Central heating Install

[snolan1]

Just about to buy a house that need quite a bit of work doing including a full new central heating system. I'm thinking of doing the pipework myself and then getting a professional in to install the combi boiler.

How easy is it to instal the pipes for a novice? I know the basics but it it feasible?

 

[gas4you]

Anything is possible if you take your time and care

Get a RGI lined up first and ask him where and what pipes he wants left to connect to etc.

 

[littleleaks]

I would strongly reccomend against diy`ing such a large job, let the plumber do, along with the combi it should cost no more than £8000 including materials thats a rough quote of course without seeing the property.

 

[plummerman]

I would strongly reccomend against diy`ing such a large job, let the plumber do, along with the combi it should cost no more than £8000 including materials thats a rough quote of course without seeing the property.

8 Grand??????? Christ what system is that? does it come gold plated?

 

[Aquaheat]

£8000!!?? Where did that figure come from?

On average a system would be somewhere between £2500 - £4000 for the average sized property and a decent engineer, fitting decent materials and boiler.

£8000 is nowhere near an average price!

Either that or i'm undercharging

You beat me to it plummerman!!

 

[plummerman]

Bloody dear that! I was thinking the same about not chargin properly, then i thought i like driving round in me transit and just a week in skeg every year. Obviously this fella took the view that plumbers earn 100k a year

 

[snolan1]

Well if it is going to cost 8 grand then it's definitely a diy job.

Seriously though would you advise it, i'm just thinking it can't be that hard fitting the pipework, especially these days with push fittings?

 

[plummerman]

Well if it is going to cost 8 grand then it's definitely a diy job.

Seriously though would you advise it, i'm just thinking it can't be that hard fitting the pipework, especially these days with push fittings?

You'd be surprised, specially where push fit is concerned. every cut has to be clean and every fitting pushed on square etc. Am not trying to put you off but it's not as striaght forward as people think. But if you think your upto it, give it a go! Word of warning tho, watch out for the 22mm speedfit coil pipe it bites

 

[mickyg]

Well if it is going to cost 8 grand then it's definitely a diy job.

Seriously though would you advise it, i'm just thinking it can't be that hard fitting the pipework, especially these days with push fittings?

its very difficult to advise without knowing your skill level. It really is a decision only you can make. If you go the route of plastic it will be much easier, just be sure to do it right. If you use the guidance from the manufacturers of the fittings you use you can't go wrong.

 

[snolan1]

Would you advise plastic for a novice? What are the main disadvantages?

 

[Terrywookfit]

It's Sh$te!!

 

[mcmarshon]

Plastic is probably the best bet for a novice.

Just make sure you so the following :-

Buy a plastic pipe cutter - dont skimp should be at least £15-£20 for a decent one.
Use barrier pipe.
Use the specific inserts for the pipe.

My advice would be to do it all in Hep2o pipe with demountable fittings. You may pay a little more but it will be worth it. Try searchingh on ebay.

Failing that I'll undercut the 8 grand geezer and do it in sliver plate - lets say 7 grand, hows that sound !!

 

[fitz1]

Im off workng in wiltshire. bit of a journey every morn but after 6 months ill be able to afford a helicopter so as to reduce traveling time. What planet is littleleaks on.

 

[GodKnows]

Make sure you copper tail the rad's fella, people love to bash their vacuum cleaners against the rad pipes Defo, get advice from an RGI first, he might advise you what route etc. Don't even think of laying a plastic pipe for the gas

 

[littleleaks]

Guys guys £8000 includes boiler, rads, pipes, trv`s, shieldlocks, labour, i did a total replacement two weeks ago for £7500 in which i had to rip out the entire old system and replace it with all new work, this is believe it or not half the other quote the guy was given
In fact looking at johnjbs quote made me laugh, cost of decent boiler around £1000 so you`d d othe rads plus copper pipe + all other fittings + labour for 1500 quid would you?