Boiler Installation Quote :O

[rockweasel]

Our old oil combi boiler has come to the end of its life. I asked the maintenance engineer for recommendations regarding its replacement and a reliable plumber to supply and install one.

I arranged for the recommended plumber to visit and pointed out the preferred location of the new boiler (it's moving about 6 meters) as well as access to the pipework and electrics (all under the floor accessible by hatches. Plenty of crawl room.)

He estimated 3 days work to do the job.

The quote came through tonight.

It's a good couple of thousand over my top guess (or should I say top budget), based on "What does it cost to replace a boiler?" search

I listed the parts quoted and did a Google. Including VAT they come to about £4500. That excludes pipework, electrics (neither of which are going to be all that much) and labour. I may be missing some add-ons that I'm not aware of.

I've attached a copy of the quote and my rough figures pulled from internet. Is he charging over the odds, or am I naïve as to the prices?



TIA

 

[Kayos]

Cheap is that, I’d want £2k labour all day long. Oil boilers are heavy and awkward

 

[rockweasel]

Cheap is that, I’d want £2k labour all day long. Oil boilers are heavy and awkward

Do I detect a hit of sarcasm?

 

[Kayos]

Do I detect a hit of sarcasm?

No, oil boilers are a ****

This one cost a tad more than £2k labour

Still a bit of finishing off to do, flue needs another 500mm extension

And for serial zoom perverts, yes the condensate is stainless steel, 304 Blucher 40mm to be exact

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Cheap is that, I’d want £2k labour all day long. Oil boilers are heavy and awkward

Looks to be about where his labour is.

Remember your not just paying his time. Your paying for his knowledge too.

Sure you could find someone cheaper but run this risk of shoddy work. If he's recommended perhaps a call to ask if there's any movement as you would prefer to use him.

 

[Migmac]

We paid roughly that 8 years ago to replace a boiler without any new pipe work. I wouldn’t say that’s to bad. Took four of us to move the old one out and put the new one in situ

 

[julianf]

No, oil boilers are a ****

This one cost a tad more than £2k labour

View attachment 165892

Still a bit of finishing off to do, flue needs another 500mm extension

And for serial zoom perverts, yes the condensate is stainless steel, 304 Blucher 40mm to be exact

I used to have one of those bosch ones...

We found ourselves in a rented place, through the winter, with nothing but 1970s night storage heaters.

I purchased one of them, used, off ebay, sat it outside the flat... there were no holes anywhere in the place, other than the letter box. 3/4" goodyear car coolant hose through the letter box (postman just left the mail on the doorstep - it was the middle of nowhere anyway) and a load of radiators off freecycle dotted around the flat.

Lived there 6 months (through 1 winter) and flogged the boiler for more than we paid for it when we moved out.


I cant be doing with being cold. Im like a lizard.

 

[rockweasel]

Thanks for the replies, that's cleared up a lot of queries.

The guy who installed the original boiler didn't do a great job and there were a few comments about his workmanship. I'd rather avoid that again. This plumber came recommended by an engineer I trust.

This new boiler will be our last one. It will outlive me or I'll likely be in a home somewhere (and on this forum.)

An cheaper alternative may be to install the new boiler in the old location? That would do away with the need for a new flue, soak away, pipework etc.

If there aren't any regulations in disposing of a boiler (I'm sure there are!) I can get rid of the old one myself.

 

[Kayos]

I don’t charge for boiler disposal but if he is then I’m sure he will be glad for you to sort it.
Why is it being moved? A move always costs more than a swap

 

[rockweasel]

I don’t charge for boiler disposal but if he is then I’m sure he will be glad for you to sort it.
Why is it being moved? A move always costs more than a swap

The current boiler is in the same as the old Aga was - in the kitchen. We'd like it moved for a couple or reasons

It takes up room in an already small kitchen.
It sits on a concrete slab. We had to make a counter that was tall enough to fit over the top of it. We'd rather have proper kitchen units in its place
The flue comes up though the worktop and into the wall where it goes into a chimney. A bit unsightly.

Those are the main reasons. If we keep it where it is, we're stuck with this kitchen layout as are the next owners of the house. If our budget doesn't allow it to move, then it will have to stay.

 

[mccp]

Last time I had a new heating system installed (gas combi + a few rads) I thought the first quote was a bit OTT so I searched around and found a young guy who had recently set himself up who quoted a grand less (still CORGI reg.). On the whole it went OK, but not perfect and I regretted saving the cash instead of going with the recommended original guy.

A few months after the install I added an extra zone valve and had to disconnect the 22mm gas supply at the boiler for access (I've installed a few boilers in the past, in the halcyon days when you didn't need a ticket to do it, so I'v no worries about doing that kind of work). That 22mm pipe was in in clips at the side of the boiler, going up to an elbow near the ceiling. When I pulled the pipe out of its clip, it promptly fell out of the elbow. The young t*t had forgotten to solder the joint so the only thing preventing a gas leak was dried up flux.

 

[pressbrake1]

Wish I’d been a plumber

 

[cheb]

The current boiler is in the same as the old Aga was - in the kitchen. We'd like it moved for a couple or reasons

It takes up room in an already small kitchen.
It sits on a concrete slab. We had to make a counter that was tall enough to fit over the top of it. We'd rather have proper kitchen units in its place
The flue comes up though the worktop and into the wall where it goes into a chimney. A bit unsightly.

Those are the main reasons. If we keep it where it is, we're stuck with this kitchen layout as are the next owners of the house. If our budget doesn't allow it to move, then it will have to stay.

Based on nothing more than hearsay and my prejudices, the new owners will replace the kitchen anyway whether it needs it or not.

IMO inless you are a property developer you should build the house to suit yourself, not try to second guess what a prospective buyer might. It's you as has to live in it.

 

[Rig Pig]

Might I ask what's wrong with the old boiler? They are simple things and easy to repair, wouldn't it be easier to get the old one sorted?

 

[dobbslc]

Cheap is that, I’d want £2k labour all day long. Oil boilers are heavy and awkward

2K for 3 days!

Wish I’d been a plumber

See above!
I had the choice of Plumber or electrician, had both apprenticeship job offers in my hands!
I took electrician!!!

Looks like the quote I had for fitting a new Grant Pro wasn't far off the mark then! 5K!
That's with moving it outside, new flu, pipework and controls though.
Better get saving....

 

[Rig Pig]

2K for 3 days!


See above!
I had the choice of Plumber or electrician, had both apprenticeship job offers in my hands!
I took electrician!!!

Looks like the quote I had for fitting a new Grant Pro wasn't far off the mark then! 5K!
That's with moving it outside, new flu, pipework and controls though.
Better get saving....

I bought a second hand external 36kw Grant A rated and still building regs compliant for £200 from Facebook, it had been pulled out because of some daft government scheme to supply new boilers and it's hot water wasn't working, a new pump and acid wash for the heat exchanger sorted that, I installed it myself, following the regulations and tied it into the existing system and my new underfloor system, I had the whole thing running for under £600! I'd shop round a bit if I was you!
But I am a tight git!

 

[armalites]

A quick google shows the Grant boiler at £2686 free delivery, if you priced all the sundries at £1K that still puts the total labour at close to £3500 which is a good return on 3 days work. Working on 8 hour days that equates to £145/hour, if there were two of them it's still a pretty good gig.

https://www.plumbnation.co.uk/site/...DBcygxxXCPjwwYYRazTe2SY3GbupgwVAaAhDEEALw_wcB

I appreciate there are other factors like membership of professional bodies,tools,vehicle etc but seriously?

 

[pressbrake1]

2K for 3 days!


See above!
I had the choice of Plumber or electrician, had both apprenticeship job offers in my hands!
I took electrician!!!

Looks like the quote I had for fitting a new Grant Pro wasn't far off the mark then! 5K!
That's with moving it outside, new flu, pipework and controls though.
Better get saving....

When I was a apprentice machine tool fitters and sparks were grade 5 when qualified, plumbers grade 4.
They have had the last laugh and I wonder how many of the new breed can lead weld , braze and silver solder.
About 8 years ago I was working at Basildon hospital on high pressure steam , all coded. I was on £70 a day less than the plumbers using a bit of push fit on some simple Simon stuff. Bitter? Coarse not

 

[knighty]

I'm shocked the parts prices are so high never mind the labour

did you shop around for parts prices? I only buy odds and sods but the local plumb base give be 50%+ discount on pretty much everything... just because they know my face... plumber will get at least that much? (some things are 80%)

 

[julianf]

One thing not to be overlooked -

The flue for these things is a total con. Flue can almost cost as much as the appliance itself.

So dont overlook that when dissecting the quote... (note im not making any comment on the rest of it at all - just that the flue will cost way more than anyone would believe it ever should!)