Offer accepted changing gas warm air to radiators?

tom9980

obay wrote: »

We got a new combi bolier from BG, we got quoted £2750 for all the work to be carried out, we went with it and put it on £42/mo finance....

We had 1 new rad, this install included a complete cleanse of the system, new tempostat as well.

Combi boilers cost £800-1200
New Rad £30-50
Thermostats are £50-100
Power Flush £300-500
+Labour for a day

While you were not robbed blind, i would have expected a local guy to price the job at £2k

AlexMac

You have several good replies about the CH, so as regards your other two points:

cashbackproblems wrote: »

... the windows in the block along one of the stairs are abit mouldy is it something the management company will replace? Othrrwise the block is old but looks well maintained.

A bit of mould (if you mean the black stuff which thrives in the dirty damp internal bits of frames) is absolutely minor. As any repair costs will be immediately recharged back to you by the freeholder (as is no doubt spelled out in your lease), your fellow leaseholder neighbours won't be happy if you ask for expensive fixes to trivial problems. If the freeholder or managing agent isn't cleaning the window frames, get a pair of marigolds and some bleach. But be safe in case the freeholder sues for blood on the floor if you fall!

cashbackproblems wrote: »

Also when u hire decorators to do painting, changing doors and floors, do they buy the materials flooring etc for u as i dont drive? Where is best to buy flooring/skirting/doors homebase/ikea etc or online?
Thanks

Any decent trader will quote inclusive of materials and to clean up and cart away any debris. They'll have trade cards for a discount , which they can get even at places which are open to the public like B&Q. Put another way, if someone says they want you to buy materials, they saound a bit amateur and will probably want to exploit your (rather obvious) inexperience by charging a day rate; get a fixed price including materials.

I am perfectly happy with B&Q laminate flooring (with or without my B&Q "Tradepoint" card- as often they do promotions on flooring) although they are not so good on doors; be clear waht yu ant; there is an amazingly diverse range of doors, from horrid cheap pressed hardboard ones with fake embossed graining and simulated victorian six-panels, to fine rustic oak oneslike some I bought for under £100 each from a specialist. Try google images then ask your carpenter.

In fact, if you fancy a bit of DIY- laminate is really easy to fit!

cashbackproblems

thanks for all the replies I have found a few local contractors on check a trader so will be getting quotes once I have the keys, glad to hear it may not be as much as 6k. I definitely will be changing as the vents look so ugly.


But its a leasehold flat, for a combi boiler do you not need a flue? Or is there another way around it? Currently the warm air heating is in the kitchen with no hole in the wall (being leasehold I would not be allowed to drill into the exterior). But im hoping there is another way/vent?


When you search for decorators on checkatrader, would a decorator i.e. painter also do things like changing doors/skirting boards/floor or would they need to find someone else?


Also I have a small glass partition from the hallway to living room, would it be costly to change this to plasterboard?


thanks

AndyTails

cashbackproblems wrote: »

When you search for decorators on checkatrader, would a decorator i.e. painter also do things like changing doors/skirting boards/floor or would they need to find someone else?

Changing a door - carpenter.
Changing skirting - depends on the decorator. A carpenter would do it.
Changing a floor - Are you talking changing/fixing floorboards? - probably a carpenter. Replacing laminate flooring? - probably a decorator, though I doubt all would do it. Replacing tiled flooring? - then you'd want a tiler.

cashbackproblems wrote: »

Also I have a small glass partition from the hallway to living room, would it be costly to change this to plasterboard?

Probably not (though your opinion of "costly" might differ from mine). Probably no more than £200.


Everything you've mentioned is within the realm of a competent DIYer (though changing a door and tiling are toward the higher ability DIYer). If you / your family / close friends aren't confident / competent, you may be able to find a local handyman who I expect would be cheaper than the specific trades.

lincroft1710

I don't know if it's been mentioned in previous posts but you may need your freeholder's permission to change your heating system. So check your lease before you do anything.

bouicca21

My flat was built with warm air heating which the previous owner ripped out in favour of rads. I'd second living with it for a while - in practical terms it may be ok (and such systems are common in North America where they niftily turn into air con in the summer) plus you need to live in a place to be able to identify the best places for the rads. Mine are in the wrong places ...

cashbackproblems

ok so the vendor sent me the quote he received recently, but didn't go ahead with it as he decided to sell the place instead. The quote mentions placing the boiler in the bedroom which I am not happy about due to the noise/space issue. WIll there be another way around it??..i have emailed the fitter to see why the bedroom was suggested..


To remove existing warm air boiler from site. Drain down and remove hot and cold water


tanks and all redundant pipework from airing cupboard and remove from site


Supply and fit Worcester Bosch 25i Greenstar combination boiler in bedroom cupboard


Supply and fit 4 radiators complete with thermostatic radiator valves. Supply and fit


Worcester Bosch magnetic filter and limescale filter for boiler protection


Supply and fit new timer and room thermostat. Install new 22mm copper gas pipe to boiler.


Install new 22mm and 15mm pipework to new heating services


Install new hot and cold water services from boiler and connect onto existing supplies


Test and certify work. Issue 8 year parts and labour warranty on boiler


Labour and materials £4,800.00
VAT £960.00
Total £5,760.00

AlexMac

Don't over-think or over-complicate this. Find a small general builder to do the lot or or a ,multiskilled trader with contacts to deal in decorators, flooring fitters, plasterers or carpenters as required rather than tying yourself in knots tryng to project manage what is a reallly simple set of jobs (or worse, telling 'em how to do their job!).

And if you do choose to ignore the advice above to live with the exitsing heating for a bit...

Rather than asking why that ( particularly expensive) Gas Safe engineer chose the bedroom as preferred site for the boiler, ask the next three companies who quote to suggest a location; most will assume a boiler goes in the kitchen.

You might theoretically need freeholder permission for the plumber to take a 10cm flue out through an external wall, but in practice almost no-one ever bothers to ask. I've had boilers fitted in five of the leasehold flats I've owned and it never occurred to me to ask the freeholders; none of whom noticed or cared. Have a look at other flats in the block in case any of them have a flue sticking out of the wall?

Good luck

cashbackproblems

AlexMac wrote: »

Don't over-think or over-complicate this. Find a small general builder to do the lot or or a ,multiskilled trader with contacts to deal in decorators, flooring fitters, plasterers or carpenters as required rather than tying yourself in knots tryng to project manage what is a reallly simple set of jobs (or worse, telling 'em how to do their job!).

And if you do choose to ignore the advice above to live with the exitsing heating for a bit...

Rather than asking why that ( particularly expensive) Gas Safe engineer chose the bedroom as preferred site for the boiler, ask the next three companies who quote to suggest a location; most will assume a boiler goes in the kitchen.

You might theoretically need freeholder permission for the plumber to take a 10cm flue out through an external wall, but in practice almost no-one ever bothers to ask. I've had boilers fitted in five of the leasehold flats I've owned and it never occurred to me to ask the freeholders; none of whom noticed or cared. Have a look at other flats in the block in case any of them have a flue sticking out of the wall?

Good luck

thanks, i will get another quote and hope there is a way to fit it in the kitchen rather than bedroom as there is a slim wall which leads to the exterior just by the kitchen window, i spoke to the guy who quoted and said they did look but the bedroom seemed the easiest to fit, the landlord wasnt living there so probably wanted the easiest option. Worse case it gets fitted to the spare bedroom with a box cover to keep noise down. I agree about bothering about freeholder permission

i will find a small handman as you said its not really a "project" just decoration and basic diy. But i have to ignore the advice about keeping the warm air, as i really dont like the look of it!