Installation of central heating

xxxpinkladyxxx

Thanks for your advice. Just found out that my brother knows someone who can do it. He's going to come round and give me a quote. Has said that he would like to do over a weekend, preferably with the place empty because he will need to have floorboards up, etc. Looks like me, my boyfriend and cats will be off to my mums! At least its warm there.

calleyw

xxxpinkladyxxx wrote:

Thanks for your advice. Just found out that my brother knows someone who can do it. He's going to come round and give me a quote. Has said that he would like to do over a weekend, preferably with the place empty because he will need to have floorboards up, etc. Looks like me, my boyfriend and cats will be off to my mums! At least its warm there.

When we had ours done 3 bed house with new combi,back boiler and tanks removed. It took about 5 and half days.

Normally he said they allow 6 days but as we had only moved in a few months before we did not have lots of stuff. So it saved moving stuff and we just let him get on with it.

He also said the same about it being better for you to go away makes it easier for them.

Oh and we paid £4100 for new combi and 7 radiators.

Yours

Calley

ohreally

One of the guys at work put mine in. Started on the Satarday at 09.00 and mounted the rads and fitted some of the pipe work runs, returned on the Sunday, mounted and connected the boiler and commisioned the installation. All in less than 2 x 8 hour shifts from start to finish. Up and downstairs, 7 rads and 7 trv's.

moneysavingplumber

It can be done very fast, but the chances are that it won't be done properly. If it's done quickly then it's likely most of the pipe work will be plastic push-fit, which alot of people use now but I'm not a fan of. If the plastic is not 'barrier pipe' (incorporating and aluminium barrier layer) then it will allow air ingress and your system will be prone to sludge and corrosion as a result. In addition to this, I have found that where plastic joints have been put under duress and coupled with the heat, the back-nuts of polybutelene fittings have a tendency to crack, rendering the joint a disaster-waiting-to-happen.

Just the commissioning of a system so that it is fully purged of air, chemical flushed of flux and debris, treated and balanced to 20 degree differential to comply with bulding regulation Part L takes a day in itself.

As well as thermostatic radiator valves, the central heating should be time controlled and incorporate a room thermostat to comply with HC5/HR5 (HR5 also requires cylinder stat and time control of stored hot water) Basic Practice. All these things take time and cost money. Electrical work needs to be compliant with building regulation Part P.

I wouldn't necessarily concern yourself with how long it will take per se, just be sure it's fitted correctly, preferably in copper throughout, and that it will be commissioned correctly and fully (it may invalidate your boiler's warranty if not) and that the people carrying out the work are fully qualified to do so.

http://www.corgi-gas-safety.com/section_gas_law/about_installer_check_installer.asp

Given what you have described, a condensing combi and six rads should be costed at somewhere between £2.5K and £3K, assuming all the above is to be done as recommended.

black-saturn

moneysavingplumber wrote:

Given what you have described, a condensing combi and six rads should be costed at somewhere between £2.5K and £3K, assuming all the above is to be done as recommended.

So your saying my combi boiler and 5 rads fitted by a Corgi fitter at 1K is no good?

moneysavingplumber

black-saturn wrote:

So your saying my combi boiler and 5 rads fitted by a Corgi fitter at 1K is no good?

Not necessarily, it depends when it was fitted, what materials were used etc, all I'm saying is that I wouldn't personally be able to do it at that price and be satisfied that I'd used materials I was happy with. Condensing combis that I consider to be good quality cost around £700/£800 including flue and VAT. Based on the above that would leave £200 for labour, radiators, tube and fittings, contols, rad valves, chemicals and electrics. Impossible.

You may have some exceptional circumstances and it would make a big difference if it was fitted before April 2005. I can't comment on your installation without seeing it and knowing all the relevant details.

Fully and correctly commissioning a new system and boiler takes the best part of a day in itself, so one day installations are impossible in my view, regardless of how many plumbers the job is flooded with. If two plumbers carcassed the job out in plastic in one day, it would still take one of them another visit to flush the system and complete the commissioning procedures.

calleyw

moneysavingplumber wrote:

It can be done very fast, but the chances are that it won't be done properly. If it's done quickly then it's likely most of the pipe work will be plastic push-fit, which alot of people use now but I'm not a fan of. If the plastic is not 'barrier pipe' (incorporating and aluminium barrier layer) then it will allow air ingress and your system will be prone to sludge and corrosion as a result. In addition to this, I have found that where plastic joints have been put under duress and coupled with the heat, the back-nuts of polybutelene fittings have a tendency to crack, rendering the joint a disaster-waiting-to-happen.

Thanks for that as I am sure they have used that in my place under the floor boards but nice looking copper pipe coming out of the floor.

I will keep an eye on my system.


Yours

Calley

xxxpinkladyxxx

I'm getting central heating put into my house this weekend, thank God because it's absolutely freezing in here! I have 2 guys coming round to do it and they think they will be finished by Monday latest. The price they have given me is £1,500 labour and he asked for £1,200 for parts (i.e. radiator, combi boiler, etc). Is this a good price? I think it is but want to check.

I have a 3 bedroomed semi-detached house. I'm having 7 radiators (one in front room, one in backroom, one downstairs in the hallway, one in the upstairs hallway and one in all three bedrooms. There has never been a central heating system in this house so there is no replacing anything. He said that I should get some change out of the £1,200 as well.

thehairybuilder

:think: £1200 for materials seems to be a decent price dependant on make and model of combi obviously BUT £1500 for 2 men to work over weekend seems far too much . Depends on where you are I guess (and also , perhaps , how good they are )

canny_yorkshireman_2

Good news on the heating front but I feel that you did not get any other quotes from other plumbers/heating engineers. Its always agood ploy to get at least 3 quotes and try for recomendations as these are good in respect to previous work. Have you asked the guys for any refferences from past customers and can they present receipts for the items such as timers,thermostats radiators and boiler they should get at least 30% discount from their suppliers so try to grab yourself some of that discount dont be afraid to ask As to the price it sounds like thats about right for a good job but with other quotes you may have been able to barter the preferred installer.