Have you put your heating on yet?

[Tommy G]

3 hours ago, Wolfox said:

£3800 to replace a boiler????

 

should be ~£1.5k tops

 

is there a specific specification making it so expensive?

£1,500 for a sh*tty brand which is inefficient. Even then you'd need a shady plumber to fit it.

 

I got a Vaillant Ecotech plus I think it was, fitted for £3,000 and that was mates rates too, came with a 10 year guarentee on parts which I paid an extra £250 for. Been a dream for the last 2 years.

Edited 22 November 2022 by Tommy G

[Bellend Sebastian]

3 hours ago, Daggers said:

Ours has been doing that for a year. I’ve been recharging the water pressure, running it for ten minutes then rinse and repeat all this time. 
 

Wife insisted we replace it. Engineer said to replace it. Just had a quote for £3800. I’m going to sit in a dark corner and rock backwards and forwards slowly for the rest of the day. 
 

Apparently she needs a new boiler more than I need a new motorbike. Wives are shit. 

Oh bloody hell.

 

I think it's the most boring physical thing you can spend money on, apart from possibly a fence

[Daggers]

4 hours ago, Wolfox said:

£3800 to replace a boiler????

 

should be ~£1.5k tops

 

is there a specific specification making it so expensive?

That was from British Gas.

 

No idea how it compares to local plumbers as none of them have ever a) got back to us, or b) turned up for an appointment.

[Bellend Sebastian]

25 minutes ago, Daggers said:

That was from British Gas.

 

No idea how it compares to local plumbers as none of them have ever a) got back to us, or b) turned up for an appointment.

I paid £4000 to have a pretty good boiler installed by a local engineer ten years ago, but that was quite a big job involving moving it into the loft.

 

Sad state of affairs if you can only get British Gas to quote. It's not so much the cost as I've heard a few horror stories about them over the years e.g. turning up with a bigger boiler than was ordered, but pressing on with the installation by cutting chunks out of a doorframe and wall to make it fit 

[st albans fox]

I assume the vote is now well out of date …..

[Raj]

3 hours ago, Mickyblueeyes said:

My smart meter was at £15 yesterday! My daughter wasnt well and I decided to have it longer than usual. I'm lucky were reluctantly I can meet that added cost but there will be some who will unfortunately have no choice but to shiver under a blanket - so not on. 

Ours hits about £6 a day during weekdays for G & E.

Kids come in from School and I make them cry til about 5.15 before I succumb  and hit the on switch for the CH!!

[Daggers]

1 hour ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

I paid £4000 to have a pretty good boiler installed by a local engineer ten years ago, but that was quite a big job involving moving it into the loft.

 

Sad state of affairs if you can only get British Gas to quote. It's not so much the cost as I've heard a few horror stories about them over the years e.g. turning up with a bigger boiler than was ordered, but pressing on with the installation by cutting chunks out of a doorframe and wall to make it fit 

In truth, we phoned around during busy season when the leak began last winter. If I'd been smart I'd have tried to get someone during summer but forgot about it because the heating wasn't on. As is, reckon we'll see out winter again and try finding someone come spring.

 

It's a simple replace job, a couple hours work tops. Stunning price given how little is involved but I guess this is another cost of living dividend.

[Tommy G]

7 minutes ago, Daggers said:

In truth, we phoned around during busy season when the leak began last winter. If I'd been smart I'd have tried to get someone during summer but forgot about it because the heating wasn't on. As is, reckon we'll see out winter again and try finding someone come spring.

 

It's a simple replace job, a couple hours work tops. Stunning price given how little is involved but I guess this is another cost of living dividend.

2 hours to replace a boiler 

[Lako42]

1 hour ago, Raj said:

Ours hits about £6 a day during weekdays for G & E.

Kids come in from School and I make them cry til about 5.15 before I succumb  and hit the on switch for the CH!!

you don't put the heating on until 5:15 and you are paying £6 a day? 

[kenny]

18 minutes ago, Lako42 said:

you don't put the heating on until 5:15 and you are paying £6 a day? 

£180 a month is what we are paying for G&E?

[rachhere]

5 hours ago, Tommy G said:

£1,500 for a sh*tty brand which is inefficient. Even then you'd need a shady plumber to fit it.

 

I got a Vaillant Ecotech plus I think it was, fitted for £3,000 and that was mates rates too, came with a 10 year guarentee on parts which I paid an extra £250 for. Been a dream for the last 2 years.

That's around about what we paid. I think it was £2700 including installation, and that was for a Worcester with a 10 year guarantee. I recall it being a good days work. I haven't got any comparator figures, but our gas usage seems pretty low considering we rely on gas for heating, our hob and also our shower, so I am pleased we spent a bit more to get a good quality boiler. 

[Molson Canadian]

Veissman Vitodens Combi Boiler is very good and very efficient. 

[Raj]

2 hours ago, Lako42 said:

you don't put the heating on until 5:15 and you are paying £6 a day? 

Comes on in the morning from 6.30 til 8am.

Dont forget all the standard stuff, dishwasher, washing machine, cooker, hot water, etc, etc.

We are a family of 4 with a teenage daughter.

 

Last months statement  based on your meter readings was-
Gas 18th Oct. 2022 - 17th Nov. 2022 £68.85 
Electricity 18th Oct. 2022 - 17th Nov. 2022 £69.78 

 

Why how much are you paying for G & E  per day and what's your household?

 

Edited 22 November 2022 by Raj

[Parafox]

5 hours ago, Daggers said:

That was from British Gas.

 

No idea how it compares to local plumbers as none of them have ever a) got back to us, or b) turned up for an appointment.

Avoid, avoid, avoid.

 

Inflated cost, poor reliability in terms of completion time. Not always quoting for the best, most economic boiler. I speak from some personal experience about 3 years ago when I was quoted £3,200 plus to replace a boiler with a similar/updated model. BG said the cost was higher because it was an "emergency" replacement as we had lost heating/hot water. They said they had a "backlog" but would do it in the next week.

 

I managed to get an equivalent boiler and overall deal from an established local heating/plumbing company. They did it next day. £2500 including 2 years insurance.

 

BG are feckers.

[Wolfox]

7 hours ago, Tommy G said:

£1,500 for a sh*tty brand which is inefficient. Even then you'd need a shady plumber to fit it.

 

I got a Vaillant Ecotech plus I think it was, fitted for £3,000 and that was mates rates too, came with a 10 year guarentee on parts which I paid an extra £250 for. Been a dream for the last 2 years.

I know a little bit about this professionally…. Although it was a few years back….

 

You can pick up a Worcester Bosch plus flue pack for ~£1100 

 

A like for like swap is a day job for most plumbers….  They may need a hand with lift onto the wall…. It’s then single handed to Install, refill and put some inhibitor in….  

 

Powerflush and or a magnaclean?  Moving the boiler?  Changing from a system boiler to a combi? Fancy new controls?, then add some time and bank on a few quid more…

 

Pay £3k if you want to, but I wouldn’t and I didn’t…. 
 

Plumbers who do this have to be gas safe or they can’t install…. I’ve known an excellent plumber for many years who’s also very reasonable…. You’d have to be tapped to use a non gas safe plumber…

 

6 hours ago, Daggers said:

That was from British Gas.

 

No idea how it compares to local plumbers as none of them have ever a) got back to us, or b) turned up for an appointment.

Ouch !  It’s always  massive mark up from BG…

 

Word of mouth is the best way to go…. Do you have any friends/ family locally who know tradespeople?

 

Another great resource if you’re a tight ass like me is the Travis Perkins outlet on Freemans common, I noticed they were selling gas boilers in there too (keen prices)…. I didn’t use them for that, but I did buy a number of Stelrad radiators at a fraction of the price…

 

 

[Wolfox]

4 hours ago, Daggers said:

In truth, we phoned around during busy season when the leak began last winter. If I'd been smart I'd have tried to get someone during summer but forgot about it because the heating wasn't on. As is, reckon we'll see out winter again and try finding someone come spring.

 

It's a simple replace job, a couple hours work tops. Stunning price given how little is involved but I guess this is another cost of living dividend.

All plumbers will be totally stacked at the moment, if you can kick the can down the road until spring, you may get someone to turn up!

Edited 22 November 2022 by Wolfox

[Raj]

NEVER EVER get anything from BG apart from your energy.

[Raj]

4 hours ago, Daggers said:

In truth, we phoned around during busy season when the leak began last winter. If I'd been smart I'd have tried to get someone during summer but forgot about it because the heating wasn't on. As is, reckon we'll see out winter again and try finding someone come spring.

 

It's a simple replace job, a couple hours work tops. Stunning price given how little is involved but I guess this is another cost of living dividend.

Nailed it there!!!

🙄😁

[Wolfox]

2 minutes ago, Raj said:

NEVER EVER get anything from BG apart from your energy.

In fairness the HoneCare product is pretty good…. I still have it and have had excellent service 

[Raj]

6 minutes ago, Wolfox said:

In fairness the HoneCare product is pretty good…. I still have it and have had excellent service 

Are they pretty good at coming out when required for an issue?

 

[Daggers]

12 minutes ago, Wolfox said:

Word of mouth is the best way to go…. Do you have any friends/ family locally who know tradespeople?

 

Brother-in-law.

 

Downside is it means I have to talk to the brother-in-law which is why I didn't do it. Probably getting close to it now though. 

[Wolfox]

12 minutes ago, Raj said:

Are they pretty good at coming out when required for an issue?

 

People will have bad stories, but I’ve never had any issues…. I don’t have it at my home any longer as we now have a long term guarantee on the boiler…. My plumber was in Turkey when we had an issue with the system (not the boiler) recently, so I did miss BG!

 

We still have it for a house we rent as I want to be confident of getting someone out immediately…

[Spudulike]

On 21/11/2022 at 16:34, Wolfox said:

Sorry…. I’ve just re-read up the post!

 

ignore what I put!

 

If the rads that are coming on do not have TRV controls on them, then they’ll act like an overrun…. If everything else comes on/ goes off when programmed to do so, your absolutely fine

 

would recommend putting a TRV on all your rads so you can manage the temperature more effectively and they’re really not expensive and it’s DIY

 

However!  Make sure you keep one (bathroom towel rail or rad generally) without any controls as one rad should always be available to act as an overrun…. 

 

 

We've just gone from a very inefficient old hot water cylinder type system (25 years old!) to a new combi boiler (Ideal Atlantic). Don't know if that's a decent boiler or not (reviews are OK) but comes with a 10 year guarantee. Previously we were advised to leave the bathroom radiators on full permanently (non thermostats although all others in the house have them). Seems such a waste and not sure if they need to be full on now that we have a new combi boiler. What d'ya reckon? 

[Raj]

3 minutes ago, Wolfox said:

People will have bad stories, but I’ve never had any issues…. I don’t have it at my home any longer as we now have a long term guarantee on the boiler…. My plumber was in Turkey when we had an issue with the system (not the boiler) recently, so I did miss BG!

 

We still have it for a house we rent as I want to be confident of getting someone out immediately…

Suppose this is the positive IF you can get them round in good enough time.

 

 

 

[grobyfox1990]

44 minutes ago, Raj said:

Are they pretty good at coming out when required for an issue?

 

Had home care during 2021, during that freezing spell in feb (the day city beat Liverpool 3-1) our boiler broke down and we had no heating. Home care came out at 7pm on a Saturday and the bloke stayed until 9pm trying to fix it. Needed a part so came back first thing Monday to finish it. £69 call out charge. The follow up (non urgent work) took them 3 months to do but I complained and got total £550 compensation for it. Big companies are fantastic if you know how to play the game if not they will rinse you