If anyone wants advice on gas/central heating/boilers. feel free to ask

Is there a reason why you can’t just wire up the new pump from the cable you already have?
 
Is there a reason why you can’t just wire up the new pump from the cable you already have?
Hi, the old pump is wired direct into the pump head, the new one has a plug that goes into the pump head, the terminals are not identical so I thought I would wire the pump up from scratch but I can't see how just wiring it to the mains it will know when to start up, I assumed it must get a signal from somewhere else, but even googling it I can't understand where it gets the signal from. I am just trying to understand where it gets the signal from to start, the heating controls, the boiler, or wherever. Phil
 
Hi experts,
My parents want to replace their boiler so had a company round today to give them a quote.

They suggested a Worcester Bosch 25i (my dad only wants a WB). It’s going in the same place as the old combi.

They’ve quoted £2600 for the boiler and install. At first glance this seemed a bit expensive to me. Am I right or just a tight wad?
 
Are condensate pumps any good and what is a realistic distance to have it pump a small amount of condensate?

I’m getting a single storey extension but was hoping not to move the boiler so it would need to travel 5 meters under the kitchen cupboards

Thanks, Kev
 
Hi experts,
My parents want to replace their boiler so had a company round today to give them a quote.

They suggested a Worcester Bosch 25i (my dad only wants a WB). It’s going in the same place as the old combi.

They’ve quoted £2600 for the boiler and install. At first glance this seemed a bit expensive to me. Am I right or just a tight wad?
A quick Google suggests they retail about £1000. So depending on the old boiler and how it was plummed in they possible. It can take a while to reroute pipe work and a good tradesman will likely get a plasterer in if need be to smooth out the wall after install. If they are not happy with the price then get a few more quites
My mum has a WB 32CDI and it's been a nightmare from day one.
 
My System is incredibly noisy this winter! Just general noise, can hear the water flowing more, some gurgling, whooshing etc

Its an open vented system with a potterton suprima boiler, boiler is 20 years old now and from what I gather was a great boiler and whilst it is kettling I am loathe to change it whilst it still heats the house perfectly well.

Would a power flush help the system? I am thinking that the pipes are getting fairly clogged and its the higher flow rate from narrowing in the pipes that may be causing the issues.
 
Are condensate pumps any good and what is a realistic distance to have it pump a small amount of condensate?

I’m getting a single storey extension but was hoping not to move the boiler so it would need to travel 5 meters under the kitchen cupboards

Thanks, Kev
Why not just run the condensation pipe 5m from the boiler to outside behind the new kitchen units? 5m is nothing for a condensation pipe
 
Why not just run the condensation pipe 5m from the boiler to outside behind the new kitchen units? 5m is nothing for a condensation pipe

Flush units with no cavity so the pipe would only hand an 70-80mm drop over 5m.
 
Are condensate pumps any good and what is a realistic distance to have it pump a small amount of condensate?

I’m getting a single storey extension but was hoping not to move the boiler so it would need to travel 5 meters under the kitchen cupboards

Thanks, Kev
Mine pumps vertically around 2.5m then horizontally at least 5m , probably more like 7m. No problems in 4 or so years whatso ever.
 
British gas man is here 3 weeks after booking in. Expansion vessel was completely flat, and the safety valve was also entirely blocked. He's sorted both of those out and says everything else is fine, thankfully! Slight recommendation to curve the overflow pipe back into the wall outside as it points straight out at the moment
 
A friend has a Glow Worm Betacom 24c, with a mechanical timer. Is there an easy / cheap way to replace that with a wireless roomstat? Or if not, what's the suggested option? Thank you!
 
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This year I'd like to replace my very old traditional Baxi boiler (hot water tank, cold water tank in loft) system with a new one, probably a combi boiler like the Worcester Bosch Greenstar 34CDi because I want fast hot water and plenty of radiator output. This can be bought online for £1200, or fitted by BOXT for £3330! Does replacing a boiler really cost £2000?
 
This year I'd like to replace my very old traditional Baxi boiler (hot water tank, cold water tank in loft) system with a new one, probably a combi boiler like the Worcester Bosch Greenstar 34CDi because I want fast hot water and plenty of radiator output. This can be bought online for £1200, or fitted by BOXT for £3330! Does replacing a boiler really cost £2000?
Get another quote if you are not happy
And it could do. Pipes may need to be relocated. Possibly bent to fit the new boiler. Then any decent firm will likely get a plasterer in etc to give the wall a skim if needed. My next door neighbour had a new boiler fitted and it took 2 blokes near enough all day.
Could always do it yourself[emoji6]
 
This year I'd like to replace my very old traditional Baxi boiler (hot water tank, cold water tank in loft) system with a new one, probably a combi boiler like the Worcester Bosch Greenstar 34CDi because I want fast hot water and plenty of radiator output. This can be bought online for £1200, or fitted by BOXT for £3330! Does replacing a boiler really cost £2000?
It's a 2 day job doing what you want done, with the half of the 1st day just removing what is currently there. Then new pipes have to be run and existing altered, material costs etc. Far more work than a straight boiler swap.

Personally it sounds very cheap to me, but like @Delvey says get other quotes.
 
This can be bought online for £1200,
My one and only attempt to buy a boiler on line and get it fitted resulted in me giving it to those nice men who ask if you have any scrap metal. Around here, no-one will fit a boiler you bought yourself...
 
It's a 2 day job doing what you want done, with the half of the 1st day just removing what is currently there. Then new pipes have to be run and existing altered, material costs etc. Far more work than a straight boiler swap.

Personally it sounds very cheap to me, but like @Delvey says get other quotes.
Don't forget know 20% off for VAT. And that's 1600 for installing.
 
It’s very easy to dissect a quotation without realising all the costs involved.

Besides, whether a boiler can be bought online for x amount is irrelevant. A heating engineer will most likely make a mark up on the boiler. This is how a business operates, you buy something and add a percentage on. In a similar way to when you buy your grocery shopping at the supermarket, you pay a higher price than cost price.

As IG mentions, if you are fortunate enough to find someone to install a boiler that you bought online, I doubt the installer would want to have anything to do with you if the boiler develops a fault. You supplied the boiler, it’s your problem.

Plus the countless fittings, pipe work/ controls etc that need to be bought. Odds and sods really do add up.
 
As IG mentions, if you are fortunate enough to find someone to install a boiler that you bought online, I doubt the installer would want to have anything to do with you if the boiler develops a fault. You supplied the boiler, it’s your problem.
If you fit the boiler then you become legally responsible for it, in the sense that it is illegal to fit an unsafe gas product. Not an issue if you are the one to buy it from a merchant as you know its history, but one from a customer could be in any condition, could even be a back of a lorry job for all you know.

Gas Safety Regs 1998
26 (1)"No person shall install a gas appliance unless it can be used without constituting a danger to any person"

Not an issue if its an unregistered job, but not worth the risk if registered
 
Thanks, I realise people have to make a living, but up north we're not used to people wanting £1k a day! :D
 
I meant more if there was a manufacturing defect a few months after installation.

For example if the PCB failed, if an engineer has supplied the boiler then I’m sure he would swap FOC as it’s under warranty.

If a customer supplied the boiler, even if it was a brand new appliance, I doubt a fitter would come back to do anything FOC.

Unless I’m mistaken and the installer is legally obliged to fix any faults whether he supplied or not. It’s not my area of expertise.

Bathroom wise, if a customer supplied a shower which developed a manufacturing fault, I’d tell them to whistle if they expected a FOC repair.
 
Thanks, I realise people have to make a living, but up north we're not used to people wanting £1k a day! :D

Do you know he is making £1k per day?

Has he given you an itemised Quotation?
 
I meant more if there was a manufacturing defect a few months after installation.
Thats a simple, call the manufacturer for a warranty claim job, but i get your point. Change it to a few days after leaving and it might affect how it was handled. The customer bought it then it would almost certainly be call the manufacturer, you buy it, then it depends on the installer and how the customer has treated you. A nice customer then you would probably fix it, **** customer? call the manufacturer! Well that's me anyhow :laugh:

So be nice to the installer folks!!!:D
 
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Thanks, I realise people have to make a living, but up north we're not used to people wanting £1k a day! :D
Being an honorary Northerner (do like the north, esp compared to the south :eek::laugh:) i get where you are coming from, so lets break it down.

Wages/tax/national insurance etc
materials
Tools and tool testing each year
Disposal costs and license fees (scrap is classified as waste and a carriers license is needed)
transport costs (fuel, insurance etc)
Vat
Items that you haven't thought of, does your price include flue, filter, time clock etc?
How much of a swine the job is
Registration costs
Costs of fixing and dealing with any unforeseen problems
Paperwork costs (quotes/bills etc)
Profit

And let's be frank :D because you have to be qualified which we are and your not :). Its like a will, do it yourself or pay a lawyer who can charge you more simply because your not qualified like them. Structural engineer calculations, epc certificates etc. Part of the price is due to the qualifications needed and for the time put in studying for them etc.

I'll admit there is good profit in fitting a boiler, but not as much as you would think.
 
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And let's be frank :D because you have to be qualified which we are and your not :). Its like a will, do it yourself or pay a lawyer who can charge you more simply because your not qualified like them. Structural engineer calculations, epc certificates etc. Part of the price is due to the qualifications needed and for the time put in studying for them etc.

I'll admit there is good profit in fitting a boiler, but not as much as you would think.
The only part he is not qualified to do is the gas bit. The rest he could legally do himself, but if he does a crap job his house will likely be flooded
 

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