Quotes for a New Gas Combi Boiler Installation

Leodogger

Our gas boiler is 15 yrs old and is developing a few naughty habits.   We are thinking of changing it.   We have had a radiator moved recently and whilst he was here we asked him for a quote for a new boiler as he said it is getting old.   He quoted for a Worcester 25kW (we currently have a Valiant which he wasn't particularly impressed with!) and quoted us £2700.   I spoke to my family about it and they say it is too expensive as the boilers can be sourced separately between £1000 and £1200.    Is £1500 (less any other parts he needs to buy) for labour a reasonable price for what he says would take him one and a half days to complete the work?

Nearlyold

Is your current boiler a Combi?

Leodogger

Nearlyold said:

Is your current boiler a Combi?

Yes, a Valiant.

greyteam1959

One & a half days work to replace a combi with a combi ??
What's he doing having a kip for a day ??

Leodogger

greyteam1959 said:

One & a half days work to replace a combi with a combi ??
What's he doing having a kip for a day ??

Well that's why I am asking, what I would be expected to pay because he seems expensive.

daveyjp

Worcester probably still give kick backs to engineers who recommend and install them, Vaillant don't.  Its why so many installers want to fit Worcester.

Like all quotes get a breakdown of what work is being done.

Yes you can buy a boiler for £1,000, but an exchange may involve additional work as the regulations now will be different to 15 years ago.  Changes to pipework, new flue kit which may mean modifications to brickwork.  You will also probably need a full powerflush to ensure the warranty on the new boiler is valid.

Once all that is taken into account £2,250 (remember VAT is £450) may be reasonable.

Leodogger

daveyjp said:

Worcester probably still give kick backs to engineers who recommend and install them, Vaillant don't.  Its why so many installers want to fit Worcester.

Like all quotes get a breakdown of what work is being done.

Yes you can buy a boiler for £1,000, but an exchange may involve additional work as the regulations now will be different to 15 years ago.  Changes to pipework, new flue kit which may mean modifications to brickwork.  You will also probably need a full powerflush to ensure the warranty on the new boiler is valid.

Once all that is taken into account £2,250 (remember VAT is £450) may be reasonable.

Well actually this plumber just did all that preparatory work today after moving a radiator as we were having a few problems with the heating system, so he did a power flush, put in rust inhibitor and then said that the flue was not strapped in the loft and came to do it today, so all that preparatory work has already been done.    He said our flue was not up to spec and that the previous gas service engineer should have picked it up as it would fail an inspection, which is why he offered to do it.

EnterUserName

Can you not get a second quote to compare it against?

Leodogger

EnterUserName said:

Can you not get a second quote to compare it against?

Yes of course I will do if I think the quote is over the top and that is why I asked the question hoping other people who have changed their boilers or plumbers themselves can tell me what the price should be.

neilmcl

Get more quotes but bear in mind that a lot of gas engineers will not touch a customer supplied boiler and if they did they will have no liability for it if there's a problem and you're unlikely to get the longer warranty from the manufacturer.

Leodogger

neilmcl said:

Get more quotes but bear in mind that a lot of gas engineers will not touch a customer supplied boiler and if they did they will have no liability for it if there's a problem and you're unlikely to get the longer warranty from the manufacturer.

Yes so a guarantee you get with a boiler is not worth the paper it is written on, that is what you are saying, unless it is put in by a plumber who buys it personally?    But it's also the case that plumbers like every other tradesman make money out of supplying the materials to the customer (their little perks) and I haven't met one tradesman yet that was willing to tell me what the cost split down is on materials and labour !