Need a new condensing boiler

[Liang]

Hello!

We have 1930's 3 bed detached bungalow needing new condensing boiler. Been quoted £850 for ideal icon. Heard bad reports about this make. What does anyone think? We've had quotes from British Gas for 2000gbp down to 750gbp from an independent plumber. We are a bit tight on funds. We were covered with British gas service agreement but they say our old boiler cant be mended so this expense was unexpected!! Please can anyone advise?

 

[EliteHeat]

£750 to supply & fit a boiler, any boiler - I officially give up and will be applying for a job at Tesco tomorrow.

What complete and utter nonsense. Even a non-RGI rogue trader serial offender will struggle to make a bean on this.

Can anyone explain to me the point of spending £1000's each year to stay in business legally?

 

[mehran]

well i guess ideal have give up and are give out free boilers...

i fit boiler that cost more for me buy than that

just to add, you get what you pay for...so will be lucky if the boiler is the right way up on the well

 

[LUNAT]

HI

i agree entirely with ELITEHEAT .
non registered are really under cutting us i often come across where NON RGI have replaced boilers for £250 (labour) and a system with 6-7 rads with the boiler for under £500 (labour).
to be honest people are not bothered as long as they get the job done cheap.
what also puzzles me is that these cowboys do a very cheap job and also get state benefits job seekers,full tax credit ,etc

 

[LUNAT]

HI

i agree entirely with ELITEHEAT .
non registered are really under cutting us i often come across where NON RGI have replaced boilers for £250 (labour) and a system with 6-7 rads with the boiler for under £500 (labour).
to be honest people are not bothered as long as they get the job done cheap.
what also puzzles me is that these cowboys do a very cheap job and also get state benefits job seekers,full tax credit ,etc

 

[satansbrother]

Yeah, right. End this CORGI racket!!

The only reason that cowboys are undercutting RGIs is that they have got greedy. Come on, my local CORGI engineer charges 80 quid an hour plus VAT. He charges £1000 labour, minimum, to change a combi - yes £1000 for little more than a day's work.

What does he think he is, a brain surgeon? No he's not. He's a PLUMBER with a few certificates. Yes, if he gets it wrong, he could kill someone. But then so could a nurse on £8 an hour.

So stop complaining about your lot. You've had it too good for too long.

 

[nickso]

Yeah, right. End this CORGI racket!!

The only reason that cowboys are undercutting RGIs is that they have got greedy. Come on, my local CORGI engineer charges 80 quid an hour plus VAT. He charges £1000 labour, minimum, to change a combi - yes £1000 for little more than a day's work.

What does he think he is, a brain surgeon? No he's not. He's a PLUMBER with a few certificates. Yes, if he gets it wrong, he could kill someone. But then so could a nurse on £8 an hour.

So stop complaining about your lot. You've had it too good for too long.

and there speaks the voice of absolutely no experience whatsoever.

if you think all RGI's are millionaires and charging these prices just to get 4 holidays a year and a ferrari on the drive you had better open your eyes.

theres no doubt some are overcharging but most cant afford to. you go and get a boiler installed by an immigrant illegally and see where it gets you.

 

[namsag]

Iam bit pis#ed off today was hoping to get the ferrari washed before jetting off again tomorow but with all this wind and rain i cant.

Serious though a cheap job does not mean a bad job is done ,same as a dear job does not mean a perfect job. If people want to work for a couple of hundred quid to do a change over who is to say they are wrong and a cowboy.

 

[nickso]

Iam bit pis#ed off today was hoping to get the ferrari washed before jetting off again tomorow but with all this wind and rain i cant.

Serious though a cheap job does not mean a bad job is done ,same as a dear job does not mean a perfect job. If people want to work for a couple of hundred quid to do a change over who is to say they are wrong and a cowboy.

quite so, when i was installing burgular alarms i was undercutting everyone by some way and probably did a good a job as anyone could do.

not quite the same thing for ch though is it. i believe there is a lower limit that these jobs can be done for properly ,if people want to work at that lower limit good on em, just dont go below it

 

[marsaday]

i want to know what is wrong with earning £200 a day being a plumber? this gives you £1k a week. Knock off hols and corgi and you earn £40k approx. Add back on copper profits and profit from supplies and you can easily come up to £48k.

why is it then a plumber will charge £400 a day to swap over a combi ? or a grand as outlined above. i just dont believe any plumber who pleads poverty. the reality is you guys make £60-100k, after costs, a yr depending on what you can actually charge people.

 

[marsaday]

in fact i have just found out the plumber i used to fit a new water heater in a house i rent out has charged me £300 labour for 1h work - he did have his apprentice with him as well. he fitted it within 4 days and so was was quick, but even so that is taking the ****. i paid him £340 for the chaffateux boiler because he wanted cash for that. i will get a receipt for it so that is no problem. unfortunatley my own plumber was on hols so i had to find a new guy sharpish.

can you guys justify this price please ? i am based in yorkshire.

 

[Nixt]

Yeah, right. End this CORGI racket!!

The only reason that cowboys are undercutting RGIs is that they have got greedy. Come on, my local CORGI engineer charges 80 quid an hour plus VAT. He charges £1000 labour, minimum, to change a combi - yes £1000 for little more than a day's work.

What does he think he is, a brain surgeon? No he's not. He's a PLUMBER with a few certificates. Yes, if he gets it wrong, he could kill someone. But then so could a nurse on £8 an hour.

So stop complaining about your lot. You've had it too good for too long.

There are many businessmen making a wealthy living from the RGI sector. However the operative word is 'businessmen' not 'RGI'.

These people are either sharp, clever, lucky, shady or whatever you want to describe them as, the fact that it's in gas work is irrelevant. It could just as easily be fitted windows, kitchens, carpets, void refurbs etc. Just because someone makes a fortune from activities in this industry doesn't mean they're an RGI on big wages.

The RGI's who work for such firms are not overpaid and the self employed ones can't do enough work to clear the type of sums implied.

 

[sooey]

£340 sounds like he's charging you cost price. So in that hour he's been and got the heater took it to you, took the old one out, fitted the new one commissioned it and checked for leaks etc. etc. By foock he's quick.

 

[namsag]

Marsaday why are you buying and renting out another house is it not to make money so if you sold tomorrow would you feel guilty at doubling your money in the past 5 years or would you say na thats too much just give me X amount..
Don`t think you would at least plumbers /heating guys work for there money where as landlords tend to make money out of the poorer sections of society who cant afford or get a mortgage and end up paying your rent so you can make a small fortune, so kettle pot and black spring to mind

 

[marsaday]

what a crap argument justifying why a plumber should be charging £300 an hour.

he got the boiler fitted in 45 mins according to tennant who was there the whole time. give him an hour and add 1/2h to pick up boiler. add 1/2h for paper work and he is on £150 h minus running expenses.

as for buying a house to rent out - this involves RISK and is not about screwing the poor. were you born in victorian times, maybe landlord took advantage in that era, but today the boot is definitely on the other foot.

yes boiler was at cost price because i know the price of them so this was sorted before hand.