British Gas-fitted Boilers, Any Good?

Smodlet

Hi all,

Boiler dying, have to get a new one soon, quotes down to British Gas and one small, independent, need to make a decision. If anyone has any feedback, good or bad, about BG fitting combi boilers, please let me know as soon as.

Many thanks.

C_Mababejive

Do you have any feedback about the independent..?

Cardew

BG usually do an excellent job, albeit normally charge 50% or more than an independent RGI.


Bearing in mind that several manufacturers have a standard 5 year guarantee, some extendable to 10 years for a smallish fee, I would go with an RGI who will undertake to service boiler.


WHICH give Worcester Bosch and Veissmann their highest ratings. I suggest you ring both manufacturers and ask which RGIs in your area they recommend.

Smodlet

Hi, thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly. Feedback I have is he was recommended by our next door neighbour, who has become a firm friend, when we first moved here plus, we have used him ourselves so feel on pretty firm ground. He has yet to come back to us with firm quotes but the ball-park figures were very close to BG, whose first quote of £2,300 I have managed to talk down to £2000... never knew the gas boiler trade was on a par (imho) with double-glazing and second-hand cars until recently... please beware, Money Savers.

macman

I'd be amazed if BG were not at least 40% more, so I suspect you are not comparing like for like-and what are the 2 boilers proposed by BG and the independent RGI?

Smodlet

Well, there you see, I was comparing like with like. BG apparently fit only Worcester Bosch and Vaillant, WB being a bit cheaper and we now know we need a 30kw boiler. I'm so not technical, that's what men are for, imho; I'm about the money, money, money.

The independent guy, whom we already know and trust, came in at £1,850 for a new Baxi with a 10 year guarantee but the offending, current boiler is a Baxi so have been put off getting another. His quote for WB was all of £100 lower than BG's until I talked them down £300 so now they are the cheapest for that boiler, at £2k.

We've had four quotes altogether, one from Helplink, who were £70 more than BG... plus the guy set all my alarm bells ringing and the feedback on here about Helplink backed up my instincts.

The 4th quote was from an outfit I had never heard of called One Green Place, who wanted £1k before they would even send out a techie to do a gas survey... yeah, whatever. So, as far as I can tell, BG not doing too badly on price and the Helplink one, who used to work for them, said it was the best BG price he had come across in a long time. Do you know anything about their workmanship, MacMan?

Cardew

Smodlet wrote: »

Well, there you see, I was comparing like with like. BG apparently fit only Worcester Bosch and Vaillant, WB being a bit cheaper and we now know we need a 30kw boiler. I'm so not technical, that's what men are for, imho; I'm about the money, money, money.

The independent guy, whom we already know and trust, came in at 18,500 for an new Baxi with a 10 year guarantee but the offending, current boiler is a Baxi so have been put off getting another. His quote for WB was all of £100 lower than BG's until I talked them down £300 so now they are the cheapest for that boiler, at £2k.

We've had four quotes altogether, one from Helplink, who were £70 more than BG... plus the guy set all my alarm bells ringing and the feedback on here about Helplink backed up my instincts.

So, as far as I can tell, BG not doing too badly on price and the Helplink one, who used to work for them, said it was the best BG price he had come across in a long time. Do you know anything about their workmanship, MacMan?

That is interesting.


Over the past 10 years there must have been scores of posts about BGas prices v an IGT and yours is the first post I have seen where BG prices were close; they are normally at least 40% more expensive.


I have two boilers, a combi in an annex and a large boiler. I got quotes last year from BG to replace both, for the same boilers(Viessmann and WB) and their quotes were nearly double that of an IGT who is factory approved by Viessmann who give a 10 year Guarantee.


So if your dealing with BG signals a new approach on pricing it will be good news.

[Deleted User]

Ditto with Cardew.I am absolutely amazed BG are anywhere near a good local Independent.It might be things like this forum are at last making them change their ways!!

Smodlet

We happened upon a BG promotion of 50% off the price of the boiler, by chance, this expired on 11.04.16 but other firms may follow suit...

The rest of it was purely by doing what they tell you to do on this forum when negotiating insurance renewal, for example. Take some time and use some charm. The shocking thing for me was, having queried the price of specific items on the quote (moving the condensing pipe - my husband did that in about 30 seconds, wiring in the boiler, "it's an average price"... what? Our wiring is bang up to date and our lovely electrician friend told us it was half an hour's work, so not worth £200... hence my comment regarding second-hand cars and double-glazing. When I called BG up to query these items and gave reasons why, I was told, "We normally offer 10% off but I will see what I can do"... had the same response from B & Q when buying a kitchen! Do not be afraid to haggle with BG or anyone else about new boilers, is my message to you moneysavers.

Smodlet

Shiny, new WB Boiler installed yesterday, Stuart from BG did a great job, was very tidy, professional and very fun from the off. Who doesn't love deadpan, northern humour at the crack of dawn? "Is that it? Still in its box? That's not a good start, is it?" Brain signal bounced back from Alpha Centauri and I realised he was kidding (I am so not a morning person)

Sparks showed up at exactly the right time, did his stuff and disappeared in, yep, half an hour, rubbish collection dude came and did thus without our even knowing he had been so all good.