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General => The Shed => Topic started by: grannyjanny on July 11, 2009, 09:08:54
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We had the boiler serviced yesterday & we are going to have to get a new one soon as it's old & inefficient. We are looking into the options but to get the most efficient it looks like we will loose the hot water tank in the airing cupboard. How do others manage without or am I just being old fashioned? It would mean we have a large cupboard for storage though. Small items go in the drier & are put away immediately but I do like to "air" other items when I have ironed them as I have a fierce steam iron so they feel quite damp.
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we've had that, janet..I hang the ironed things on the rack after ironing to air :)
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Thanks for that Manic. Getting quotes in soon. I suppose it had better be done before winter, & it will pay for itself eventually ;) so they say. I will miss it also for starting seeds off.
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ah, can't help with that, i have those plastic windowsill propagators :)
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old and inefficient? will you ever save the cost of the replacement / fitting of the new boiler? (don't believe the hype) ;)
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Just wanted to say that I was in the same boat as you and wanting a 'proper job' done I gave British Gas a small fortune to do it. It was a disaster and they ended up having to give a large chunk of the money back in compensation. Shop around and don't think that BG are bound to know what they're doing....they subcontract and don't !!!
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Just wanted to say that I was in the same boat as you and wanting a 'proper job' done I gave British Gas a small fortune to do it. It was a disaster and they ended up having to give a large chunk of the money back in compensation. Shop around and don't think that BG are bound to know what they're doing....they subcontract and don't !!!
I'm in a similar positon although my boiler has just been condemned. I got a quote from British Gas 'just for a laugh' - £4,000, they must think I was born yesterday!
You may find this link useful which was given to me by a helpful poster here.
http://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/homeowner/products/find-an-installer
G x
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The BG gas man recommended those boilers. He said 90% of gas fitters have them. We will have to have a new one as it's churning out carbon monoxide through the vent to the outside. BG are sending someone next week & we will get other quotes. There is a discount as we are over 60 ;D ;D ;D. We will see.
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shame youre not closer my dad has been a gas engineer all his working life and his firm have just made him redundant on his 65th birthday but he still has all his qualifcations and they stand for five years so he will be looking for private work cheaper then many businesses
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We are soon going to have a worcester bosche boiler fitted and the central heating will incorporate my airing cupboard too. I am keeping my hot water cylinder and the airing cupboard so do shop around. We are having it all done by worcester bosche credited installers too.
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We had to have heating fitted into our house when we moved in 6 years ago as it was still on night storage. We had a Worcester Combi boiler (living in Worcester it was no contest really!) and it is fab as we have hot water when ever we need it without having to heat a huge tank of water that we may not use. They are much more energy efficient and definitely cheaper.
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Interesting Topic!
There is no gas in our part of the world. We've had oil fired central heating since moving into the village some 30yrs. ago. I discovered that by turning the boiler off during the summer & running the immersion for 2 hrs. on night rate gave us enough hot water for the day.
I have now fitted a wood burning stove (have ample wood supply - free). I can't wait to start it later - it is so much more efficient than an open fire & so much more economical. I think of all the coal & wood I've burnt to date for what?
Burning wood is neutral also.
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We replaced our boiler a few years ago and the local company suggested a combi boiler,we weren't sure having always had a baxi back boiler.I spoke to the BG man when he came to do our annual service and he said most of his callouts were to combis and back boilers were more reliable.So the local guys fitted a back boiler....what a fiasco despite trading for years they were hopeless and BG came and put all the problems right.We would have had BG do the original replacement work but would have had to wait.Over the years they've given a v. good service and i hope i'm not tempting fate but the boiler is very reliable
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I switched from coal to gas a few years ago, British Gas called and gave me a quote for a free standing boiler for £6500.00 I had a local firm to do the job for £1200.00
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We had a new Combi boiler fitted best money I ever spent thanks BG, ;)
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Would recommend not getting a Potterton. Always have motherboard problems and they cost a fortune to replace - even though the electronics shouldn't fail in the first place.
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it might be worth having a look on this website to see if you qualify for a grant towards some of the cost. a work colleague is getting a new boiler installed and has only had to pay a couple of hundred pounds with most of the cost being paid for by a grant: http://www.warmfront.co.uk/do-i-qualify.htm
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Our gas bill (Calor) averaged out at £95 a month over the last 12 months, decided that I'd had enough. I removed the central heating and hot water system and removed the gas cooker. I then ordered an electric cooker and instant water heater, plumbed in the water heater then got the electrician in to install a new consumer unit and two extra power circuits, for the cooker and water heater. He tested out the whole installation and everything was OK, most of the wiring has been in for 29 years.
In future our heating will be with thermostatic fan heaters, which can be used as required. Our lounge heating is with an open fire burning wood. I got £40+ for the scrap and still have a large quantity of 15mm copper pipe in the store (used and in good condition.
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BG came today. The quote was £3600- £4000 BUT if we leave it the price will go up considerably. That price is for July only ;) ;) ;). We are paying £85 per month & doring the very cold weather we only had 3 radiators out of 7 on :'( :'( :'(.
it might be worth having a look on this website to see if you qualify for a grant towards some of the cost. a work colleague is getting a new boiler installed and has only had to pay a couple of hundred pounds with most of the cost being paid for by a grant:http://www.warmfront.co.uk/do-i-qualify.htm
Thanks but we don't qualify.
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Granny janny it really pays to shop around. Do you know anyone who has had similar work done, or do your council have a list of registered contractors? I've had combis for years now and really like them. When I had the 1st installed it cost me about £1000 for a 2 bed flat and they did it in a day (ripped out the storage heaters and had new radiators etc). A friend who had a 1 bed flat got BG to do it and it cost £2,500 to £3,000 and took blummin ages!
1066
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I know a superb and honest CH engineer, will seeif he goes into Cheshire if you want?
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Thanks Hector very kind of you & 1066. We are not going with BG very arrogant man who came but wouldn't have had them any way. We do have some one local thanks. BG quoted us £700 last year as our lounge radiator was blocked with gunk. They said it was a 3 man job & could take 2 days. We showed them, 2 OAPs & one afternoon & one trip to the chiropractor, it was 10' in length ;D ;D ;D.
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ive had BG and our local Swalec gas engineer out to quote for a new boiler 1 new radiator new mains gas line 22mm new regulation £3400 fitted
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After my 'joke' BG quote, I've had three local companies in. Two are registered installers from the Worcester Bosch site I mentioned earlier which means the system would be guaranteed for 5 years for parts and labour on the condition the boiler has an annual service, as opposed to the normal 2-3 years.
I'm waiting for the last quote in writing from the chap who came this morning but he reckoned between £2K and £2.5K, whereas the other two were saying around £3K. The difference is in the labour: the bloke today was by far the most thorough, found the best way to install the new pipework and reckoned two days, whereas the other two said three days.
I think it's very important to shop around, do your own research on boiler prices and go back and ask questions about the quote if need be. I cannot understand why so many people use BG. They seem to have a standard quote of around £4K based on a 'worst case scenario' whether or not you present with a simple or complicated job.
G x
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I dislike Worcester Bosch intensely but if you decide to go with them DO check out their call out charge as it varies from postcode to postcode.
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Our first replacement boiler was a Worcester and it lasted about 3 years before dying. We now have a Baxi-Potterton and after a disappointing false start with the motherboard it has been brilliant (touch wood, touch wood) We have an annual service with Heat team - the motherboard problem was sorted in 24hours.
Combi's are brilliant
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I dislike Worcester Bosch intensely but if you decide to go with them DO check out their call out charge as it varies from postcode to postcode.
Why do you dislike them?
G x
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Hi Georgie,
I had a Worcester boiler put in and about a couple of months after the guarantee had run out it broke down, as I live in an expensive postcode area I was charged £250 call out . Fair enough if they fixed it but it lasted all of a month and then another £250 and this is how it went on. It drove me nuts as they kept changing different bits and it would last a while and Bob's your uncle I was back to square one coughing up another £250. In the end I wrote to the managing director and did get some of the monies back. But winter time with no heat waiting a couple of days for the engineer to come and everytime having to empty the larder out was no joke. I really do dislike Worcester Bosch as I cannot see why I should have had to pay more just for the area I live in that seemed totally unfair and although the two engineers were nice guys I hardly had any faith in them.
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I had a Worcester Bosch condensing boiler fitted for @ £1500 15 months ago and no probs and a bill that nose-dived.
Should have done it ages ago !!
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Please get an estimate from the Worcester firm installers. They have a very good reputation and I plan to have them replace my boiler soon. I know a heating firm in Four Oakes[nr Sutton Coldfield] called Stryson which are very are good and have recommended to friends They will be fittng the Worcester boiler, but like the retired gentleman they are too far from you. But can't you get a similar reccomendation from someone.
British gas is definate No NO with me.
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We are going to get estimates next from Worcester fitters. Life is at a standstill ATM. Ashes :D. BG is a NO NO with us also. OH cracked the wash basin last night getting ready for bed but must get the boiler sorted first. He thought he had chipped it but when I looked this morning there is a big crack as well :(. It could well be decision time, we are not getting any younger so do we go for a walk in shower? Can't remember the last time either of us had a bath.
Will this start a whole new debate ;D ;D ;D?
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OH cracked the wash basin last night getting ready for bed
The mind boggles! ;D ;D ;D
G x
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Re bath/shower.
I have recently had a bath removed and replaced with a larger than average walk-in shower. I am delighted with it.
I asked for and got a shower head with an extra long support and clip low down on the wall. This means I can have the shower head spraying at various levels. Useful for 6 footers and me sitting on a stool[very cheap ikea one]. May not apply for your needs but I don't want to wet my hair every time I shower. I have had mermaid cladding on the walls and have heard good and bad about it, so waiting to see how this goes.
The only down side is I was informed it might effect the sale of the house.
I was also with impressed with the firm that did it.
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Would recommend not getting a Potterton. Always have motherboard problems and they cost a fortune to replace - even though the electronics shouldn't fail in the first place.
We had a Potterton fitted about 12 years ago, we've never had it serviced and never had any problems with it!
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My mother had a weissmann boiler fitted nearly two years ago. We were all so impressed that I replaced my old (23 yr old) boiler with one a few months ago. The 200 series, all singing and dancing, even with outside temperature compensator.
5 year guarantee!! They are (obviously) German, did industrial boilers until expanding into the domestic market a couple of years ago.
Cost, less than £2400 fitted, from a company in Buxton (Derbys).
NO hot water tank, mains pressure hot water, would have no hesitation in recommending them.
Richard
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Would recommend not getting a Potterton. Always have motherboard problems and they cost a fortune to replace - even though the electronics shouldn't fail in the first place.
We had a Potterton fitted about 12 years ago, we've never had it serviced and never had any problems with it!
I was going on what the service company we eventually used said about them not just our own experiences (although we have two identical boilers that each had the motherboard problem within months of each other). SMP1704 above had motherboard as well. So make sure your warrant is for at least three years and covers labour as well as parts and you'll be fine.
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We have had our first quote today. £2800 & that is for fitting it in the airing cupboard. BG quoted £3600-£4000 but if we wanted it in the airing cupboard that would be an extra £600. We have two more people coming next week so we will see what they have to say. Very impressed with todays man.
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We had a Potterton fitted about 12 years ago, we've never had it serviced and never had any problems with it!
We had one for over 21 years. Never had a problem with it until it finally failed. Were told that newer ones not up to same standard.
BG quoted £3600-£4000
British Gas often have special offers, we got an over 60 discount for my OH and cavity wall insulation thrown in.
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Just had BG in for the annual service and told that our back boiler is no longer fitted as not energy efficient :'( :'(it was only fitted in 2002 which in boiler years is not very old.Will have to sell a body part to replace it .Strangely enough the engineer who called had just had a successful kidney transplant :)
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New boiler is in & running well. We found a superb man to fit it. We had 5 quotes, his was the dearest but we liked him & he was the only one to tell us about the warm front scheme, so we got £300 of the bill. He was also the only one who fitted vailant boilers as recommended by which magazine. We also have a 5 year parts & labour warranty. We now have it in the airing cupboard but there is still plenty of room for storage & plenty of room where the old boiler was taken from. Very happy with the outcome. We will same £22 a month on the BG service & it will cost us about £50 for this chap to come & service it.
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Well Grannyjanny your experience bears out the fact that you have to shop around.The BG man said we needed a new air thing effectively an air brick he said would take 1 man 1 hour to install £150.00 wish I could get a job £150 per hour ::)
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OH looked on Which local & it has certainly paid of for us. He has left positive comments about our fitter. He had a young lad with him, only 17 who has been with him for a year. What a star he was. Neither of them stopped working the whole time they were here apart from a 30 min lunch break. The only request was white sugar in their tea & coffee which OH had to provide as I had just had an op on my trigger thumb. BG wanted £300 to flush the system & it was free from our man. We paid £2700 in total, for the same job BG wanted £5400.
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My mate fitted our central heating, 9 rads and a combi boiler years ago he did it for 2 grand BG wanted 6 grand. ;D ;D ;D