Condenser boiler - excessive quote?

wadham

Hi all,

We have just received a quote from a local installer (Wiltshire)on a boiler replacement. We're having our Potterton combi replaced and a new rad installed in our kitchen, and we have been quoted £2820 inc VAT for a Glow Worm 38 CXI 38kw condenser boiler, fully fitted.

Our house is a 2 up 2 down semi, with 5 rads, and we have an electric shower, no bath, and tehre are two of us living here.The quote includes removal of our old hot water cistern at the same time.

Does the 38kw boiler sound a little excessive for our property (it's a very small house) - should we be better off going for the 24 or 30kw models? It seems to me that the supplier is recommending the most expensive option in this instance, and from what I have read on this forum, £2800 sounds a bit much for such a job. All our radiators currently have thermostat valves on, and the quote includes the following:

glow worm 38 cxi combi boiler 38kw
flue kit
plume kit
plastics etc
15/22mm tube
600x800k2 radiator
fittings
inhibitor/chemical for flush
trv - thermostatic radiator valve
scale reducer
rf controller time/temp controller
electrics
labour

Many thanks for any replies - I have enjoyed reading up on people's experiences via this website - I now know not to contact British Gas!

thehairybuilder

Wadham ,
COSTS to buy materials boiler £850 + VAT inc jig , flue kit £55 + VAT , plastics = minimal , 15mm copper £1 mt , 22mm copper £2 mt , rad 600x800 single £22.50 + VAT , fittings = minimal , flush £20 + VAT

Price quoted seems expensive to me

wadham

Thanks for confirming my fears. Either way I think we could save some money by choosing a less powerful boiler - however the costs you illustrated here show that maybe this (reputable) installer is maybe not being very fair.

Is there anything else that I may be missing that could justify the high price tag?

BenL

Do you need the wireless controller??

These are quite pricy I believe.

We just went for integral timer and a standard room thermostat on ours.

38kw seems excessive.

We trust our gas engineer and our new house 3 bed semi has got a Worcester Bosdh 30 Si just fitted.

This is 6 rads, 1 towel rail (dual fuel) and a shower that runs off the boiler.

Ben

wadham

Thanks BenL - may I ask how much the installation and components etc cost?

Nile

Hello wadham


Welcome to the MSE site.:wave:

Danni19

Hi,

My OH has a plumbing and heating business near Leeds, and your quote does sound very excessive.

There is no way you would need a 38cxi in a small property such as yours. You would probably only need a 24cxi, and at the very most a 30cxi. I think a 24cxi and all the fixing jigs etc is about £650 + vat, and a plumber will be able to buy radiators at greatly reduced prices.

It would be difficult to say how a fair quote should be without knowing the full details of the job, but I would have thought you should be able to get a quote for less than £2k. I would get some more quotes if I were you.

wadham

Many thanks - sure enough, we've had a quote from another plumber who actually measured the rooms before recommending a 24 as opposed to the 38. Oh, and with a cost of approx 2k too..

The first company has just come back with a quote for some electrical work also - see my new thread above!

BenL

Sorry for the late replay.

We paid £3400 (plus vat if required) for ours doing.

All pipes were relpaced and the boiler was relocated.

All new rads, duel fuel towel rail and worcester 30 Si.

Some rads were also moved due to other building work we are having done.

Ben

moneysavingplumber

The CXi is a combi boiler, therefore the rating required will have little to do with the actual size of the property as most modulate to around 14KW for central heating anyway. The difference in rating relates to domestic hot water performance, the 38 CXi will deliver a domestic hot water flow rate of 15.5 Ltr/min at 35 degree rise, the 30 Cxi delivers 12.3 L/min and the 24 CXi will deliver 9.8 L/min, all subject to adequate pressure and flow rate through the existing water main. The Energy Savings Trust and Part L recommended method of whole house boiler sizing only relates to 'regular' (i.e. non-combi) boiler sizing.

If you prefer to have a bath as opposed to a shower, I would always recommend a combi with the higher flow rate, no matter what the size of the property.

Edit: The 38 CXi has a central heating min/max output of 6.6/30 KW. The range is equally good for smaller or larger properties if you want the higher flow rate.

wadham

Many thanks for that information - its most useful.
As I mentioned above we have an electric shower and no bath, so I presume that the 24 is ample for us.

We are currently looking at the Worcester Bosch model (24), as recommended by our second plumber. The first company was just just way too expensive, as proven by his electrical quote, and did not explain the onformation you have provided, or even ask questions related to our hot water requirements.