Getting a new boiler

WLM21

How do most folk buy a new boiler ?

(A) Ask a plumber to provide a price to supply and fit it, having seen the house to determine size etc.

(B) client to work out the size, then buying the boiler, then ask the plumber to come and fit, after proving a cost for the fitting, to include any additional pipework etc.

There seem to be good offers from various boiler manufacturers / suppliers which my wife seems tempted by.

I feel the plumber knows best.

Do boilers get a good discount on new boilers, from suppliers such as Plumbcentre?

lukerichardson40

I just had a new boiler fitted as the one which was in the house when I bought it (6 months ago) had given up.

I worked out what kind of output I needed by looking at the number or radiators, under floor heating, bathrooms etc and also accounted for extension in the future.

Then called up my local plumber to advise. He suggested a boiler (Worcester 32 cdi) and offered me a price for one. I then went online, researched the boiler, which seemed good, and found the best price I could. Then went back to him and said 'I can get it for £X, what can you do.

Call around a few plumbers and see who can do it cheapest. You can probably find it for the same price online as a plumber can.

They need to be gas safe registered, make sure they are!

keystone

lukerichardson40 wrote: »

Then went back to him and said 'I can get it for £X, what can you do.

What he has to do is put his labour costs up seeing as how you are depriving him of the margin he needs on materials to run his business properly, pay the taxman, feed his children etc.

Cheers

southcoastrgi

exactly KS if all these customers know everything so well why the h.ell are we even trying to earn a living, i think we should double the labour costs to all customers that want to supply their own boiler & just let them buy it online & then just sit back & wait until there is a problem 2 days before xmas & laugh when the online company says I'm sorry nothing we can do this close to xmas, if the installer supplies the boiler then he should take care of it for you for whatever time he (not the manifacturer) warrentees his work for

southcoastrgi

lukerichardson40 wrote: »

Then called up my local plumber to advise.They need to be gas safe registered, make sure they are!

so really you didn't have a clue & just wanted his advice, knowledge & exepertise for nothing.

so who do you think pays for the GS reg every year or the re-sits every 5 yrs eh ? it come out of the profit he makes from suppling materials, not the labour that is just his wages, so you want him to take the money for his food, mortgage, household bills & pay to be GS reg so he can do a job for you for wages only & in 6 months time go bust because he hasn't made any profit to allow him to run his business, rogue traders there should be a program called rogue customers.

cyclonebri1

Come on you two, we all have to pay the bills and feed the kids:D:D

Methinks we have been here before.

Everyone looks out for the best deal, or do you guys shop exclusively at Harrodds??;););)



My view??, the best deal is always a compromise, the only no no being safety

southcoastrgi

I don't disagree with you CY everyone is after the best deal after all thats why we are all here, however if the customer supplies their own boiler who is the first person they ring when it breaks down & expect them to go around & fix it for free ? the installer not the online company & then when the installer says not my problem phone whoever you bought it from they just stand there with a look of horror on their face & then s lag off the installer to all their friends & anyone else that will listen.

tired_dad

buying yourself and paying someone to fit should be fine in principle. However the fitter charge will take into account the loss of margin in supply of the boiler. Additionally you are losing the warranty etc that would come from getting one company to supply and fit.

For something like a boiler I would not do the above and would much rather have the peace of mind of having a single company to deal with if things went wrong.

keystone

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Methinks we have been here before.

Yes we have and it seems we have to do it again.

The tradesman will have arrived at whatever balance of competitiveness and net income works for him to run his business. If he's trousering large amounts of excess money, no matter how charged for, he'll eventually run out of work because he's too expensive and nobody will employ him. If he's not trousering enough to pay his bills eventually he'll go bust.

So assuming he's reached equilibrium, his mix of earnings will be so-much from labour and so-much from markup, if you deny him the latter he will simply increase the former - he will have no choice in the matter if he wants to stay in business.

So overall you will be paying more, as you'll have materials at a higher base price than he would have paid, plus his displaced markup anyway.

Simples really.

Everyone looks out for the best deal,

Of course they do.

or do you guys shop exclusively at Harrodds??;););)

the WUM in you is just too persuasive isn't he? :D

My view??, the best deal is always a compromise, the only no no being safety

That is spot on. Provided you as a customer are happy and the tradesman is happy all is OK.

Cheers

good_advice

Hiya, if not in great need and can wait till January - I would wait to hear more about the new green deal coming out.
It is said to cover boiler and they are to give free grants of £1,000 to the first xxxx.
Might be worth reading up on what the offerings will be?

This is what I am waiting to learn more about as our boiler is 10+ years old, thankfully still working.

cyclonebri1

southcoastrgi wrote: »

I don't disagree with you CY everyone is after the best deal after all thats why we are all here, however if the customer supplies their own boiler who is the first person they ring when it breaks down & expect them to go around & fix it for free ? the installer not the online company & then when the installer says not my problem phone whoever you bought it from they just stand there with a look of horror on their face & then s lag off the installer to all their friends & anyone else that will listen.

No, if you recall this exact fit only issue came up in another similar thread. My view then and now is exactly that of yours, it's not the best idea, who do you go to if it goes wrong?

The best deal for the whole package is what I was getting at, the costs vary tremendously up here.;);)