Combi boiler swap.....how long?

[ISM]

Just wanting to hear people's thoughts on how long you take/quote to carryout a straight forward combi swap.

I am currently quoting one day and I must admit it can be a struggle, especially when there is more than average amount radiators to flush.

Basically, my wife thinks it should be a day and a half, as I'm always absolutely shattered and stressed when I've done one.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Cannot be done in a day. About 2 days for me if an easy swap.

 

[Millsy 82]

Combi off combi on, no gas run, max 3 metre of easy condense pipe with a chemical flush only I price for 1.5 days. Allow 1 day

Magna clean 1 hour minimum price done on day
Clock 1 hour done on day
Vertical flue 4 hours. Price and labour
Power flush 8 hours price and labour
Condense and gas pipe runs extra.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Day to swap
Day to flush and finish off / patch old holes up etc

 

[Millsy 82]

Day to swap
Day to flush and finish off / patch old holes up etc

Boiler on wall hot cold gas and heating connected and flue out by lunch fill up and chuck wiring into temporary link and run. Whilst running do condense,prv and patch up. Flush system wire up boiler whilst draining then fill and commission.

I do always leave the next morning free just in case but try to get it done in 1 day.

 

[Harvest Fields]

In and out in a day. Awesome flush that must be. What if they have 18 rads?

 

[Millsy 82]

In and out in a day. Awesome flush that must be. What if they have 18 rads?

18 rads is a bit different and a chemical flush isn't that involved. If your doing a power flush or anything like that then yes needs more time.

I am very lucky (or unlucky if you like powerflushing) that where I live doesn't suffer hugely from sludge.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I think a powerflush/magna flush should be done after every install mate.

 

[Millsy 82]

I think a powerflush/magna flush should be done after every install mate.

What's the point if the system is clean? I have boiler changes I did 5 years ago carried out a chemical flush put a magna clean on it that I've never cleaned the magnet. Whip it out and put it straight back in as they are virtually spotless.

Fair enough where I used to live I would possibly argue the same as you but round me not much point.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Boiler on wall hot cold gas and heating connected and flue out by lunch fill up and chuck wiring into temporary link and run. Whilst running do condense,prv and patch up. Flush system wire up boiler whilst draining then fill and commission.

I do always leave the next morning free just in case but try to get it done in 1 day.

Must be easy access ones as normally just got removed kitchen cupboard,old boiler out and jig on the wall by dinner and that’s starting at 7

 

[Millsy 82]

Must be easy access ones as normally just got removed kitchen cupboard,old boiler out and jig on the wall by dinner and that’s starting at 7

Yeah it will only be the easy ones. If there is anything that will hold you up like remove a cupboard before or a tricky condense I would allow more time. But there are quite a few that van be done within a day easily.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yeah it will only be the easy ones. If there is anything that will hold you up like remove a cupboard before or a tricky condense I would allow more time. But there are quite a few that van be done within a day easily.

We just Price across the board so always allow for the worst

 

[townfanjon]

If you fit a combi in a day , you are either very lucky ( location , 22mm supply etc etc ) or you are throwing it in .

 

[Scott_D]

A day and a half

 

[hammers4spanner]

5 hours in out no flush in tbe gym by 2pm

 

[Scott_D]

5 hours in out no flush in tbe gym by 2pm

Flush the toilet?

 

[Old Account]

In and out in a day. Awesome flush that must be. What if they have 18 rads?

Different story but if customer had between 7-9 possible to do in s day. It also depends on when you start the works and when you're planning to finish. A hot power flush will work much faster than cold so there is definitely less time involved too

 

[Old Account]

5 hours in out no flush in tbe gym by 2pm

Which pub are you talking about

 

[Steve weightman]

On a clean system on the same jig etc no longer than 4 hours. Don't you just jump for joy when you it's on the same jig

 

[hammers4spanner]

On a clean system on the same jig etc no longer than 4 hours. Don't you just jump for joy when you it's on the same jig

Always change the jig imho customer has paid for it

 

[Millsy 82]

If you fit a combi in a day , you are either very lucky ( location , 22mm supply etc etc ) or you are throwing it in .

If you fit a combi in a day , you are either very lucky ( location , 22mm supply etc etc ) or you are throwing it in .

I wouldn't say I throw them in and if I knew how to upload a photo I would show a photo of one of the installs of a Worcester condenser out baxi duotec in, flue went vertical into the loft then ran 2.5mtrs to terminate external. left my house at 7:15 was in merchants for 7:30 drove an hour to the property was back home before 5.

I did a Worcester out in the loft a few months back baxi 630 in 6 mtr 22mm gas run and 4 mtr condense run. Boiler was up and running for 1:30 had I not had to go back the next day to do other bits it would of been flushed and finished by 4.

Obviously not all are like that but that is what you look for when you go round to price.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Upload a file tab

 

[Millsy 82]

Worked out how to post them. These are the 2 jobs I was talking about.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

How you finding the pack 4 ?

 

[hammers4spanner]

Brace yourself for the arrival of the plumbing police

 

[Millsy 82]

How you finding the pack 4 ?

The first one I did was the one in the photo and followed the instructions and had a mare with it phoned tech and they said they come ready synched. So far not had a problem with them.

 

[Millsy 82]

Brace yourself for the arrival of the plumbing police

Haha it's not Facebook hopefully we should be ok . I know I'm not perfect but I think after seeing a lot of others work around me I think I'm god.

 

[Gasmk1]

for combi swap i always allow 2 days so enough time if any problems also enough time to do the fiddly finishing off bits

 

[Last Plumber]

Depends on the job.

Taking this that the system is clean and PH is good:-

Straight swap, say vaillant ecotec plus like for like, change the valves and flue etc. I would allow a day but it would be a short easy one.

Swap for a newer version, a good full day if the pipes are in right order.

Swap for a different make, normally a day and a half although I do tend to work over (12 hour day ish).

Swap a non-condnsing Combi for a new Condensing, Two days.

All flushing and treating etc is on top,

That's a rough estimate , Plumbing is far from straight forward as we all know.

 

[Millsy 82]

So to all those saying 2 days when was the last time you were employed?

Pretty much most companies I've worked for over the last 10-12 years maybe longer has been a combi swap 1 day. If you had a long gas run etc that would be 2 days.

How long do you take to do something like a bbu out and a combi in airing cupboard?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I am

In short a 3 days to a week eg just a conversion to new rads and a conversion

 

[Harvest Fields]

I was on the card once. I still took 2 days.

 

[Riley]

So to all those saying 2 days when was the last time you were employed?

Pretty much most companies I've worked for over the last 10-12 years maybe longer has been a combi swap 1 day. If you had a long gas run etc that would be 2 days.

How long do you take to do something like a bbu out and a combi in airing cupboard?

It’s not a race and if your customer is happy with the slower approach then who is it harming. I’m not saying you don’t take care in a day but the perception to the customer is that you don’t. Also if the system is proper dirty then you’re knackered if you’ve only got a day. A proper flush is a must these days

 

[Millsy 82]

I'm starting to feel that most of my working life I've been stitched up. Off the top of my head the last company that gave me over a day to do a combi swap would of been a good 14 years ago.

 

[Millsy 82]

It’s not a race and if your customer is happy with the slower approach then who is it harming. I’m not saying you don’t take care in a day but the perception to the customer is that you don’t. Also if the system is proper dirty then you’re knackered if you’ve only got a day. A proper flush is a must these days

I fully see your point but if I priced for 2 days I dont think I'd win that many. I always leave the next morning free just in case something like a dirty system or other problems and if there is no problems happy days a morning surfing, sorry I meant paper work just incase my other half reads it. Lol.

Also as far as I know all my customers are more than happy with my work and my approach as most of them come back for more work.

 

[Gasmk1]

not been an employee for 14 years but when employed i didnt do many install i was mainly breakdown and servicing. but at BG industrial and commercial i was on the meter installation van for 10 years but supplemented when quiet with servicing and breakdowns. i give 2 days becasue i dont normally work past 4 o'clock.

 

[Deleted member 32524]

Some people are rapid and some are slow. PAl of mine laughs at me when I suggest a day is not enough. I must be slow!! Lol.

 

[Millsy 82]

Some people are rapid and some are slow. PAl of mine laughs at me when I suggest a day is not enough. I must be slow!! Lol.

I always thought I was slow. I've worked with a few blokes 1 in particular I had to go and help him do a full central heating system I got to him about 3pm as I had loads of breakdowns to do before hand and by the time I got there he had the boiler on the wall piped up and all the rads on the wall (I say all the rads it was a 6 rad system) and piped into the roof space then he was running the pipework in the loft. I was literally gobsmacked and couldn't believe how much he had done in a day and it was really neat as well.

 

[Deleted member 32524]

Just like my mate. He is rapid. He does installs all the time though. I am mostly reactive maintenance, would tank him for time on a repair though. I found that as my pipe bending skill increased my time reduced and it looked way neater. Solder as you go too. Still about a day and a half for full flush and install, with some or short gas upgrades and condy run. Used to take me 2 days. Still could. Went to one years ago and thought 2 days, but took 4 with all the issues I found once I got started.

 

[Last Plumber]

So to all those saying 2 days when was the last time you were employed?

Pretty much most companies I've worked for over the last 10-12 years maybe longer has been a combi swap 1 day. If you had a long gas run etc that would be 2 days.

How long do you take to do something like a bbu out and a combi in airing cupboard?

Been working over 30 years now.

The job takes as long as it takes to do it well in my opinion. I've never been short of work and have no complaints or bad debtors.
I'm by no means saying that you do not do the job well, I have never seen your work obviously. If you're fast and good then that's great.

I do know some are a lot faster than me but if people recommend me and keep coming back themselves, there cannot be much wrong?

As far as BBU and airing cupboard job goes, you know yourself it depends on a lot of different things. Each needs pricing on its own merits.

 

[hammers4spanner]

It's not that you can't do it in a day it's covering the possibility of a warranty call back imho.
2 days buttons and braces the install and gives little chance of a call back where they can turn repair down

 

[firemant]

Just wanting to hear people's thoughts on how long you take/quote to carryout a straight forward combi swap.

I am currently quoting one day and I must admit it can be a struggle, especially when there is more than average amount radiators to flush.

Basically, my wife thinks it should be a day and a half, as I'm always absolutely shattered and stressed when I've done one.

Are you charging a rate that financialy demands that you complete in one day, or is it a case of you wishing to make maximum profit by killing yourself?