New Boiler and Power Flush?

[lovelyjob]

Does your system still work?
Has it been breaking down increasingly frequently?

If no, then leave it alone, other than a manual flush which you could quite easily learn to do yourself.

Maybe I wasn't clear. Yes, my system works and No, it has not been breaking down frequently, it has been running well. However, my boiler has DEVELOPED a leak. It was not there before.
(ps, thanks for the quote info re copy paste etc!)

However I am intrigued to why you called him to look at it in the first place as you say its working except for a slight leak?

I am intrigued as to why you find it intriguing Rob. Yes, it's working as I said...but it now has a leak. I thought it best to call a qualified engineer rather than go poking around myself in a big steel box full of electrics and connected to the gas . Otherwise, I may not be here to type this reply. Have I misunderstood your reply?

I really don't see where this is going but hope you feel more re-assured when the 2nd guy visits and tells you what you want to hear.

On balance, assessing what the first engineer said to me, my gut feeling was that he was more interested in doing what was best for him, rather than me...the customer. It may well turn out that he was correct and my system is not worth repairing...but if all it requires is a 50p washer and the skill and knowledge to replace it...I am far happier paying for that rather than 3k for a new boiler. I am just a little concerned that he did not really seem to examine the boiler. As someone mentioned, this could be because of his experienced eye, but I became even more wary when he quoted a CASH price but also that his company...a Ltd 1 man band...would give me a 5yr warranty. Is it possible to do a cash job, ie, no invoice and still issue a 5 yr warranty? This must be a common occurence. It is not a matter of hearing 'what I want to hear'...more a case of having confidence in what I am being told is a fair and honest assessment.

Regarding money, His quotation seemed to go from £1.8k for a manual flush, fitting new Ferroli 'A' rated boiler and fitting 5 thermostatic valves to the rads...to £2.8k for the same but with a new Valiant/Worcester. I know what the retail on all 3 of those boilers would be, so I could not see how he arrived at the 1k difference? It's possible I lost track of what he was saying...but those are the figures I wrote on my pad. I'm in SW London.

Interestingly, the engineer who is due to visit does not feel a return filter is necessary...he said he would explain when he gets here. Most of you seem to recommend a filter, so yet another difference of opinion.

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post. It is invaluable to us ordinary Joe's who are inundated with the Rogue Trader type programmes that make us even more paranoid. On the flip side, I do find that having a little bit of knowledge can also be a dangerous thing! Incidentally, I too am self employed and know only too well the frustrations of tendering for work. I have often tendered for jobs after being told I am competing with 3 others...only to find out through my contacts I am in fact tendering against 6 others. I realize time is valuable...and I do not have the luxury of billing a call out charge .

Any other thoughts would be most welcome.

 

[Agile]

A return filter is not needed if the system is properly clean. Thats why I dont fit them.

But several on this forum do fit them. I see that as talking up the value of the job and enabling them to get away with than perfect at cleaning the system. Perhaps enabling them to avoid using the expensive chemicals when cleaning.

I dont see much wrong with the first installer but you should ask him why fitting a better boiler is disproportionate. Perhaps he is careless with his figures?

Tony

 

[lovelyjob]

I dont see much wrong with the first installer but you should ask him why fitting a better boiler is disproportionate. Perhaps he is careless with his figures?

Tony

As long as his carelessness slims his wallet and not mine, that would be acceptable

 

[lovelyjob]

Its all very well thinking that a guarantee from a one man business is less valuable than from a small firm.

The reality is that a small firm is probably more likely to close down or go out of business because of its increased overheads.

A one man has to continue to eat and is more likely to keep on working!

The question is which one will actually HONOUR their guarantee if there is a problem! I would have thought the one man!

Read the current thread about a Carillon installation where the owner had to get an independent engineer to attend ( at a cost ) to confirm the pump had been wrongly connected. Only then did Carillon agree to send someone and will ( sometime ) fix it and be expected to pay for the independent. That seems to be a head in the sand attitude which will make a 30 min job into a 30 min job PLUS the independent cost of say £84 and another 30 minutes when their engineer went to inspect but did not correct the problem on that visit! So much for the efficiency of large companies!

Tony

I take your point Tony. The issue of a gaurantee to me is hardly worth the paper it's on...if it is not properly underwritten, whether from an independant or larger company. I read this happens frequently with Damp injection companies, some people have had their fingers burnt with warranties that are no good as the company no longer exists and it was never underwritten anyway.
Is underwriting guaranteess/warranties standard practice in the industry I wonder?

 

[Agile]

Unless you pay a lot for some kind of expensive insurance nothing is underwritten. Even if it was the insurance cover contractors are usually very poor.

You are totally trusting in your installer !

But it all depends on getting the job done properly in the beginning. Most do!

Damp proofing is a completely different matter as they give 10 years guarantees!

Tony