Latest House issue; boiler replacement/Ohms from plugs sockets issues!

NorthernKitty

In the latest instalment in new house saga...

Boiler dead. 13 years old, main red round pressure-stopping bit broken, too expensive to fix for age. Call-out plumber got drenched. 

Tried to get 3 quotes for replacement (Worcester boiler with non-smart tech clock/timer due to visual impairments, 3m long flue etc)

1) Local plumber with good reviews, took over 30 mins to inspect and work out what was needed, noticed things like boiler overflow? pipe thing dripping onto wires and not sent into normal drainage pipe. Seemed very knowledgeable. Spent over a week waiting for his quote, he keeps saying 'I'll send it today' after asking for info as to what other two were providing to base his on. 

2) Worcester-approved local company who quoted me £2500ish the next day but didn't notice the small aforementioned pipe issue and who only spent 10 minutes at most looking at what needs doing, not sure if he looked at electrics. 

3) British Gas, who also noticed when testing kitchen (then living room) plug sockets that over 200 ohms were emitting? whatever you call it from them, although there is an earth wire in the cellar, and this is bad? And their electricians would look at it before installing boiler. Quoted £4600. 

I am asthmatic, have had 3 weeks without hot water now,  and no heating since I moved in, (takes 6 kettles of water to put enough in the bath to stay warm and get washed!),  need to choose company by today really. Have given deadline to first boiler guy (who is also a qualified electrician- I mentioned the Ohm business) of lunchtime, but stuck as to what to do. I can't wait much longer. 

Do I 

1) Choose company no.2 who are cheap but what do I ask about the electric thing? Do I have to pay for an electrician call out as BG man said something about the fault might be due to swapped wires in a plug somewhere? Or do I ask them if they would sort it? And sorting the dripping overflow thing out? They do interest free boilers. 

2) Choose BG who are bloomin' expensive, but also do interest free, and would sort the electrics etc. 

3) Give first Boiler man another day

4) Get out someone entirely different to give a quote bearing in mind I work shifts and cannot change my days off or shifts at short notice. 

I only have £2500 emergency money saved up. 

Head is reeling. Any ideas welcome! Thanks!

SaverRate

Can you join a facebook ground for the area you live that you can ask for recommendations for a heating & plumbing company or electrician for the electrical issue? 

Thats what we have done and been happy with most of the contractors we have used. 

I would personally do this to get another quote.

Alternatively look at BOXT, we used them for a straight boiler replacement and was happy with the service received. 

I would stay away from British Gas, overpriced and you don't get a manufacturers warranty as they are not approved installers. 

FreeBear

Your first boiler man sounds like a local company I asked to quote - Six months on, I'm still waiting.... Ended up going to a Boxt type outfit that was quite a bit cheaper than the quotes I did get from other companies.

Boxt, Heatable, Boiler Central, etc all offer credit (some are interest free), and advertise next day installations - For a simple swap, assuming no changes to flue routing or alteration of pipework, you should be able to get a WB Greenstar for under £2K.

The BG guy was probably testing the earth impedance - If this is out of spec, it really needs sorting for your own safety. I'd recommend getting an independent electrician in for a second opinion and get him to quote rather than blindly trusting anyone from BG.

NorthernKitty

Thanks both, I will look at BOXT (never heard of them before, I suppose I've never needed to), and will also sort out an electrician to have a look. All I can think of, as when I bought house it had an electrical cert (formerly rented) was when I had elec hob installed on week 1 the guys changed wires to my existing oven as well, 2 days later oven blew tripswitch, and haven't dared to put it on again as another can of worms, but wondering if they've muddled wires up!).  Will give first guy half an hour then will go to BOXT. 
Thanks again! 

Lorian

I've had two installs by BOXT and the installers fixed several issues found during the installs at no extra cost including a unexpected gas pipe run so long it took an extra day to install and one that needed a flue extension .

They were done by two different subcontractors, both good. Both times it was an installer and apprentice/mate and they actually did the flushes and worked tidly.

Both connected back up to existing nest controls.

ThisIsWeird

Hi NKitty.

All good advice above.

Who was the call-out plumber you had for your existing boiler? And make and model of said boiler, please?

What were the symptoms of this boiler's fault? And what did the guy say?

13 years is 'getting on', certainly, but not necessarily defunct.

"main red round pressure-stopping bit broken, too expensive to fix for age. Call-out plumber got drenched." IF the problem you had was fluctuating pressures, and IF that wee red thingy is the PRV, then that should be a cheap and simple repair. If the EV has failed, then an external one can be added in its place. All of that should be well under, ooh, £200-ish.

NorthernKitty

The Worcester Greenstar hadn't any controls, they were totally broken, so hadn't used the heating since moving in, and had booked someone to fit a control thermostat thing a week later. Plumber who came to mend something else asked why I hadn't filled the radiator system, so I told him the above. He turned it on, and water gushed out from upstairs. He unscrewed floorboards (thankfully can't afford carpets on landing and stairs at moment!) and radiator pipe had large rat chewed hole in it, and others were badly kinked. He came back a few days later to fix them, then got drenched again, It was the EV thing (looked like flat red hot water bottle) which had a rust-edged hole in the metal that went bang. The rest of it was damaged inside, rusted, had no maintenance, I had already paid several hundred for plumber's work on the rat-chewed, kinked radiator pipes etc, I just want a new boiler that will last, I can't keep patching up something that hasn't been maintained. If the rest of the house was in good order, I might trust it more!  So have gone to BOXT and am hopefully getting a Greenstar 30W fitted on Wednesday, also with those valve things to turn down individual radiators which 3 don't have at present. Thanks all. I may be poorer but at least I won't freeze and can wash! 

FreeBear

NorthernKitty said: So have gone to BOXT and am hopefully getting a Greenstar 30W fitted on Wednesday, also with those valve things to turn down individual radiators which 3 don't have at present. Thanks all. I may be poorer but at least I won't freeze and can wash! 

First frost of the winter hit this morning - Glad I had a new boiler fitted during the summer. Just need a bigger radiator in the dining room now.

ThisIsWeird

NorthernKitty said:

The Worcester Greenstar hadn't any controls, they were totally broken, so hadn't used the heating since moving in, and had booked someone to fit a control thermostat thing a week later. Plumber who came to mend something else asked why I hadn't filled the radiator system, so I told him the above. He turned it on, and water gushed out from upstairs. He unscrewed floorboards (thankfully can't afford carpets on landing and stairs at moment!) and radiator pipe had large rat chewed hole in it, and others were badly kinked. He came back a few days later to fix them, then got drenched again, It was the EV thing (looked like flat red hot water bottle) which had a rust-edged hole in the metal that went bang. The rest of it was damaged inside, rusted, had no maintenance, I had already paid several hundred for plumber's work on the rat-chewed, kinked radiator pipes etc, I just want a new boiler that will last, I can't keep patching up something that hasn't been maintained. If the rest of the house was in good order, I might trust it more!  So have gone to BOXT and am hopefully getting a Greenstar 30W fitted on Wednesday, also with those valve things to turn down individual radiators which 3 don't have at present. Thanks all. I may be poorer but at least I won't freeze and can wash! 

Absolutely fair do's! The EV was actually physically rusted on the outside?! Lawdie!

Happy New Boiler when it comes

grumbler

NorthernKitty said:

 British Gas, who also noticed when testing kitchen (then living room) plug sockets that over 200 ohms were emitting?

Makes no sense to me.

Eldi_Dos

grumbler said:

NorthernKitty said:

 British Gas, who also noticed when testing kitchen (then living room) plug sockets that over 200 ohms were emitting?

Makes no sense to me.

I know, been a bit of a law unto themselves recently.