Dangerous boilder in new house

fierystormcloud

I feel a bit sorry for you OP, but you don't have a leg to stand on.

People generally don't do up their house when they're selling it. I have lost count of the amount of people who have moved into a property, only to discover there needs 1000s of pounds spending on it to get it up to scratch, and quite often, a new boiler is one of the first things that are needed.

Unless you're buying a brand new property, you need at least 10 grand for miscellaneous and emergencies.

Niv

fierystormcloud wrote: »

I feel a bit sorry for you OP, but you don't have a leg to stand on.

People generally don't do up their house when they're selling it. I have lost count of the amount of people who have moved into a property, only to discover there needs 1000s of pounds spending on it to get it up to scratch, and quite often, a new boiler is one of the first things that are needed.

Unless you're buying a brand new property, you need at least 10 grand for miscellaneous and emergencies.[/QUOTE]

Really? I have lived in my house for over 10 years and am yet to spend 10 grand on the house. The house was built in 1846.

I am sure there are a number of houses where this is the case, but to state 'you need at least 10 grand' is simply wrong.

fierystormcloud

Niv wrote: »

feel a bit sorry for you OP, but you don't have a leg to stand on.

Really? I have lived in my house for over 10 years and am yet to spend 10 grand on the house. The house was built in 1846.

I am sure there are a number of houses where this is the case, but to state 'you need at least 10 grand' is simply wrong.

What I was saying is that it's best to have a least 10 grand put aside IN CASE OF EMERGENCIES. A boiler alone can cost 2 or 3 grand. And a full heating system, maybe 4 or 5 grand.

I think it was pretty obvious what I meant, but hey ho.

What's more, many people I know who have purchased a property HAVE had to spend at least several thousand on it as soon as they move in. You only have to read this board to see that!

You have been very lucky if you have spent hardly anything. I can assure you that it's not like that for some people.

AlexMac

As posts # 11,19 and 20 say, get a second diagnosis and quote to make good from a gas safe engineer. Or three.

If it's any consolation, I have needed new gas boilers (not just a new flue) in every one of the past half dozen houses I've bought in the past 20-odd years; either immediately or within a few months of purchase... at a cost depending on size, of £1.3k for a small flat (in 2015) to £3k for a bigger job with a pressurised cylinder (to service a couple of bathrooms & showers) in 2013.

So now I factor that assumption into any offer (not that I plan on moving again!) Modern boilers only seem to last 7-12 years anyway.

Even if you replace the whole installation at least you'll have a 1-5 year guarantee depending on the installer (I have 5 years on the little Gloworm!)

vectistim

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

I'll pass on that information to the Engineering council and ask them why I pay to be a member.

Can you get CEng based on being a boiler repair man?

Niv

fierystormcloud wrote: »

What I was saying is that it's best to have a least 10 grand put aside IN CASE OF EMERGENCIES. A boiler alone can cost 2 or 3 grand. And a full heating system, maybe 4 or 5 grand.

I think it was pretty obvious what I meant, but hey ho.

What's more, many people I know who have purchased a property HAVE had to spend at least several thousand on it as soon as they move in. You only have to read this board to see that!

You have been very lucky if you have spent hardly anything. I can assure you that it's not like that for some people.

I was not really trying to flame you - if my response came across that way then I apologise.

I don't think you did make it clear what you meant and the problem with a public forum is some may read that and panic / worry as they don't have that amount available right after moving in. You very much made it read like everyone must have this sort of money on hand as it was likely the boiler would need replacing. That is anecdotal evidence. If I share my experience and try and pass it off as fact that would also be wrong.

You can mitigate unexpected costs by getting a survey done / doing your due diligence on the house you are buying. -and by speaking to your surveyor.

To share my experiences - I have never known anyone that needed to replace their boiler when they first moved in. BUT I am not saying that it never happens and that you should not be prepared to have some unexpected costs when you first move in.

By quoting other threads you really need to understand who is going to start threads in this forum and why. I am not going to start a thread to say 'moved into my house and had not unexpected costs' so you are picking a source where you are likely to get more of the negative side compared to the positive side.

Again - not having a go, just trying to ensure people don't read your initial reply as fact when it was opinion (which of course my response is also).

Smodlet

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

In other countries the title ENGINEER is protected like Doctor. Do you mean Technician ? I'm not decrying what a good technician can do, or demeaning the training and experience they have, but Not an Engineer as Defined by the UK Engineering Council.

In 1960, the Conference of Engineering Societies of Western Europe and the United States of America defined "professional engineer" as follows:
A professional engineer is competent by virtue of his/her fundamental education and training to apply the scientific method and outlook to the analysis and solution of engineering problems. He/she is able to assume personal responsibility for the development and application of engineering science and knowledge, notably in research, design, construction, manufacturing, superintending, managing and in the education of the engineer. His/her work is predominantly intellectual and varied and not of a routine mental or physical character. It requires the exercise of original thought and judgement and the ability to supervise the technical and administrative work of others. His/her education will have been such as to make him/her capable of closely and continuously following progress in his/her branch of engineering science by consulting newly published works on a worldwide basis, assimilating such information and applying it independently. He/she is thus placed in a position to make contributions to the development of engineering science or its applications. His/her education and training will have been such that he/she will have acquired a broad and general appreciation of the engineering sciences as well as thorough insight into the special features of his/her own branch. In due time he/she will be able to give authoritative technical advice and to assume responsibility for the direction of important tasks in his/her branch.



Just a little bug bear of mine. sorry. :rotfl:

We are not in "other countries", though we are here. In this country we have (for instance) gas, electrical, telecoms and computer engineers. Everyone calls them engineers, not technicians but you have the right to be different, this being a free country and all. If you choose to pay to have letters after your name, you are free to do that.

OP, I seriously suggest you get at least three different quotes from gas-safe registered engineers, rather than just one, just as you would for any other work you needed doing to your house or your car. We all make mistakes and we can all learn from them. You will get through this and I very much doubt you will ever make this particular mistake again. One day, someone on here or another forum will be asking about this issue and you will be in an excellent position to advise them. Good luck.

fierystormcloud

Niv wrote: »

I was not really trying to flame you - if my response came across that way then I apologise.

I don't think you did make it clear what you meant and the problem with a public forum is some may read that and panic / worry as they don't have that amount available right after moving in. You very much made it read like everyone must have this sort of money on hand as it was likely the boiler would need replacing. That is anecdotal evidence. If I share my experience and try and pass it off as fact that would also be wrong.

You can mitigate unexpected costs by getting a survey done / doing your due diligence on the house you are buying. -and by speaking to your surveyor.

To share my experiences - I have never known anyone that needed to replace their boiler when they first moved in. BUT I am not saying that it never happens and that you should not be prepared to have some unexpected costs when you first move in.

By quoting other threads you really need to understand who is going to start threads in this forum and why. I am not going to start a thread to say 'moved into my house and had not unexpected costs' so you are picking a source where you are likely to get more of the negative side compared to the positive side.

Again - not having a go, just trying to ensure people don't read your initial reply as fact when it was opinion (which of course my response is also).

I appreciate your response, and I didn't think you were flaming me, but I respectfully disagree with you. I don't think it's panicking or worrying people to say that it's advisable to have 10 grand for contingencies, or unexpected repairs. House repairs can be very costly, and to buy a property with no money in the bank for emergencies is foolhardy at best. Maybe not necessarily ten grand, but at least five or six grand I would say.

A poster said - shortly after I posted my post earlier - that every house they have bought has needed the boiler replacing immediately after they moved in, or not long after.

AlexMac wrote: »

If it's any consolation, I have needed new gas boilers (not just a new flue) in every one of the past half dozen houses I've bought in the past 20-odd years; either immediately or within a few months of purchase... at a cost depending on size, of £1.3k for a small flat (in 2015) to £3k for a bigger job with a pressurised cylinder (to service a couple of bathrooms & showers) in 2013.

So now I factor that assumption into any offer (not that I plan on moving again!) Modern boilers only seem to last 7-12 years anyway.

And it's really not that rare. This has happened to at LEAST 7 or 8 people who I know personally. Also, I know people who had to pay £1800 to have a bunch of trees removed before they could get their house insured, someone who had to pay over a grand for new electrics because theirs were condemned when the electrics packed up a week after they moved in, and also, someone who had to pay 2 grand for a new flat roof at the back of their property within 2 months of moving in.

So I don't think there was anything wrong with my post/suggestion at all.

Smodlet

Anyone got a spare £10k? I didn't think so.

hazyjo

Quizzical_Squirrel wrote: »

It might not be possible, true, but I've often heard it's advisable to always have 10% of your house value in hand for repairs and maintenance. To start every year with that amount ready.

You have got to be kidding lol.

Mine's worth £500k. Do people seriously think I should have £50k in the bank?! Yeah, dream on!

I don't have savings. I've never had money in the bank when I've bought a house. I've moved 7 times.

Not really great advice on a moneysaving site - oops - but just wanted to say so long as you're not in debt up to your eyeballs or living to within an inch of your wages, you should be okay. I''m lucky I can find a few hundred if needs be. Any more and we tighten belts and find it somewhere soon. Not saying I wouldn't like £50k in the bank (or even £10k), but it ain't happening in my lifetime unless I win or inherit it. Even then, £10k would probably go on a car as mine's 10 years old.

Hope to move next year and be mortgage free. May actually have money to spare, but then again I may do 4 days a week and be back to square one lol!

Jx