Advice - Leaky Valliant 242 boiler

[croydoncorgi]

To (maybe) add to your distress...
A 10 year old boiler never serviced almost certainly will need a new fan before very long.

But I tend to agree with the consensus: if the whole setup, including the boiler, has been reliable until very recently AND the TOTAL bill for parts (HX, conversion kit, fan, ...) plus labour is reasonable, it's worth patching up the old boiler (and then reminding yourself annually that servicing is a Good Idea). Then, at least with a good engineer, you'll get a warning as soon as the sell-by date is reached and you have to pay out for a new boiler AND the other stuff already mentioned above.

 

[dfarry]

Thanks DP.... sadly I'm a very long way away from you as I am just around the corner from CroydenCorgi..... maybe he can help

Actually I am in Welling so 8 or so miles away from Croyden...

I might go back to the guy who originally installed the system.. He is a local plumber, was and I assume still is Corgi registered...and I have seen him out and about in his van...he was OK but I'm not sure... for some reason I am unsure about using him again.

Due to the high bills I have been getting I have been taking daily meter reads and on days when there is low usage/hot water only we use maybe 5 units... but this typical doubles...10-15 units if the heating has been used per day... it's hard to say if this is typical, hi or low usage... but I'll be on the phone again to PowerGen tomorrow.

 

[dfarry]

erm.... yes??

 

[kevplumb]

the old 242 was a good boiler in it's day well built and worth repairing

 

[bradleybear]

FAO Slugbabydotcom

From your earlier message regarding powerflushing to BS 5449 does that mean you have to have a fireproof sign saying this is a powerflush? as that is what BS 5499 is, fire safety signs.
Or is it BS 5440?, as far as I am aware, since when has a powerflush got anything to do with gas flues or vents for gas appliances? (BS5440 Pt 1 and 2) Do you powerflush chimneys rather than sweeping? (That'd be funny in Mary Poppins, Dick Van Dyk Singing Powerflush Powerflush Powerflush-cher-roo whilst hopping across London Chimney pots)
I think you need to check your British Standards mate.
Also, isn't it nice for everyone to keep slagging British Gas off for prices etc., when a job like this can be done by BG for £26 per month, initial breakdown and full 12 months 3 star central heating cover, 24 hour customer service, 365 days a year.
Also with regards to BG powerflushes, these now carry a guarantee for the lifetime of the contract, so the jobs done right, as reflected in the price. The price is quite high, but its done correctly, and backed up by a no quibble guarantee, as long as the customer is on 3 star, which is fair do's.
Sorry its been a bit of a novel of a message, but isn't it nice when people take a pop at the biggest and most reputable company in the game.......

 

[kevplumb]

so mr BG man explain slowly and carefully why one of the biggest cowboy outfits in this part of the world where subbing to bg

dont ask for the name it strikes terror into the locals

 

[ollski]

FAO Slugbabydotcom

From your earlier message regarding powerflushing to BS 5449 does that mean you have to have a fireproof sign saying this is a powerflush? as that is what BS 5499 is, fire safety signs.
Or is it BS 5440?, as far as I am aware, since when has a powerflush got anything to do with gas flues or vents for gas appliances? (BS5440 Pt 1 and 2) Do you powerflush chimneys rather than sweeping? (That'd be funny in Mary Poppins, Dick Van Dyk Singing Powerflush Powerflush Powerflush-cher-roo whilst hopping across London Chimney pots)
I think you need to check your British Standards mate.

I would hazard a guess that he may be thinking of this one:

BS 5449 : 1990 Hot water central heating systems for domestic premises
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

 

[kevplumb]

yeah you may well be right mate i wouldnt know but then why should i

 

[dfarry]

Blimey my Valliant has started a mini-war off here

Back to the boiler though... I rung a few people today and was told if I was going to go for a new boiler that I should think about the Valliant TurboMax 282 - one local Plumbers merchants quoted me £760 incl. VAT... another said £810.... to do those prices seem about right?.... Both prices include flue but nothing else I believe.

The same company that quoted the £800 price said they were unable to help as they only work in Essex but did spend the time to advise me what to do... where to go... what to consider... the new legislation etc... basically everything I have been told here really.... However what they also said and I don't think anyone here has said is that in terms of the new legislation a customer can still opt NOT to have a condensing boiler fitted... so it makes the whole thing a bit pointless he felt.

I also spoke to the fitter who originally installed our system... I just mentioned the leak and he said that it would most probably need replacing with a new one (I guess the conversion kit) mentioned earlier... he is going to check the price tomorrow and let me know - he said he charges a flat rate £85 to fit.....does this also seem about right - it ties in with the comments here earlier.... If I ask him to also service the boiler and fix the dom hot water control how much extra would you expect this might be.... I realise there are no hard or fast prices with this stuff but it's good to have a rough idea of what I am looking at.

Cheers

MOD

see item 9

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

From your earlier message regarding powerflushing to BS 5449 does that mean you have to have a fireproof sign saying this is a powerflush? as that is what BS 5499 is, fire safety signs.

The reference I gave was 5449 not 5499
I think you need to go to specsavers mate
Ive tried to increase the font size on this post meanwhile just to give you chance to get a closer look.

I wasnt slagging off Britsh Gas I think they are great. They are a great benchmark for me selling my work as I know that I can always undercut them and still get a good rate of pay for my work.
I concede that my 'just for a laugh' comment was a bit off and I duly apologise but in mitigation I was trying to break it gently that £600 was not going to pay for a new combi including fitting

As for your BG sales pitch. I would be happy to take on 100 houses for £31200 a year and only work 2 easy days a week assuming 20% of them needed an item worth £200 in that year, which I think is a fair estimate. I could handle £20000 income allowing the other generous £7200 for subbying out the callout work. Which would be reduced if I could take on 1000 houses and another 3 or 4 plumbers plus a sexy office girl resulting in even more profits and more still with a few good get out clauses.

Thank you for a great business idea!!

 

[dfarry]

Indeed it does seem like a very sound business model... and let's face it all this plumbing lark and boiler maintainence can't be that hard.... I can do a bit of end feed soldering so I reckon I'm well on my way for a career change now

An update on the 242... tomorrow I have the original fitter coming back to fix the Heat Exchanger... he is going to fit the conversion which is costing £90 + VAT, and he'll charge £85 to fit it and also service the boiler...

So assuming everything else is fine I am happy to go with that..... the very first reply (by Kevplumb) to my original message wasn't far off in the end then

Anyway thanks to you all for your feedback... it's been eye-opening!!

 

[ChrisR]

I rung a few people today and was told if I was going to go for a new boiler that I should think about the Valliant TurboMax 282

They stopped making them a few years ago!

I think you're doing the right thing. Expect a prob or two in the next several years but a new one might be no better.

 

[DP]

£85 to fit heat exchanger and service? Think not. Bet the 'service' will take 10 minutes.

 

[dfarry]

£85 to fit heat exchanger and service? Think not. Bet the 'service' will take 10 minutes.

Well it's £85 anyway for the exchanger to be fitted I then asked "How much for it to be serviced too" to which his actual words were "That's no problem I'll give it a clean out for you for that price.... there's not much to them.."

 

[dfarry]

All sorted last night....

Took the guy 2 hours to fit the conversion kit, clean out the boiler and run a gas pressure test....which apparently read 6.5 which he said was OK.

The Heat exchanger is much smaller... zinc or tin plated? and seems to heat the water very quickly which is good.

Total cost, parts and labour was £190