New Combi boiler quotes £2470 - £4,500

Liz1966

I hope you can help me sort out the value for money with these quotes.

This is the work - replace conventional boiler with new condensing combi boiler in small 2 bedroom flat. The work is complicated by the fact regulations have changed since the current boiler was installed. It has the flue exiting too close to the corner of a wall & into a neighbours property. Also I live in a scarily expensive area of the country Nr Haslemere, Surrey.

British Gas - quoted £4,500 inc VAT for their own make of boiler. To make the flue legal they said the boiler would have to be moved to the other side of the kitchen where it would partially block the window.

Local plumber - quoted £2,470 inc VAT for a Baxi boiler but didn't specify model. When I pointed out the flue would need to be moved he said "does it? I'll have to check the new regulations" (a cheap quote but I'm worried he doesn't know what he is doing).

Local plumber & heating specialist - quoted £2,873 inc VAT for Ariston combi A. Said it would take 4 days. Would leave boiler in current position & fit flue extention outside to make it legal.

3 very different opinions. The 3rd quotation looks expensive (boiler only costs £672) & will it really take 4 days? However, he was by far the most knowledgable & helpful. Is the quote excessive?

Any help gratefully received!

Sooler

See page 8 of this document as a guide
http://www.idealboilers.com/docs/html/classic_he_p_manual.html

Seems it’s where the flue terminates is what matters so just extending the existing flue to reposition where it terminates seems the most common sense thing to do.

How long it takes is up to the installer, a lot of companies just want to get in and out as fast as possible, get the money and move on to the next job. As the job is rushed you may or may not have some problems afterwards with the general workmanship which you might want to get the installer to come back and fix, and fix again – if you can get them to turn up.

May be the 4 day installer is happier to work at a slower rate but get the job done right, with no need for customers having any cause for complaint.


Looks like British Gas are just interested in making the job the most expensive they can, or misleading you on the options for the flue positioning.

Just for fun get them back and insist on keeping your existing flue and having it extended to reposition where it terminates – they’ll still be expensive, but get them to explain themselves regarding their first quote.

ormus

good god.
boiler for a 2 bed flat, approx. 600 quid.
so fitting 2000 quid!
i reckon 2 days is enough for anyone who calls himself an engineer.

i reckon he should be earning about 200k per annum!
with more holidays than a teacher!!!

Canucklehead

Good morning: Several factors will affect the cost of installation
eg. Flue position( extension/relocation), condensate dispersal, gas pressure (may require upsizing of gas supply), fitting of TRvs and room stat, boiler specification,power flushing of central heating system and addition of inhibitor (failure to do so may void the manufacturer's warranty in some instances).

A CORGI engineer should consider the advice provided in this document when specifying an installation

http://www.est.org.uk/uploads/documents/housingbuildings/ce30.pdf

Your quotation should be detailed.

Good luck.

Canucklehead

ormus

ps,
get anyone but BG.
state of the art rip off merchants, and not even good quality workmanship.

sarahlouise210

starting to worry....has anyone had their boiler replaced re the Warm front Grant ?? We are just having a switch of boiler - using existing pipework and radiators (one extra being supplied) .......flush though obviously after its fitted ...please tell me that this will not cost more than the £2700 grant!!!!

ormus

do you live in haslemere?

AndrewFirth

does anyone know of a good plumber in the birmingham areas, thanks.