Octopus Heat Pumps

Reed_Richards

Netexporter said:

john-306 said:

Reed_Richards said:

john-306 said:

.... down to having electric shower which is 40A in itself.

... which will cost you about 3 times as much to run than using the hot water from your cylinder, once you get that heat pump.

Trouble is at the moment the DNO won't approve the fitting of a heat pump as I'm above amp limit for my property.

But the electric shower will be redundant if you use the hot water from the new cylinder.

And should be made redundant if you don't want to waste money.

john-306

That's the idea eventually.
I didn't think it would cause this problem now.
There's only 2 of us in the house now kids have flown the nest.
The electric shower in bathroom has only been used about twice in the last 3 years when we've had work done on the en-suite shower thermostatic bar one.

Spies

DougMLancs said:

Several other factors can change a quote though even if the headline looks similar. Some pipework may need to be changed out on one quote and not on the other, a volumiser may or may not be specified, one may need pipework moving for the new rads another just drops new ones in, someone may be quoted for 4 new K2’s and another 4 new K3’s (a 600mm x1200mm K3 is 2.5x the cost of the same size K2 on Stelrad). 

Funny thing is, i have three K3's in my quote, if you tot up the cost of the 7 radiators, that alone comes to what I'm paying for the whole shebang, two radiators are 400mm wider than the existing ones they replace too. 

Nick_Dr1

DougMLancs said:

Several other factors can change a quote though even if the headline looks similar. Some pipework may need to be changed out on one quote and not on the other, a volumiser may or may not be specified, one may need pipework moving for the new rads another just drops new ones in, someone may be quoted for 4 new K2’s and another 4 new K3’s (a 600mm x1200mm K3 is 2.5x the cost of the same size K2 on Stelrad). 

But Octopus quote over the phone/web without assessing any of these extra things. On the original estimate, there was no mention of replacing radiators. The only thing they said would change the web quote was if any pipework needed changing and this would be amended at the survey point. We were quoted £3850 via the web which was then reduced to £1350 when the grant went up to £7500 and then was reduced to £1100 when Daikin had a special offer on heatpumps! The price was confirmed by the surveyor despite us having 11 radiators replaced. System included a volumizer and digging up some paving slabs to make a soakaway. Piping had to be adjusted to allow some new rads to connect but again this was not really assessed and was included.

However, I have no idea why prices for similar looking properties may vary, but its not due to the factors mentioned above. There must be a few basic profiles they use and if you fit a profile you get the quote. If you don't they don't quote! 

wrf12345

may be they have many installations at the same time in certain areas so the opportunity cost of not doing extra properties comes into play?

Spies

wrf12345 said:

may be they have many installations at the same time in certain areas so the opportunity cost of not doing extra properties comes into play?

I don't think its this either because they dont know if people are going to follow through with the survey

DougMLancs

I agree it’s not clear then. I start work with them in a few weeks as Customer Care & Install Support for heat pumps in their Manchester office so I’ll find out! 

stripling

@DougMLancs

Several other factors can change a quote though even if the headline looks similar. Some pipework may need to be changed out on one quote and not on the other, a volumiser may or may not be specified, one may need pipework moving for the new rads another just drops new ones in, someone may be quoted for 4 new K2’s and another 4 new K3’s (a 600mm x1200mm K3 is 2.5x the cost of the same size K2 on Stelrad). 

Nope. Not in my case as I clearly spelled out.
Same size heat pump LESS K2 radiators all dropped in, NO pipe work, heat pump back-to-back to water tank on same wall, no floor boards to lift because all the pipes are exposed and visible (and lagged) just above head height in a full sized cellar with cavity wall insulation.
A bungalow so all on one level.  The lead installer said it was a 'dream job' - you don't get an easier installation than mine.  But my quote is MORE than double the one I referenced. 
Octopus installations are very generic - there's minimal variation on a theme. 

stripling

DougMLancs said:

I agree it’s not clear then. I start work with them in a few weeks as Customer Care & Install Support for heat pumps in their Manchester office so I’ll find out! 

Oh good - because it is so erratic. I have had this conversation with several different people now. I even asked Octopus in the beginning why I was quoted so much and all I got was waffle. One thing I learned is that the Sales dept is a world away from the installation team or even the survey team.  

And good luck with your job. They are a fairly good employer from what my installers tell me. It is my installers who keep me on board me as a customer - otherwise I would've fled by now. 

matt_drummer

stripling said:

DougMLancs said:

I agree it’s not clear then. I start work with them in a few weeks as Customer Care & Install Support for heat pumps in their Manchester office so I’ll find out! 

Oh good - because it is so erratic. I have had this conversation with several different people now. I even asked Octopus in the beginning why I was quoted so much and all I got was waffle. One thing I learned is that the Sales dept is a world away from the installation team or even the survey team.  

I am not justifying your quote as correct.

But it is not double is it?

If one was £1,197 after the grant and your was somewhere around £2,400 after the grant then one quote was for around £8,700 and yours was for £9,900.

What you end up paying may be double but the whole job isn't, is it?

Or have I got it wrong?