Boiler issues

[coldandmiserabl]

Hi there - I am not a plumber!!! Sorry, but I need some realistic advice and hope that you guys out there will be able to help me. I am a middleaged woman living on my own and have no one to ask for advice with my current situation!!
Basically I need a new boiler!! Its a long story why it is broken!!
Had 2 very nice local plumbers around and have received quotes for just under £2000 and £2600- to install new boiler and 10TRV s - keep all other existing pumps valves etc as they were replaced quite recently - is this a good idea? or should it ALL be new??
They will charge extra £250 if a power flush is required at end of installation - they will do chemical flush before installation,
Had British Gas around and they are quoting £3,500 to do the same job but not the TRV s. - will give 2yrs breakdown cover instead. No mention that TRV s are required!! interesting - I read on the forums earlier that these are supposed to be mandatory.
Basically I need to know why it costs so much to install a new boiler - from what I can see (online~) a boiler costs £600 upwards - basically both chaps have said that they will replace boiler in exactly the same place, use all exiting controllers, thermostats etc. So... this is where I am not certain!!
The job will consist of stopping water, electrics and gas supplies , remove existing boiler, attach new boiler onto wall, reconnect water, gas and electrics and hey presto job done - or what am I missing? I am totally aware that I must pay the "going" rate, and am happy to do so. The first chaps quote £2000 - 600 for boiler £250 for TRV s = £1500 for labour??? British Gas £3500 600 for boiler £2900 for labour - it just does not "add up" neither have given me a breakdown of costs - but this is what the simplistic version is. I know that the flue and other bits and bobs will need to be done!! I work as a carer for the elderly - get paid in the region of £100 per day, work hard etc and am happy to do so, but just cannot get my head round this. So - in all ignorance, I am asking for some proper help - not baffled by the science of it all. Also - both people reckon it will take 1 and a half days. I am just concerned at the discrepancy in prices!! What is a reasonable expectation to pay.
Hope that someone will be able to "clear my head" on this - I am freezing cold and immersion heater is pathetically inadequate - so need to get this done ASAP and just don't know who to ask. Thanks in anticipation of some guidance. I am in the south east, near london. Not asking for any more quotes, just need some info
Many thanks C&M

 

[newbie1]

sorry if this sounds wrong but you are paid 100.00 per day and have paid holidays/sickness etc
self employed gas engineer
cost of acs assesment and gas safe registration in excess of 1000.00
public liability insurance
van insurance and tax
tools
stationary
time spent quoting for jobs and not getting them(lots of time involved here)
not guaranteed work every day
non paying customers
can be jailed if found in breach of gas regulations
callbacks through no fault of the engineer and customer expects that to be free
the going rate for a boiler swap including parts is between 1500 upwards
yes trvs are required as a min in bedrooms as part of part l building regs

as a guide price i would be charging between 1600-2000 for this job dependant on seeing the job anyone doing it for any less is prob a bit desperate for work so has dropped his prices

 

[ocentric]

Under £2000 sounds very reasonable to me. The fact that you've had 3 quotes really answers your question. But you will find a cowboy who will do it cheaper....you just might not wake up 1 day

 

[Blackcatgas]

Hi there - I am not a plumber!!! Sorry, but I need some realistic advice and hope that you guys out there will be able to help me. I am a middleaged woman living on my own and have no one to ask for advice with my current situation!!
Basically I need a new boiler!! Its a long story why it is broken!!
Had 2 very nice local plumbers around and have received quotes for just under £2000 and £2600- to install new boiler and 10TRV s - keep all other existing pumps valves etc as they were replaced quite recently - is this a good idea? or should it ALL be new??
They will charge extra £250 if a power flush is required at end of installation - they will do chemical flush before installation,
Had British Gas around and they are quoting £3,500 to do the same job but not the TRV s. - will give 2yrs breakdown cover instead. No mention that TRV s are required!! interesting - I read on the forums earlier that these are supposed to be mandatory.
Basically I need to know why it costs so much to install a new boiler - from what I can see (online~) a boiler costs £600 upwards - basically both chaps have said that they will replace boiler in exactly the same place, use all exiting controllers, thermostats etc. So... this is where I am not certain!!
The job will consist of stopping water, electrics and gas supplies , remove existing boiler, attach new boiler onto wall, reconnect water, gas and electrics and hey presto job done - or what am I missing? I am totally aware that I must pay the "going" rate, and am happy to do so. The first chaps quote £2000 - 600 for boiler £250 for TRV s = £1500 for labour??? British Gas £3500 600 for boiler £2900 for labour - it just does not "add up" neither have given me a breakdown of costs - but this is what the simplistic version is. I know that the flue and other bits and bobs will need to be done!! I work as a carer for the elderly - get paid in the region of £100 per day, work hard etc and am happy to do so, but just cannot get my head round this. So - in all ignorance, I am asking for some proper help - not baffled by the science of it all. Also - both people reckon it will take 1 and a half days. I am just concerned at the discrepancy in prices!! What is a reasonable expectation to pay.
Hope that someone will be able to "clear my head" on this - I am freezing cold and immersion heater is pathetically inadequate - so need to get this done ASAP and just don't know who to ask. Thanks in anticipation of some guidance. I am in the south east, near london. Not asking for any more quotes, just need some info
Many thanks C&M[/QUOTE

Id power flush it as a matter of course because iam such a good boy and never cut any corners or do anything wrong, a job like this would take me 2.5 days assuming it was a straight swap ie the gas pipe didnt need upgrading etc, also what boiler are you having installed? maybe 1800 with a power flush but without seeing it its hard to say. ore info needed cold and miserable.

 

[moony]

2000 is about right....

600 for boiler, but your flue, clock etc could make it nearer 750. running gas pipe work? if you have any problems they wiill have to come back (probably free of charge)

we regualarly fit worcestors replace trvs, commission for 2000, 2 lads 2 days. so that would make it 250 for each a day (we dont get that though).... thats without taking into consideration call backs and running a business, tax and the time coming out to qoute free of charge etc etc.

based on 4 yr apprenticeship at low money, the matter of life or death if installed incorrectly. and the refresher courses etc etc. thats not amazing money but its a wage.

 

[Blackcatgas]

2000 is about right....

600 for boiler, but your flue, clock etc could make it nearer 750. running gas pipe work? if you have any problems they wiill have to come back (probably free of charge)

we regualarly fit worcestors replace trvs, commission for 2000, 2 lads 2 days. so that would make it 250 for each a day (we dont get that though).... thats without taking into consideration call backs and running a business, tax and the time coming out to qoute free of charge etc etc.

based on 4 yr apprenticeship at low money, the matter of life or death if installed incorrectly. and the refresher courses etc etc. thats not amazing money but its a wage.

Then youve got all the sh$t you forget about, making good brickwork around the flue , slight wiring alterations, balancing sytem, getting that rad that wont work to work, it takes time.

 

[stevetheplumber]

no one has mentioned the fact that there will almost certainly be a new condensate pipe run to be done
2 grand is the right price unless its a realy easy one i work alone and would do this in 2days if all goes well 2 1/2 is more probable i would powerflush as a norm
actually that would be 3 days with 10 trvs

 

[Puddle]

As above really or of course there are other options.......................

Make me laugh these blockes,windging about registration and training fees, it’s their fault for getting in the system, no need for it, wanting a archer to supply a bit of scrap and sling it on the wall, joining to a few push fittings, should be ashamed of emselves,if me dar was alive eed turn in his grave
Tax, national insurance, public liability, there taking the bludy liability, all stuff for wimps,want to try a bit of National service, we get by without all that stuff, as long as you keep moving about, bobing and weeving, tell you what misses, me and me mate will do the job for a couple of monkeys for yeh, dosh in da hand, keep it tight to ya chest, ya won’t ave to worry about go backs with us, giving ya the wrong mobi number stops that
And will throw in boiler aswell,picked one up last week out of someone garden, casing and all, bet nout wrong with it, them ligities at it again, could get a Hamden roar for it down the scrappy, but what ta hell,you don’t av to worry about warrantee or any cover darl,only cover you’ll need is,a nice think quit to keep you warm when boiler keeps breaking down,nar,only jesting, only thing to worry about is this new condeplate bit, can drip after a while,if boiler stays on that long,ya can just put bucket under it and empty the same time your emptying your grans comoud,just got to get in a routine ,anyhow weel fit boiler and get ya going and if yah throw in a extra long un , weel tarmac ya garden path an all
Ya know it make sence; now what yah say babe,bout time someone took care of you for a change,will even give uh a lift ta da Tommy Tank to get da readies,hey matey get them wipits off the passenger seat of trany,got ta take lady for little ride,hay,ho happy days

 

[wnjswozo]

like it puddle

 

[coldandmiserabl]

Thank you all for your input!!
Point taken about fees etc!
So it seems that the £2000 is reasonable and safe - the main problem I had was the fact that British Gas were quoting about £1,500 more ~(£3,500).
As I said in my original post - I am fully prepared to pay the "going rate" - just needed clarification what that actually was - I do not want a "cheap or shoddy" installation - I am more than aware of the need for safety regarding gas.

"puddle" I am not entirely sure what you were talking about - I am not looking for one of "those guys" to do the job

Thanks again to all - some good advice - will contact installer today

 

[stevew451]

british gas are well known for quotes which at the least are in the extreme

 

[newbie1]

puddle was using humour to highlight the cowboys out there that will do it cheaper but will be unlicensed leaving you with no house insurance cover and unable to complete the hip in the event of selling

it costs a lot of money to become trained in gas and is the only trade regulated in law and as such prosecutable for violations
british gas are a big company and have huge overheads and as such you are paying lots of peoples wages as opposed to one man or two man band
as said others will contraven building regs and not fit trvs to save money and others wont flush it
a straight swap one man band is 2 days poss a third if things go wrong and thats where the price comes in
the installer has to price for things going wrong not for going right as customer once quoted will not pay more if there is a problem
i did a powerflush on monday microbore pipework and one small rad took 45mins to clear pipework and one bedroom one required flusher to be taken upstairs to rad tails and reverse flushed for 90 mins making it a 10hr day should have been 8 max but thats why you have to price accordingly
we are not out there to rob people just make a living