Moving a boiler

[Cluelesschick]

Hello All,

I want to move my conventional boiler from my kitchen to my airing cupboard.
The decision I need to make is whether to replace it with another conventional boiler or a combi one.
I have been reading up some of the differences in them and can't decide. The quote I have been given by British Gas is pretty pricey, they have said if I go for a conventional boiler that it will probabaly be £1000 cheaper as it doesn't involve changing the whole system.

Our house is a 2 bed terrace with 3 people in and we don't use alot of hot water or heating apart from in the winter.

I am also looking into getting a local firm round for a quote, but always worry about people doing a bodge job, which is why I've never had anything done to the house I guess lol.

Any advice welcome

 

[simond]

As a boiler installer, I am always asked for advice on the merits between a combi and a standard OV system.

If you want to save £1000 and have been happy with the way the system has worked until now, keep the existingf config and just change the boiler.

If you desire mains pressure showers (and someone has measured the incoming water flow rate and deemed it suitable) go for a combi.

Only you can know what suits your lifestyle.

What I will say - and this may be contentious - is that there is very little efficiency/operating cost benefit in changing to a combi.

You are very unlikely to save £1000 in gas bills over the next decade by fitting a condensing combi vs condensing open vent boiler.

 

[Cluelesschick]

Hi, thank you for the fast reply.

It was really the shower thing that sold it to me although we don't have a shower! I am planning on doing alot of work to the house including a new bathroom which will have a shower!
As much as I love showers though, I'm not sure I can warrent spending a thousand pound + on them, not when I have managed to put up with baths for the last 7 years

Also the added loft space and space in the airing cupboard would have been nice if the tanks were gotta rid of, but once again the benefits for an extra grand don't seem worth it, esp if your saying we won't really save much on heating/water costs over time.

Also that grand can go towards and probably cover having a new bathroom!!! So I think I am talking myself into going for the conventional one!

 

[ianniann]

You'll have to spend a little more and get a shower including a pump, which will give you more or less the same experience as a mains pressure shower. Possibly a better experience since you can get a higher flow rate than a combi would support. At least until the tank is empty

 

[moggridgeplumbing]

I suggest you get another couple of registered gassafe installers to come round and give you a quote and also check out for the combi option. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the price compared to British Gas.

 

[Cluelesschick]

I suggest you get another couple of registered gassafe installers to come round and give you a quote and also check out for the combi option. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the price compared to British Gas.

Thank you, I did suspect as much Where's the best place to look up local guys? I've seen a few on http://www.mybuilder.com/ dunno if this is a good site. They all seem to have gas safe numbers, well the few who have contacted me. Problem is their photo's on the site keep putting me off ....looking for a Johnny Depp lookalike boiler installer!!

 

[moggridgeplumbing]

Try 'Checkatrade'. We're on it and you can see feedback from their previous customers. Don't know if you'll get a Jonny Deppe - he may have the same haircut though!

 

[Cluelesschick]

Oooo thank you that site looks brill!

 

[mysteryman]

I replaced a non condensing combi with a condensing one last year for my eldest daughter. After the winter, she had a substantial rebate from British Gas, as she was using less gas.

If your main ablutions are going to be a shower, a new combi plus a compatible shower can be a good way forward, both in capital and running costs. As stated before, you must get an assessment of the capabilities of your water main.