Thinking of buying a house with a back boiler...

[bodgerx]

Hello, first time poster here.

We are considering putting an offer in on a house that has a back boiler. Thing is, there are other areas in the house that will need attention as well so I would like to keep spending on the central heating system to a minimum.

Basically, the owner says the boiler has been regularly serviced, it is a Baxi unit and seems to have quite a modern digital timer and thermostatic controller. The boiler is probably older than 15 years old.

Options could be:

1. Do nothing, and replace a year or two in future.
2. Have the system flushed and replace with another back boiler i.e. this: http://www.baxi.co.uk/products/why-back-boilers.htm (A-rated, so may qualify for scrappage scheme).
3. Have the system flushed, replace with a condenser boiler in the bathroom cupboard upstairs.
4. Completely replace the whole system; radiators, condenser boiler, pipes.

We would like to replace the nasty looking fire in front of the boiler as well, so if going for option 1, we would have to find a better fire.

Any thoughts on the best options? Thanks.


(Maybe worth adding that the house has double glazing, cavity wall insulation, newish loft insulation and is a 3-bed terrace. Area is also hard-water).

 

[kirkgas]

starting at No4, this is the best option, therefore the most expensive and most disruptive to the decor of the house, No2 or No3, not sure which is the best option, i suppose 3 as you can pick a boiler that is tried and tested as no2 is a new boiler and will be very expensive due to H&S restrictions on getting new flue down from chimney,
you will be sorely dissapointed with no1, a new fire will probably be available for a baxi BBU but will cost you well over £400 plus VAT and the new ones are as ugly as sin, (they do however work very well, but so will the one already fitted) BBU's are fairly inefficient but are solid and robust, a lot of new boilers only last a few years anyway, s after reading all this my advice is no good really and you will have to choose sorry!!

 

[bodgerx]

starting at No4, this is the best option, therefore the most expensive and most disruptive to the decor of the house, No2 or No3, not sure which is the best option, i suppose 3 as you can pick a boiler that is tried and tested as no2 is a new boiler and will be very expensive due to H&S restrictions on getting new flue down from chimney,
you will be sorely dissapointed with no1, a new fire will probably be available for a baxi BBU but will cost you well over £400 plus VAT and the new ones are as ugly as sin, (they do however work very well, but so will the one already fitted) BBU's are fairly inefficient but are solid and robust, a lot of new boilers only last a few years anyway, s after reading all this my advice is no good really and you will have to choose sorry!!

Thanks - I assume 2 will end up costing more than 3 then?