Boiler Estimates

[Superseagull]

The new condensing boilers will save you money in the long run as they are much more energy efficicent than the older style boilers. With the price of gas rising all the time the efficiency of your boiler will become more evident.

 

[Skint Gull]

We run a showroom selling fireplace and central heating and would charge you best part of 2k to change a boiler cos of the overheads here and needing to make a profit on the products as well as installation. You can actually buy boilers in Plumbcenter without a trade account, so long as you can get someone trusted (easiers said than done!) to fit it for you that'll be the cheapest way.

Decent combi - £700
Installation - £300
+ VAT = £1170

Worth a try?

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

Key essentials:

Make sure the man/woman is Corgi registered, otherwise the guarantee on your boiler immediately becomes invalid.

Last year I put in a condensing combi boiler. Its the most energy efficient thing on the domestic market.

They cost more but you save more in bills.


If you're going to be the place for a few years I would recommend a Vailiant. All the top plumbers recommend them for reliability.

See link

http://heatandplumb.com/acatalog/vaillantcondesingcombi.html

If you're still around the 19 bus route, Plumbers world ( I think) that's the name at Highbury Barn is as good as anyone for price.

In addition, all East London Councils and I imagine Islington will, do a scheme, which subsidises the costs of putting in energy efficient boilers.

LC

We went from a back boiler to a condensing combi, and you are dead right, the efficiency is frightening! The only difference is that our guy was not Corgi registered for private work, only via his week-job for a maintenance company. He installed it, then got his mate round to issue certification for the installation. It's pretty much standard practice from what I gather (I asked around to make sure I wasn't getting hammered!).

Also, he said that the Vaillant is good, but you are paying more for the name - he has a Biasi, he installed a Biasi for his inlaws, and he put one in for me - no problems at all, still with the same warranty and guarantee. The cost difference can be quite large if you go for a lesser-known boiler make.

Chase around, get quotes, then play the lowest off against each other to see how low they can really go!

 

[Superseagull]

I would also suggest that if you are replacing a boiler it is a good time to fit thermostatic control valves to the radiators if not already installed. It is a simple job and will help keep fule bills down.

 

[London Calling]

We went from a back boiler to a condensing combi, and you are dead right, the efficiency is frightening! The only difference is that our guy was not Corgi registered for private work, only via his week-job for a maintenance company. He installed it, then got his mate round to issue certification for the installation. It's pretty much standard practice from what I gather (I asked around to make sure I wasn't getting hammered!).

Also, he said that the Vaillant is good, but you are paying more for the name - he has a Biasi, he installed a Biasi for his inlaws, and he put one in for me - no problems at all, still with the same warranty and guarantee. The cost difference can be quite large if you go for a lesser-known boiler make.

Chase around, get quotes, then play the lowest off against each other to see how low they can really go!

Don't disagree with you here. I made a conscious choice that since I would be paying top price for a plumber and also in getting a plumber in London, the difference in boiler price and the "reliability" of Vaillant made me choose a Vailant.

Unfortunately I been stung in the past by a plumber saying my mate can certify, then the mate came up with £300 of extra's that needed to be done instead of the £70 certification i was expecting.

The law of the cowboy riding fast off into the sunset rules East London.

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

Don't disagree with you here. I made a conscious choice that since I would be paying top price for a plumber and also in getting a plumber in London, the difference in boiler price and the "reliability" of Vaillant made me choose a Vailant.

Unfortunately I been stung in the past by a plumber saying my mate can certify, then the mate came up with £300 of extra's that needed to be done instead of the £70 certification i was expecting.

The law of the cowboy riding fast off into the sunset rules East London.

Bloody hell! The guy that fitted our boiler paid for the certification (£25 is the going rate down here). Because it costs so much to become CORGI registered, most of the fitters got together, agreed that one bloke would register as a fitter, then certify everyone else's - that way, he pays out, but he gets his money back over the year, and the rest don't need to waste money on certification when they are already certified as part of their jobs!

The last CORGI guy we used installed a gas fire for us, cocked it up, and I had a phone call when I was away, the missus saying that she had just had transco out because he hadn't sealed the joint properly and they were all being poisoned! Reported him to CORGI, and to the gas fire showroom who gave us back £500 and sacked him from the installation team - didn't want to risk it getting out that their CORGI guy was a dangerous cowboy! CORGI never got back to us about the report...

 

[London Calling]

I have a mate who worked for a major heating engineering supplier (to the trade) in north west London, they generally knew all the engineers and plumbers in that area.

The Boss of that firm would only recommend 3 names and only one to friends!

LC

 

[chip]

Do you really need a new boiler though?

A lot of people are scammed into buying new condensing boilers by tradesmen who tell them that their old one is too old to repair or that condensing boilers are compulsory.

Also, be aware that condensing boilers are not all that they are cracked up to be and will fail more often than a traditional boiler. It will never save you money (or the environment) to change boilers prematurely.

 

[virgirlo]

this is so bloody annoying! and the worse thing is that I know plumbers will try and take advantage of a young woman needing a new boiler! I have been researching a lot and now feel a lot more confident. But thanks for all of your help.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Key essentials:

Make sure the man/woman is Corgi registered, otherwise the guarantee on your boiler immediately becomes invalid.

Sh1t. My cousin installed my combi and he's not Corgi-registered. It's playing up atm as well, keeps making a terrible screeching noise whenever it comes on. Oh dear. Will it cost tonnes for a service?

 

[Rowdey]

A bit of a tip. When they install it (and if they do a good job) ask if they can recommend a good plumber in the area in case you need one in the future.

Unfortunately London is the Wild West where plumbers are concerned.

Errr..HELLO...!!!!

Bathroom/Shower/Wetroom design and installation, and (depending where and how i feel..) plumbing emergencies all done here thankyou very much.
Not Corgi cert'd use guys who are.

Virgirlo, not sure where you are based but call Nirmal from Megaheat on 07831258949.
say David from Flujo said to call you, and with a a bit of luck he won't charge you extra ..!

 

[Barnet Seagull]

Can anyone explain how thermostatic radiator valves work?

It doesn't seem logical to me.

 

[virgirlo]

Errr..HELLO...!!!!

Bathroom/Shower/Wetroom design and installation, and (depending where and how i feel..) plumbing emergencies all done here thankyou very much.
Not Corgi cert'd use guys who are.

Virgirlo, not sure where you are based but call Nirmal from Megaheat on 07831258949.
say David from Flujo said to call you, and with a a bit of luck he won't charge you extra ..!

i am in finsbury park...is that a yes or no area? i will defo give him a call if you think its worth it?

 

[clapham_gull]

Errr..HELLO...!!!!

Bathroom/Shower/Wetroom design and installation, and (depending where and how i feel..) plumbing emergencies all done here thankyou very much.
Not Corgi cert'd use guys who are.

Virgirlo, not sure where you are based but call Nirmal from Megaheat on 07831258949.
say David from Flujo said to call you, and with a a bit of luck he won't charge you extra ..!

I fully aware that MOST plumbers arent "cowboys", I have now found a good plumber. He's the one most disadvantaged by the fact that there are a lot of crooks out there unfortunately giving proper plumbers a bad name. I was giving his name by the Boiler people.

That's the reality unfortunately. I've been down twice by "plumbers", well unqualified people having a laugh - both advertising in the yellow pages and know other people in the same situation.

First time I was left without a toilet for two days, and the next time the bloke got a parking ticket and refused to reconnect my water if I didn't pay it.

We're easy pickings in London...

I have the utmost respect for people who've learnt a trade and wish I'd taken that route myself.

Thanks for the number by the way ..

 

[Man of Harveys]

First time I was left without a toilet for two days

I don't mean to pry...but how did you cope?

 

[Rowdey]

We're easy pickings in London...


Quite.

I was away one weekend, and friends of mine had a problem in their flat in Clapham - The sink trap leaked 'a bit' when the tap, the dishwasher and the wasjhing machine were run all together..
Usually not a problem, and certainly not an emergency..
Still they called 'AAAAA123 ACME Plumbing (we come to you) Limited' and were a little shocked to be charged £480 for 40 minutes of something purporting to be work... WTF..!!

It still leaked the next day, and i fixed it in 20 minutes also removing the electrical tape holding the bodged connection together...

They won't report the company or tell me who it was..

 

[227 BHA]

Can anyone explain how thermostatic radiator valves work?

It doesn't seem logical to me.

Basically, instead of having one single thermostat in say your hallway, each room has its own thermostat on each radiator meaning each rooms temperature can be controlled individually.

This stops you having certain rooms in the house boiling hot and others too cool

 

[Barnet Seagull]

Basically, instead of having one single thermostat in say your hallway, each room has its own thermostat on each radiator meaning each rooms temperature can be controlled individually.

This stops you having certain rooms in the house boiling hot and others too cool

yeah, but if the water's a certain temperature, how is is controlled? does the valve restrict flow?

 

[Man of Harveys]

If anyone needs a CORGI-registered plumber in SW London, feel free to PM me (it's not me, but someone reliable).

 

[Barnet Seagull]

I can recommend a decent plumber in North London (well Barnet anyway)

K.L Draper & Son