1st & 2nd fix payment percent?

[Mr Sparkle]

Property is getting full central heating installed along plus a combi boiler

I want the engineer to do a 1st and 2nd fix install

For the tradesmen out there, what would be a reasonable percentage amount to pay after the 1st fix is complete?

 

[ianmcd]

Whatever you agree with the installer

 

[JP_]

each instalment should cover the costs and not more.
First fix is going to be more labour I guess, plus copper pipes
2nd the cost of the boiler, rads etc.
I'd guess 2nd fix should be more than half because of the cost of boiler, so if they want much more than half upfront, or after first fix, then might be a bit iffy.

Need to consider how well you know / trust the plumber, as well as plan for disaster, ie. if he cannot complete the job - you don't want to be out of pocket, but neither does he, so see what they say for each part of the job.

 

[muggles]

Agree with jonbey, you can't work it out on a percentage basis as every install is different. First fix payment will be labour+materials used, as will second fix. Personally I'd normally expect one or two stage payments through first fix as well, unless it's a simple quick job.

 

[Mr Sparkle]

each instalment should cover the costs and not more.
First fix is going to be more labour I guess, plus copper pipes
2nd the cost of the boiler, rads etc.
I'd guess 2nd fix should be more than half because of the cost of boiler, so if they want much more than half upfront, or after first fix, then might be a bit iffy.

Need to consider how well you know / trust the plumber, as well as plan for disaster, ie. if he cannot complete the job - you don't want to be out of pocket, but neither does he, so see what they say for each part of the job.

I'm sourcing/paying for own boiler, radiators, valves and filter

The gas engineer/plumber is supplying copper pipes, fittings (copper end, tees etc) and labour

I do not know the plumber, they have good reviews and previous experience with this type of job

What would be a decent split?

 

[ianmcd]

I'm sourcing/paying for own boiler, radiators, valves and filter

The gas engineer/plumber is supplying copper pipes, fittings (copper end, tees etc) and labour

I do not know the plumber, they have good reviews and previous experience with this type of job

What would be a decent split?

you are ill advised to supply the boiler, if it breaks down you have no recourse with the installer, it will be up to you to deal with everything and rightly so

 

[JP_]

yeah, best to get the plumber to supply everything

 

[Mr Sparkle]

Okay, i will get the plumber to supply the boiler

But i am not going to get them to supply the rads, valves etc

All the plumbers that have quoted have admitted that supplies are cheapest at a place like Mr Central Heating.. A place a non-professional can get supplies

If i leave it with the tradesman, they will either buy the goods from a more expensive place and put a mark up on top. Then claim that they 'misplaced the receipt'

 

[muggles]

As above, let the installer supply everything, it'll save the issues with who did what if there's ever a warranty query.

As for your question...

What would be a decent split?

We've already answered that. Every job is different. You pay for time taken & materials used on first fix, then time taken & materials used on second fix. Some installers will do a minimal first fix and spend much more time on second fix, others will do a very precise & time consuming first fix to make the second fix as quick and easy as possible. The decent split is whatever the installer says it is

 

[muggles]

If i leave it with the tradesman, they will either buy the goods from a more expensive place or put a mark up on top

Because woe betide any installer who should actually try to make a decent living, eh?

 

[Mr Sparkle]

Because woe betide any installer who should actually try to make a decent living, eh?

Here we go!

 

[ianmcd]

Okay, i will get the plumber to supply the boiler

But i am not going to get them to supply the rads, valves etc

All the plumbers that have quoted have admitted that supplies are cheapest at a place like Mr Central Heating.. A place a non-professional can get supplies

If i leave it with the tradesman, they will either buy the goods from a more expensive place and put a mark up on top. Then claim that they 'misplaced the receipt'

You are deluded, yes your installer will add their bit on, they have to uplift an guarentee the products, when you buy your rads with 10 years warranty and they leak after 3 years , good luck, your installer will happily supply new ones and fit them for free

 

[Mr Sparkle]

you are ill advised to supply the boiler, if it breaks down you have no recourse with the installer, it will be up to you to deal with everything and rightly so

Spoke with two installers and they both said that this is false.

Both stated that it makes no difference who buys the boiler. The important thing is that they must register the appliance and then i get all the guarantees as if they'd purchased it

So if it breaks down/has a fault they sort out for free (as long as its serviced annually)

You are deluded, yes your installer will add their bit on, they have to uplift an guarentee the products, when you buy your rads with 10 years warranty and they leak after 3 years , good luck, your installer will happily supply new ones and fit them for free

I am very sane thanks.

Installer more than happy for me to pick up my own rads as he's admitted he would buy from the exact same place. So no one issues with quality.

But thanks for the comment.

 

[muggles]

Have to agree with Ian.

If I'd supplied the radiators & one sprang a leak within the guarantee period, I'd supply & fit a replacement free of charge. If the customer had supplied it, I'd be expecting them to sort out the warranty and I'd want paying to change it over

 

[ianmcd]

Spoke with two installers and they both said that this is false.

Both stated that it makes no difference who buys the boiler. The important thing is that they must register the appliance and then i get all the guarantees as if they'd purchased it

Well I totally disagree, if you have a boiler fault during the warranty period, when you call it in, you will be told that you will be charged if it turns out not to be the boiler, some even take a credit card payment up front before calling, If I supply a boiler and a fault develpos I always attend FOC to make sure it is a boiler fault and I call it in and when possible I meet the manus engineer when he is on site, so my customer is only dealing with me, I wouldnt install a boiler I didnt supply and certainly wouldnt call out FOC to one you had supplied