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.