Cost of replacing back boiler with Combi

JasonBrown83

Hi all I hope Im posting in the right place, if not I do apologise.

My wife and I recently bought our first house in York, when we bought it we new we would have to replace the old Baxi back boiler with a more modern energy efficient boiler. So over the last few months I've been getting some quotes and they seem to be on the high side. The work to be done is as follows:

• Remove existing back boiler
• Install new combi boiler in loft
• Run new external pipe work from the gas meter in the kitchen to loft

So far the quotes I've got are in the region of £2800 + VAT

Is this on the high side? If so what should I be expecting to pay?

matelodave

Sounds about right as you've got quite a lot of re-plumbing to be done to get the pipework & gas supplies diverted from the old boiler position to the new together with rearranging plumbing to get rid of the old hot water tank. How many quotes have you had and what boiler are they proposing.
Do you really need to get rid of the old Baxi back boiler, they were always quite reliable, there's not much to go wrong and unless I really wanted to remodel my living room I'd be inclined to keep it and upgrade the controls.

teddysmum

That sounds about right.


My best quote , a year ago was £3000 for a new combi, new gas run , 7 new radiators and a gas fire fitting. Some were as high as £3700.


(I'm in Staffordshire)

highguyuk

I'll just add that the price seems fair too. What make/model of boiler and what heating controls does this include?

topicalcat

If it ain't broke don't fix it. Even if it is not as efficient as a modern boiler that teplacement cost will be more than years worth of energy bills. Pick the wrong combi boiler and it might not last as long as your Baxi back boiler? Save your money till it dies. If your chimney flue is like mine then when the fire/backboiler is on the chimney breast is warmed up and holds heat for several hours afterwards, giving out heat overnight like a storage heater. You will not get that with a combi.

Another thought, my heating is a woodburning stove with back boiler which heats the hot water and cenral heating. If you fancy that idea you could eventually replace your gas back burner with a woodburning one? You have time on your side to think about it whilst your existing Baxi is still doing sterling work

facade

topicalcat wrote: »

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

My glow worm 45/2 has an efficiency rating of only 68.4%

The best Condensing boilers do around 91%

assuming my gas bill is £438 per year (EON increased their prices by 27% today :eek:, what a good job I'm on a fixed tarif until next Feb )

The new fangled one would cost 68.4/91 x £438 i.e. £329 a saving of £108 a year.

Given the lifespan of a condensing boiler, and the maintainance contract it needs and the £3000 cost, plus the redecoration & making good, and possibly replacing the gas fire , it just isn't cost effective, I won't live long enough to get the money back

r2015

Given the lifespan of a condensing boiler, and the maintenance contract it needs and the £3000 cost, plus the redecoration & making good, and possibly replacing the gas fire , it just isn't cost effective, I won't live long enough to get the money back

You're only spending £3,000? I'm getting quotes up to £8,000 to replace my 23 year old warm air heating, Even my children, when they inherit the house won't have got the money back.

At least they will be able to sell the house. :rotfl:


And I need a new shower as well.

and the maintainance contract it needs

At least it won't be £250 a year that my warm air heating was costing me.

facade

Bad luck with the cost.

I meant that it isn't cost effective to replace a working boiler to "save money" , if the system has broken and cannot be repaired then it isn't a case of saving money, you need a replacement.

captainhindsight_2

topicalcat wrote: »

. If your chimney flue is like mine then when the fire/backboiler is on the chimney breast is warmed up and holds heat for several hours afterwards, giving out heat overnight like a storage heater. You will not get that with a combi.

Lol. The boiler is that inefficient the flue gasses are hot enough to warm up the chimney breast and provide heat to the house.... :rotfl:

I think if someone got that with a new boiler they would be really p***ed off. :rotfl::rotfl:

RightRevBod

Our Baxi back boiler died last week, and we are having it replaced by a new conventional condensing boiler (not combi) in the airing cupboard upstairs. That is costing us £3500, including boiler, new hot water tank, new immersion for backup, new pump and thermostat.

Will be glad when it is completed as we are a bit chilly at the moment.

At least with the immersion and tank we have hot water. If we had all our eggs in one basket with a combi we would have been stuffed.