New Boiler - CORGIs barely cheaper than BG

biggus_richus

We currently have a Potterton Kingfisher conventional floorstanding boiler. We've been advised that it's old/inefficient/inadequately ventilated/difficult to get parts for by the BG service engineer and are considering a replacement.

We have a 1960s three bedroom detached house, one bathroom, nine radiators, no TRVs. The new boiler will have to be sited in a new position - same room but moved to an external wall. All quotes include retaining the hot water cylinder and converting the system to fully pumped - currently on gravity. So far, we've had three utility companies in and four local CORGIs:
British Gas: £3900 (British Gas (Gloworm?) 330+)
Southern Electric: £3500 (Gloworm hx15 - includes £350 for disposal of asbestos parts, which no one else has identified)
nPower: £4800 (Gloworm hx24)
CORGI A: £3900 (verbal quote, Vaillant model unknown)
CORGI B: £3800 (verbal quote, Worcester model unknown)
CORGI C: no quote as yet, but wants to replace pipework throughout the house as he believes it's inefficient. Not confident this quote will beat the rest.
CORGI no quote yet.

None of the CORGIs have provided a written quote yet, some we've been waiting longer than a week. We can't get any personal recommendations and have sourced these from a thread on a local community forum.

I'm gobsmacked that our cheapest quote thus far is from a utility company. Opinion on these boards suggested we could look at getting the job done £1000 cheaper than BG.

If anyone can recommend an engineer that would service Newbury that would be great, but is it a case that I need to get more quotes in from independent CORGI engineers?

Thanks for reading,
Rich

Canucklehead

Good morning: I'd say you have enough quotes in to judge whether the cost is typical for your area and type of installation. CORGIs A + B are quoting for a superior brand of boiler (Vaillant, WB) where as the utilities are quoting on a Glow-worm. You need to find out the specific models and compare the quotes like for like as you could discover huge variation in the specification especially boiler warranty period. In regard to an engineer, a Reading based CORGI has this helpful website .

HTH

Canucklehead

biggus_richus

Thanks for your reply. Have seen that website previously, unfortunately the site author doesn't do installation work.

CORGI D has given a written quote of £2985, supplying a Vaillant Ecotec 618. No powerflush, as apparently not a prerequisite for the boiler.

Canucklehead

biggus_richus wrote: »

Thanks for your reply.
CORGI D has given a written quote of £2985, supplying a Vaillant Ecotec 618. No powerflush, as apparently not a prerequisite for the boiler.

Good afternoon: CORGI D should be including a powerflush as well as a 'Boiler Buddy' or 'Magnaclean' at that price level...at the very least he/she should be following BS 7593 as detailed in the Vaillant installation manual. Btw, my OH installs Vaillant (and Viessmann) and powerflushes all his installations. Also make sure the Benchmark (p.54) is completed and the boiler is notified via CORGI. Are you having TRVs as well?

HTH

Canucklehead

biggus_richus

Thanks; TRVs are quoted at an additional £40 per radiator. When I asked about a power flush, he said not required, although he said he could visit a month before and add some sort of chemical to the system to de-sludge. Quote doesn't include a Magnaclean either, but he has offered to add one.

Slightly confused as I think CORGI D would supply a system boiler whereas the rest are for vented systems.

Think I am going to have to ring a couple more engineers for quotes...

annieR

Why not go with British Gas. We are having a replacement boiler fitted and they came in with a very near quote to everyone else and the back up service is excellent.

richkohring118

me and my boss sub contract for BG for half of the week. The price is a rip off. You really should have a powerflush, and if as its a vented system you should think about a magnaclean too as a powerflush never gets everything out and running dirty water trough a new boiler is madness.

only draw back of a system boiler is the exra pressure the system will be under might cause (or show up) some minor leaks. but might be a good thing because at least youll know about them when the pressure drops and they can be fixed.

If youve only got one bathroom why not go for a combi boiler, get rid of the tanks and cylinder, freeing up space, will cost a little more but migt be worth it.

fermostock

I have a 4 bedroom detached house & I had a quotation this week from British Gas for £4300 after discount to supply & fit boiler in loft plus thermostats electronic timer etc & I will have to fit a loft ladder & put floor boards down from the hatch to the site for the boiler.

EON have also given me a quote (which I am going for) of £1419.34 & they will lay the down floor boards to work from & it also includes cavity wall insulation.Also I can pay monthly with interest free credit over 12 months so my money can stay in the bank earning interest.

bronco

npower will give you £100 if you show them a british gas boiler installation quote thay cant beat

biggus_richus

annieR wrote: »

Why not go with British Gas. We are having a replacement boiler fitted and they came in with a very near quote to everyone else and the back up service is excellent.

Because conventional wisdom is that they massively overcharge. As do some of the CORGI engineers it seems - still no quotes from the two most expensive which leads me to think they don't want the work. I may give BG a call to tell them they're too expensive and see where it goes.

richkohring118 wrote: »

If youve only got one bathroom why not go for a combi boiler, get rid of the tanks and cylinder, freeing up space, will cost a little more but migt be worth it.

Thanks for the suggestion. Recently had the bathroom refurbished with a new shower - a combi boiler would mean another new shower though, right?

fermostock wrote: »

EON have also given me a quote (which I am going for) of £1419.34 & they will lay the down floor boards to work from & it also includes cavity wall insulation.Also I can pay monthly with interest free credit over 12 months so my money can stay in the bank earning interest

Thanks - unfortunately, EON don't install in my area.

bronco wrote: »

npower will give you £100 if you show them a british gas boiler installation quote thay cant beat

Oh yes - we're already pursuing that avenue:beer:

horseylover

bronco wrote: »

npower will give you £100 if you show them a british gas boiler installation quote thay cant beat

npower will probably try and undercut BG on a like for like quote to avoid paying out the £100. Contact them - your £100 in either way.