Warm Front advice

jellymid

Hi Gordybrock,
Sadly the system seems open to abuse. Try asking Warmfront for another company to quote. There is a thhread about iguana and warmfront here
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=693277&highlight=iguana

Good luck, hope you get something sorted out,
Al

banjo_2

This system is very open to abuse, I have had a qoute to have a condensing boiler fitted and moved from it's present location.

I recieved a quote for £3016.76, now How they got to this outlandish figure is beyond me as two other quotes for the same work were, £2200 and £2380.

I am in touch with Warmfront at the moment to try and sort this out.

jellymid

Hi Banjo,
That must be so frustrating! I have heard the radio 4 programs regarding warmfront grants and abuse of them recently. You have hard figures to show the exact extent of the abuse - have you thought about contacting your MP? If all else fails, it might be worth a shot.

Good luck,
Al

banjo_2

jellymid wrote: »

Hi Banjo,
That must be so frustrating! I have heard the radio 4 programs regarding warmfront grants and abuse of them recently. You have hard figures to show the exact extent of the abuse - have you thought about contacting your MP? If all else fails, it might be worth a shot.

Good luck,
Al

Great minds think alike if the quote that I am about to receive is over the £2700 grant then I shall do as you say and contact Warmfront to see if they will amend it, if not then I shall contact my MP and eaga, thank you for the reply :beer:

zzzLazyDaisy

I am about to have my boiler replaced and also the bathroom radiator due to rust. The remaining radiators are fine. The total cost came to £2778, so I have £78 to pay. I must say that, given both the boiler and radiator are being installed on existing pipework, that seemed a lot to me (the labour charges alone are £1995).

But, as I am getting a new boiler and radiator for £78, I don't think I can complain.

I made the application at the beginning of February, and the work is due to start next week. BUT I phoned Warm Front daily, first asking if an assessor had been appointed, then asking for a date when she would come out, then asking if a contractor had been appointed - at which point I switched to phoning the contractor pestering for a date for the surveyor, then back to WF asking if the grant had been approved... etc etc. Am just off the phone to the contractor - I think she gave me the installation date just to get rid of me.... :-))

banjo_2

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

I am about to have my boiler replaced and also the bathroom radiator due to rust. The remaining radiators are fine. The total cost came to £2778, so I have £78 to pay. I must say that, given both the boiler and radiator are being installed on existing pipework, that seemed a lot to me (the labour charges alone are £1995).

But, as I am getting a new boiler and radiator for £78, I don't think I can complain.

I made the application at the beginning of February, and the work is due to start next week. BUT I phoned Warm Front daily, first asking if an assessor had been appointed, then asking for a date when she would come out, then asking if a contractor had been appointed - at which point I switched to phoning the contractor pestering for a date for the surveyor, then back to WF asking if the grant had been approved... etc etc. Am just off the phone to the contractor - I think she gave me the installation date just to get rid of me.... :-))

The labour cost for me was £2135 and I can't see how they can justify that !
they also wanted to fit an ideal boiler which has a very poor report from a lot of people who have had them fitted. Have a look here

partypopper

hi, I applied for a warm front grant because my back boiler is apparently 25 years old and it doesnt always work. A few weeks after qualifying a rep from east coast gas services came out and told me I will get an Ideal Isar 24HE combi condensing boiler and it will run my existing radiators. No mention of money so presumed the warm front covers it. I might ask for the costing when the work is supposed to start (in 2 months) because i guess i ought to know the price so that if any money is left from the usual allocated £2700, i could then ask for insulation.
I understand that the Ideal Isars have some poor reviews but what worries me is that the installers are putting the boiler in the airing cupboard that is in my bedroom and it is not on an outside wall. I think they take out the cylinder and join the new boiler to existing pipes and to the chimney area. Is this a safe idea? Also they are not removing the old back boiler. I told them that I like my fire so they said they will decommission the boiler and I will be able to use my gas fire. Does this seem sensible or should I have asked them to remove my back boiler? I will let you all know how the installation works out when it happens.

k66

partypopper wrote: »

hi, I applied for a warm front grant because my back boiler is apparently 25 years old and it doesnt always work. A few weeks after qualifying a rep from east coast gas services came out and told me I will get an Ideal Isar 24HE combi condensing boiler and it will run my existing radiators. No mention of money so presumed the warm front covers it. I might ask for the costing when the work is supposed to start (in 2 months) because i guess i ought to know the price so that if any money is left from the usual allocated £2700, i could then ask for insulation.
I understand that the Ideal Isars have some poor reviews but what worries me is that the installers are putting the boiler in the airing cupboard that is in my bedroom and it is not on an outside wall. I think they take out the cylinder and join the new boiler to existing pipes and to the chimney area. Is this a safe idea? Also they are not removing the old back boiler. I told them that I like my fire so they said they will decommission the boiler and I will be able to use my gas fire. Does this seem sensible or should I have asked them to remove my back boiler? I will let you all know how the installation works out when it happens.

MIL had the back boiler of the fire decommisioned and it works fine as a fire, however we paid extra to have the boiler fitted in the garage and thank heavens that we did because the boiler is not silent!
We had the cylinder etc removed and that has given her some extra space.
I suggest you get a written quote.

margaretclare

k66 wrote: »

MIL had the back boiler of the fire decommisioned and it works fine as a fire, however we paid extra to have the boiler fitted in the garage and thank heavens that we did because the boiler is not silent!
We had the cylinder etc removed and that has given her some extra space.
I suggest you get a written quote.

We had a back boiler in the sitting-room with a little gas fire in front. It was no problem to have the gas supply to the boiler disconnected and boiler de-commissioned while leaving the little gas fire in situ and working, i.e. with gas supply still connected to the fire but not to the boiler. We could have had the whole lot taken out and an empty space left where the fireplace used to be, next door have flowers and candles in their empty space, it was our choice entirely. It will have to be a darned cold winter before we ever need to use the little gas-fire, though - all this was done in January 2007 and we've been toasty ever since.

Re boiler being noisy - ours is in the loft and if you ever stick your head up there you hear a faint hum, not a 'noise' as such. We were told the boiler had to be on an outside wall and the site we'd chosen is ideal for it - the outside wall in the loft. Otherwise, it would have had to go on the outside wall in the kitchen, thereby messing up my picture tiles on a tiled wall.

We seem to be in a minority of users who have been completely pleased with all that was done, how it was done and how it has worked since, especially the effect on our gas bills. Why that should be, I have no idea.

Margaret

jellymid

Hi Partypopper,

understand that the Ideal Isars have some poor reviews but what worries me is that the installers are putting the boiler in the airing cupboard that is in my bedroom and it is not on an outside wall. I think they take out the cylinder and join the new boiler to existing pipes and to the chimney area. Is this a safe idea?

I can't comment on safety, but Mum's boiler...this make, I believe... is very noisy. It's in her garage but still wakes her up in the morning. Is there anywhere else they can site it? They will need a vent for it so will have to run piping to an outside wall. Can you ring Warmfront and advise them of your concerns?

Regarding safety, you could post the question on the "in your home" board. There are often plumbers on there who would help, I'm sure. Good luck,
Al