Cost of boiler service and what should be included

[stevecase51]

A year ago I had a Vaillant ecotec plus 831 combi boiler installed. In the installation and maintenance instructions, in the “Inspection and maintenance work steps” table, there are two columns, the first of which shows the things that need to be done each year, and the second the things that must be carried out at regular intervals.
Looking at the things that are only in the second column (e.g. check charge pressure of expansion vessel, clean heat exchanger, check burner and clean if dirty) it seems to me that these could require quite a bit of extra time to carry them out.
When my boiler was due for its first annual service I decided to get Vaillant to do this as the price seemed competitive. The engineer didn’t do any of the things in the 2nd column, but I guess that was to be expected since the boiler is only one year old.
However this raises some questions in my mind when I come to get the boiler serviced in the future. Who decides what is meant by “regular intervals”? In practice, do engineers ever carry these “extra” tasks? When I ask for a quote for carrying out a service, should the price quoted cover these things?
I’d be interested to hear any views from those of you who regularly service boilers.

 

[oz-plumber]

Why don't you call the boiler manufacturer and ask them the questions?
( Don't mean to sound harsh )

As you state, the items in column 2, if all done, will take extra time.
Particularly if you have to clean the heat exchanger and burner.

Was the boiler installed onto a new system or was it a replacement of an existing boiler?

 

[Riley]

I am not really sure what you're asking. If you're paying somebody to professionally service your boiler they should be doing everything they need to do following testing and appraisal of the boiler to ensure that it is working efficiently and burning correctly. The key is "need to do", you as the customer would not appreciate paying annually for a new gasket seal on the Vaillant for example. That is why an engineer will assess the need for a gasket based on the flue gas assessment and previous service history.

 

[Masood]

I am not really sure what you're asking. If you're paying somebody to professionally service your boiler they should be doing everything they need to do following testing and appraisal of the boiler to ensure that it is working efficiently and burning correctly. The key is "need to do", you as the customer would not appreciate paying annually for a new gasket seal on the Vaillant for example. That is why an engineer will assess the need for a gasket based on the flue gas assessment and previous service history.

Exactly right.

As a general rule, if I take on a new customer for servicing, the first service I do will be a full strip-down, new gasket etc. unless the boiler is only a year old. After that each year I'll assess whether it's the minimum required, or more. Always to manufacturer spec, but no more than actually necessary.

 

[stevecase51]

Exactly right.

As a general rule, if I take on a new customer for servicing, the first service I do will be a full strip-down, new gasket etc. unless the boiler is only a year old. After that each year I'll assess whether it's the minimum required, or more. Always to manufacturer spec, but no more than actually necessary.

Thanks for your comment. My next question then is: would I know your charge up front or would you only tell me that afterwards?

 

[oz-plumber]

Servicing boilers is like servicing cars.

You take your car in for a service - they do it and charge you.

Then they tell you, you need your brake pads replaced at (X) amount and your tyres need replacing at an additional (X) amount.

 

[Riley]

As above, a service isn't always an open and shut case. I'm getting the feeling that you don't trust your service engineer??? Or have you been stung??

 

[stevecase51]

As above, a service isn't always an open and shut case. I'm getting the feeling that you don't trust your service engineer??? Or have you been stung??

It's not that I don't trust my local service engineer, or that I've been stung. I'm trying to work out how I can use to best advantage the 10-year warranty that Vaillant have given me. If I paid for a local engineer to do the service and he found a problem during the service, then he would (rightly) charge me for fixing the problem, and for any new parts and, probably, for a second visit. If I paid for Vallant themselves to do the service then if the same problem were found, it would presumably get fixed as a fault under the terms of the warranty and I wouldn't get charged anything over and above the cost of the service. However I may well pay more for the service itself compared with what local guy would charge.

Following the tyres & brake pads analogy mentioned above by oz-plumber I accept that these are consumables (i.e. not covered by the warranty) so I would have to pay for them whoever serviced my car. But I would have thought that in a boiler there aren't many consumables, but several parts that could fail within the 10 years and would be covered by the warranty.

 

[Riley]

If it's under warranty it's under warranty if I did a service on a Vaillant and there was a fault then I'd be happy for the customer to use their warranty. Then you've only paid for the service. Things like the gasket replacement aren't warranty items though as this is fair wear and tear

 

[jtsplumbing]

All comes down to what you want to pay, if you want someone to spend maybe up to 4 hrs every year on your boiler and are happy to pay £200 + depending on the per Hr charge, then OK but it wont take to long B4 servicing costs overtake the price of the boiler

 

[Riley]

It's not that I don't trust my local service engineer, or that I've been stung. I'm trying to work out how I can use to best advantage the 10-year warranty that Vaillant have given me. If I paid for a local engineer to do the service and he found a problem during the service, then he would (rightly) charge me for fixing the problem, and for any new parts and, probably, for a second visit. If I paid for Vallant themselves to do the service then if the same problem were found, it would presumably get fixed as a fault under the terms of the warranty and I wouldn't get charged anything over and above the cost of the service. However I may well pay more for the service itself compared with what local guy would charge.

Following the tyres & brake pads analogy mentioned above by oz-plumber I accept that these are consumables (i.e. not covered by the warranty) so I would have to pay for them whoever serviced my car. But I would have thought that in a boiler there aren't many consumables, but several parts that could fail within the 10 years and would be covered by the warranty.

Following your additional paragraph. If there is a fault and it's under warranty you can choose who fixes it. You don't have to use the person that services it if they are an independent I'm not sure what else to tell yu

 

[Masood]

Thanks for your comment. My next question then is: would I know your charge up front or would you only tell me that afterwards?

You would know my charge up front. We don't put prices on the open forum but my pricing is clear and transparent on my website for both fixed-price work such as servicing as well as hourly rate for more open-ended jobs.

I also promise to notify the customer if, on arrival, the job is much more involved than described and get approval for the work to be done. Customers often ask for a "service" when what the boiler really needs is open-heart surgery and a dozen Hail Marys...

 

[Masood]

If I paid for a local engineer to do the service and he found a problem during the service, then he would (rightly) charge me for fixing the problem, and for any new parts and, probably, for a second visit. If I paid for Vallant themselves to do the service then if the same problem were found, it would presumably get fixed as a fault under the terms of the warranty and I wouldn't get charged anything over and above the cost of the service.

I don't think that would be the case with any honest independent. If he or she found a failed part that was covered by warranty, then they'd refer you to Vaillant for that repair, and just charge for the service / diagnosis.

 

[Gasmk1]

modern boiler consumables are seals combustion, electrodes and ionisation probes, insulation in heat exchanger you would be suprised at the amount of consumable parts in a boiler, but a good engineer will service the boiler and tell you to get the manufacturer to carry out warranty work

 

[stevecase51]

Thanks for all your comments. From these it seems to me that it doesn't make much difference whether I go with Vaillant, or with a reputable local service engineer. Either way I should be able to get any faults covered by the warranty repaired by Vaillant.

 

[Masood]

Thanks for all your comments. From these it seems to me that it doesn't make much difference whether I go with Vaillant, or with a reputable local service engineer. Either way I should be able to get any faults covered by the warranty repaired by Vaillant.

You could do a lot worse than putting a post in here when it's time for your service. Guaranteed excellence and honesty:

[DLMURL="http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/im-looking-plumber-gas-engineer/"]I'm looking for a Plumber or Gas Engineer[/DLMURL]

 

[Scott_D]

How much do Vaillant charge?

 

[stevecase51]

How much do Vaillant charge?

When I contacted them in May, they quoted me £96, which I felt was high. I asked my installer (twice) to do the service but he never got back to me so I assumed he had plenty of work and didn't want the job. When I asked Vaillant the same question again in August they told me £75 which I felt was more reasonable, so that's why I asked them to come and do the first service. These prices include VAT