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Am I being ripped off...? Heating & Plumbing Quote

Discuss Am I being ripped off...? Heating & Plumbing Quote in the Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board area at PlumbersForums.net

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alecl1993

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I have been quoted for works to install a new heating system in a project we are doing in Kent (one large house and adjoining small house). This is our first project and I am concerned that the quote we have been provided is steep. Whilst I appreciate that it is the plumbers prerogative to quote as he wishes for a job, I wanted to see if anyone else more experienced is able to comment. Quote at the bottom:

Summary of works:

Large house (3 bed): Conversion of the existing system from an open vent to a combi boiler conversion, along with rationalisation and alteration of the heating system. All new radiators, and electrics etc.
  • Drain heating system
  • Isolate the gas pipe and purge
  • Remove existing boiler and flue (in kitchen)
  • Remove redundant hot water cylinder and storage tank above
  • Remove redundant feed/ expansion tank on the heating system in the loft
  • Run new domestic hot water services from boiler to kitchen & bathroom
  • Run new cold water services to kitchen & bathroom
  • Remove and cap existing redundant supplies to existing bathroom and kitchen
  • Isolate new supplies in kitchen & bathroom ready for second fix
  • drill hole for boiler flue
  • supply and fit gas boiler
  • supply and fit programable thermostat for heating system
  • supply and fit replacement radiators with thermostatic valves
  • Run heating pipework in to new bathroom - isolate ready for second fix
  • Alter heating pipe work in new kitchen
  • Alter heating pipe work on first floor to accommodate new floor plan
  • Vent & flush the heating system
  • Commission gas boiler
  • Balance heating system
New small house (small 2 bed): All electric system
  • Isolate heat system from adjacent property (divorce the two)
  • Supply & fit210 litre unvented, mains pressure hot water cylinder (electric)
  • Run new hot and cold water service from the cylinder to proposed kitchen & bathroom
  • Isolate hot & cold supplies ready for second fix
Quote in the region of £13,680 + VAT. £80 hourly rate capped at £400 per day + VAT. This doesn't include any waste plumbing we will need done.

Many thanks for any help.
 
How many bathrooms in the big house ?
 
One bathroom in the big house (it is actually a large 2 bed), although the location of the bathroom is moving (by a few meters), no spare toilet. Exactly the same in the new house although this is effectively a new build. Thanks
 
What boiler is he installing make
 
ATAG iC Economiser Gas boiler in the large house, the new one is electric 210 litre unvented, mains pressure hot water cylinder.

I understand the boiler is good quality and needs to be to supply instant hot water. Quoted £10k for works to the large house - boiler and fitting should be c. £2,400 having looked online. That means the pipework is being charged at c. £7k for materials and labour.
 
Boiler is around the 1500 mark

Would want more than 1 k to install just the boiler conversion

Is he supplying the rads if so there’s around 100 a rad just fit parts

TBH I don’t think the quotes that bad tad on the cheap side maybe but I haven’t seen the job
 
It might seem irrelevant but were in Kent are you? It doesn’t sound ridiculous, but it’s difficult to say without seeing the plans.

Always best to get 2-3 quotes; ask friends and family, try to avoid the array of web searches such as my builder for recommendations.
 
If you dont like the quote then get at least two more.

Can't tell from that the complexity of pipe runs etc.

Really difficult to compare without seeing a job.

Plus other things to factor in. How local, access, anticipated grief etc.
 
I think it’s reasonable. I quoted for similar on a complete refit on a bungalow but a bit more involved.
 
Seems reasonable to me. It's no good asking on the internet and trying to compare. No job is ever the same. As others have said, get more quotes, check references, and just avoid any of the online "tradesmen" finding sites.
 
Just a thought, are you absolutely dead set on losing the DHW cylinder? My Mum bought a renovated house where they had done this and the mains water pressure is so bad that she now just has a dribble out of her shower. She really regrets the fact the builder ripped out the DHW cylinder.

I have also stayed in numerous properties over the years that had combi-boilers and the systems just don't seem as good, i.e. having a shower when someone flushes a loo in the downstairs WC and the pressure drops or temp rises, then you're fiddle-4rsing around with the controls going "ow ow ow", then the WC finishes filling, the pressure returns and you end up freezing your nads off, more fiddling and swearing. Just a bl00dy PITA if you ask me, so if you get a chance to keep the cylinder I would!

Just my own personal experience, I'm sure they're fine if correctly installed, or the water pressure is sufficient.
 
fronty said:
Just a thought, are you absolutely dead set on losing the DHW cylinder? My Mum bought a renovated house where they had done this and the mains water pressure is so bad that she now just has a dribble out of her shower. She really regrets the fact the builder ripped out the DHW cylinder.

I have also stayed in numerous properties over the years that had combi-boilers and the systems just don't seem as good, i.e. having a shower when someone flushes a loo in the downstairs WC and the pressure drops or temp rises, then you're fiddle-4rsing around with the controls going "ow ow ow", then the WC finishes filling, the pressure returns and you end up freezing your nads off, more fiddling and swearing. Just a bl00dy PITA if you ask me, so if you get a chance to keep the cylinder I would!

Just my own personal experience, I'm sure they're fine if correctly installed, or the water pressure is sufficient.
Click to expand...

Why would you let a 'builder' rip out a cylinder?
 
That quote is so vague....is the whole heating system being repipe or just altered?? There's a difference between a £50 programmable stat and a £200 one... What make model is being installed, same with trvs... £6 ones or £25+. Magnetic filter being installed? That's another £100, gas pipe upgrade? So on.
 
fronty said:
Just a thought, are you absolutely dead set on losing the DHW cylinder?
Just a bl00dy PITA if you ask me, so if you get a chance to keep the cylinder I would!

Just my own personal experience, I'm sure they're fine if correctly installed, or the water pressure is sufficient.
Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly agree. I have always seen a combi as something to use when you absolutely have no room for a cylinder or in a small single bathroom place. In my humble opinion they are fitted inappropriately in a huge number of cases as an easy option. I would never get rid of a cylinder if there was already one in place. I would upgrade to unvented or replace the cylinder with a newer more efficient one if the old one was ropey but I would never recommend getting rid of one. You already have the space so use it!
 
Stigster said:
I wholeheartedly agree. I have always seen a combi as something to use when you absolutely have no room for a cylinder or in a small single bathroom place. In my humble opinion they are fitted inappropriately in a huge number of cases as an easy option. I would never get rid of a cylinder if there was already one in place. I would upgrade to unvented or replace the cylinder with a newer more efficient one if the old one was ropey but I would never recommend getting rid of one. You already have the space so use it!
Click to expand...
Viessmann storage combi, Great bits of kit.
The price seems pretty good, bit to tell without looking is pretty impossible.
 
I totally agree with keeping the cylinder if you can. If the cylinder is in the middle of the house it can supply the taps with fairly short pipe runs. If you have a combi boiler in the wrong place you might have a very long pipe run through plastic pipe and a low rate of water flow.
 
Impossible to answer, literally.
The only part we could answer sensibly is the parts and labour prices

Let's say you told us he is charging you £1,500 for the boiler, then we can say yes that is a good price.
If he is charging you £80 an hour in Kent which is capped at £400 per day then that is also fair.

What we cannot see is the length of pipe runs, cost of smaller items such as TRV's, Room Stats/Programmers, Brand of radiators etc.

All the listed things can vary immensely such as a cheap £8 TRV to a nice £84.99 smart TRV, see where I am going here, 10 cheap ones would be £80 and 10 fancy ones would be £849.99, massive range there.
 

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