storing hot water in a tank are fairly illusory as tanks are very well insulated - and an airing cupboard is a good thing in my book.

mleonard79 · 16 July 2006 at 11:30PM

Don't like the sound of that low hot water pressure - what do others with combi boilers out there think? We have a three-bed flat so reasonably large, would it be large enough to cause this low pressure? The people who did the quotes didn't even mention replacing the conventional system with another conventional system so I just assumed that every new boiler these days was a combi. All the companies were recommended by the EEAC though so I wouldn't think they would be recommending companies that give bad advice but I guess you can never be sure about anything. As for the cost savings well I'm hoping they'll be reasonably significant as our consumption of gas over the last year has been mind-boggling! That's one of the main reasons we're doing this. Thanks for the opinions.

Michelle

Hillfly · 17 July 2006 at 7:28AM

We have a 4 bed detached house and run a Worcester Bosch condensing combi boiler.
The hot water pressurte is great - so much so that we got rid of our pathetic electric shower and now use one that runs direct form the hot water system.
I guess it depends on the water pressure in your area but also i think you need to make sure you get a model of boiler that can cope with the demand you require. I'm sure any decent installer would advise you on this.

mleonard79 · 17 July 2006 at 3:27PM

Hi Hillfly,
Thanks for that, eases my mind a little. I do think since we're in a flat and not a large house (albeit a large flat) we should be ok with pressure, fingers crossed anyway! Thanks.

Michelle

Boiler Quotes - Help Me Choose!

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