Boiler move and replacement

[Jim22]

Hi all,

I am looking for a little advice. We are looking to get a boiler moved from our 1st story back bedroom down to under our stairs, but we have been let down by two plumbers in the past. So far only British Gas have bothered to give us a quote of £4000, which seems a little high.

Has anyone else had similar work done, and what did you pay? I assume BG will be the most, but i don't yet know by how much.

Ta,
Jim

 

[Max Power]

£4000 seems exorbitant, aren't there any grants available for upgrading to a more energy efficient boiler ?

 

[Eric The Viking]

Are you intending to move the existing boiler, or replace it and move the plumbing? Guessing from what you've been quoted it includes a new boiler. The job could range from very easy to very difficult/impossible, depending on the property and the existing heating system. Also, there's a significant range of cost in the boilers themselves. But you largely get what you pay for.

4,000 doesn't seem totally outlandish (around 2,000 for the boiler and bits, and as much again for labour), but I wouldn't touch British Gas for that sort of thing. They recently unilaterally announced they were no longer putting their fitters through the CORGI scheme*, because their training was so good it was unnecessary.

30 years ago we got married and moved into our first flat. I smelled gas, so called BG. They came out, twice. They condemned our perfectly fine gas fire in the dining room, but failed to spot the THREE leaks under the kitchen floor that I found later (and fixed). Complete cowboys. We've had a gas leak in our road for about eight years now. The junction has been dug up at least three times, and it's still leaking. The underground electricity sub-station is right next to the same junction. Methane is heavier than air. We're waiting...

I know several good plumbers in Bristol, but bear in mind the good ones are (a) more expensive, because they're worth it, and (b) usually very busy (because...). Also, this time of year is when everyone's heating breaks down, so they'll be extra busy.

If you want a couple of recommendations, drop me a PM.

E.

*It was around five years ago. I know it's not called CORGI any more, and that CORGI is/was a trade body anyway, not a standards body, but it had a small value. BG's decision was hubris, IMHO.

 

[Harbo]

We had our boiler replaced to a condensing balanced flue (Valliant) a couple of years ago with some extra controls, features, bypasses and magnetic filter - cost just over £2k.
We then got a few hundred back from a Gov scheme.

Rod

 

[gregmcateer]

We had our boiler replaced to a condensing balanced flue (Valliant) a couple of years ago with some extra controls, features, bypasses and magnetic filter - cost just over £2k.
We then got a few hundred back from a Gov scheme.

Rod

+1 for us. We have a Worcester Bosch boiler

 

[finneyb]

Just had boiler replaced £2K
I'd get other quotes - use Gas Safe Register to find local people, it just needs your post code http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help/f ... iness.aspx

Brian

 

[Eric The Viking]

Replacing a boiler is VERY different to moving it. And you don't have to tell anyone who prepares a quote for you what your other quotes have been. See what different people say.

Worcester/Bosch are well respected in the trade, incidentally (I have a friend in the trade who very highly recommends them, who used to do 6-sigma QC in a previous life so knows about these things).

In contrast, I unfortunately have a Vaillant - never again.

E.

 

[Graham Orm]

My son has just had a new boiler in a terraced house. New gas supply run from front to back. New hot & cold feeds to kitchen £1700 by local plumber. Not the cheapest quote and not the cheapest boiler offered by the plumber.

 

[Harbo]

What's wrong with your Vaillant - my plumber says they are better than the Bosch?
We've had no problems with ours.

Rod

 

[RogerS]

I would have said that £4k was reasonable. The amount of work involved is not trivial and will depend on how easy it is to route the water and gas pipes from where they are now (upstairs) to the new location (downstairs). Then you have to consider flues, air supply etc.

 

[Silverbirch]

We recently had our old boiler replaced with a Worcester Bosch and resited from a cupboard on to an adjacent wall. We also had a new hot water cylinder installed, by a local firm, for just under £3000 total.

Ian

 

[StevieB]

Had a boiler moved from downstairs to upstairs and a bit of new pipework in the summer. British Gas engineer who services the boiler told me not to even ask British Gas as their prices were so extortionate! First quote we got was from a Cambridge plumber who priced on Cambridge prices - £4K plus VAT. Second quote was from a local guy with a recommendation from a builder friend who had used him in the past - £2.5k all in. Guess who got the job! This price also included moving a radiator and some minor altered gas pipework for a kitchen rebuild.

£4k for a boiler move sounds steep to me, unless it includes a lot of additional work to get it reconnected.

Steve

 

[defsdoor]

I agree, for 4K I'd expect a new install including radiators and pipework.

In my previous house I completely refitted the entire system myself and got a plumber to commission it.

In our current house I replaced just the boiler and got plumber to do the same.

Both were Vaillant boilers (the current one has an instant hot storage tank) and I've had nothing go wrong with either so cannot fault them.

 

[Mark A]

Assuming you're on gas £4000 is a lot. We had an entirely new plumbing and heating system installed with a Worcester oil condensing boiler for a touch under £5000 including VAT. The boiler cost over £2000 alone.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I agree, for 4K I'd expect a new install including radiators and pipework.

In my previous house I completely refitted the entire system myself and got a plumber to commission it.

In our current house I replaced just the boiler and got plumber to do the same.

Both were Vaillant boilers (the current one has an instant hot storage tank) and I've had nothing go wrong with either so cannot fault them.

There is a contradiction there - you can't have instant storage.

Edit - or if you can, you've cured the worlds ills.

 

[Jim22]

Oh wow. Just goes to show the range of quotes you can get there! Makes it harder to know what is a good price. But £4k by the sounds of it is a bit steep. We are only looking only to get a new boiler installed in a new location. It seems that the pipe work needs to be taken from the old location, a soak away made by the side of the house for waste, etc. But no new radiators.

Thanks for all the replies.I will get a few new quotes. I will PM you too Eric for references. Shocked to here BG are no good though. Assumed the cost was high because the work was good.

 

[Deejay]

Morning Jim

Earlier this year I had a new combi fitted to free up space in the family bathroom and fit a shower cubicle.

Worcester Bosch boiler fitted by one of their registered installers.

All tanks and pipework removed from the loft.

All pipework from the old DHW cylinder re routed under the floor.

Seven years warranty, subject to an annual service.

The job took three days.

£2800 inc VAT.

I'd recommend the installer, but he lives in Frome, which might be a bit too far away.

PM me if you want his details.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Jim22]

Thanks all for the help and advice. I think we are going to go with DHS following a few reccomendations. Seems they are big enough to have some "security" while offering a much more competative price than BG.

In total, this just tipped over the £3k. So saved me £1k...now what tools can i buy for the workshop with the remainder... :lol:

Thanks again all.