Central heating install

wcavanagh · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 8:27 pm

I have had a few quotes for installing a combi and 8 rads into my new house. Some are using all copper pipes, others are using copper in visible places, and plastic under floors.

Is it normal to use plastic on central heating now?

Cheers

onlyfitidealboilers · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 8:34 pm

have you seen the price of copper !!

wcavanagh · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 8:39 pm

onlyfitidealboilers wrote:

have you seen the price of copper !!

Hehe, yep.

Is the cost the main reason?

mysteryman · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 9:05 pm

No, it is better in many ways - done properly.

wcavanagh · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 7:16 am

mysteryman wrote:

No, it is better in many ways - done properly.

So I am better going for a quote with all copper?

Cheers

Mark Br · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:42 pm

As a plumber I was always taught that it had to be copper and that plastic was for cowboys and diy'ers. However, having used plastic and so far have had no problems with it all my previous prejudices of plastic pipe have gone. Copper should still be used where you can see it (plastic fittings are ugly), but plastic used properly underfloors, etc will speed up the installation process and reduce costs with no effect on the performance.

wcavanagh · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:46 pm

Mark Br wrote:

As a plumber I was always taught that it had to be copper and that plastic was for cowboys and diy'ers. However, having used plastic and so far have had no problems with it all my previous prejudices of plastic pipe have gone. Copper should still be used where you can see it (plastic fittings are ugly), but plastic used properly underfloors, etc will speed up the installation process and reduce costs with no effect on the performance.

Thank you. Very interesting. There is a fair amount of price difference between the part copper installs and all copper installs.

Cheers,
Will

PlumbGas · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:07 pm

wcavanagh wrote:

Mark Br wrote:

As a plumber I was always taught that it had to be copper and that plastic was for cowboys and diy'ers. However, having used plastic and so far have had no problems with it all my previous prejudices of plastic pipe have gone. Copper should still be used where you can see it (plastic fittings are ugly), but plastic used properly underfloors, etc will speed up the installation process and reduce costs with no effect on the performance.

Thank you. Very interesting. There is a fair amount of price difference between the part copper installs and all copper installs.

Cheers,
Will

Just keep in mind it's not the price of the material that counts, it's the quality of the installer, choose carefully, as already stated plastic works ok if it's installed correctly, often it isn't

wcavanagh · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:10 pm

What a nightmare

Prices vary a lot

Mark Br · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:52 pm

Very good advice from Plumbgas. Go with an installer that has been recommended and not just the one that comes in with the cheapest quote

wcavanagh · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:54 pm

Mark Br wrote:

Very good advice from Plumbgas. Go with an installer that has been recommended and not just the one that comes in with the cheapest quote

I never said im going with cheapest. I have 6 quotes and they range from very cheap to very expensive...

wcavanagh · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 5:01 pm

wcavanagh wrote:

Mark Br wrote:

Very good advice from Plumbgas. Go with an installer that has been recommended and not just the one that comes in with the cheapest quote

I never said im going with cheapest. I have 6 quotes and they range from very cheap to very expensive...

Just thought that sounds really rude, sorry, hehe.

I am new to the area so hard to get recommendations.

Mark Br · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 5:24 pm

Don't worry I don't offend easily

I'm not sure if it covers your area of Berkshire, but there is a directory called the Green Book (think it's also online), to get in the directory the company would need to be recommended by customers; might be worth checking if any of the companies quoting are in that.

Getting 6 companies to quote is a lot - what prices have you been given

wcavanagh · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 5:28 pm

Mark Br wrote:

Don't worry I don't offend easily

I'm not sure if it covers your area of Berkshire, but there is a directory called the Green Book (think it's also online), to get in the directory the company would need to be recommended by customers; might be worth checking if any of the companies quoting are in that.

Getting 6 companies to quote is a lot - what prices have you been given

I used a website with customer reviews and posted the job. I am moving to Kettering so 100 miles north of Berkshire.

Quotes range from £2400 to £7000

PlumbGas · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 5:33 pm

wcavanagh wrote:

Mark Br wrote:

Don't worry I don't offend easily

I'm not sure if it covers your area of Berkshire, but there is a directory called the Green Book (think it's also online), to get in the directory the company would need to be recommended by customers; might be worth checking if any of the companies quoting are in that.

Getting 6 companies to quote is a lot - what prices have you been given

I used a website with customer reviews and posted the job. I am moving to Kettering so 100 miles north of Berkshire.

Quotes range from £2400 to £7000

£7 is well high, Were abouts in Berkshire are you based then ?, and which boilers are you looking at ?