Best Brand Boilers

[Dan Robinson]

Veissmans appear to be OK. My favourite is this.


You will get different answers from different engineers proably citing the same reasons for their preferences.

But without wanting to sound rude; I don't think you are not budgeting correctly. Obviously I could be wrong, but someone posted a phrase not long ago - champagne ideas, beer money.


What type of installation are we dealing with here? combi swap? conversion from gravuty style system? Scratch installation?

 

[chuckalicious]

Not rude at all. I expect to sound completely ignorant, because I am. What I know is what I've picked up from this place by reading and asking questions.

If I am way out by budget that's fine, I need to know. However, seeing as I can't ask for ballpark figures, I'm not

But, I don't think I am out of budget. Just had a quote for the Vitodens 200 fully installed with 10 new rads by an Edinburgh based Veissman certified installer (got their details from the Veissman website) for £2400 (rough estimate obviously), so I think I'm on target.

All I can say is please bear in mind I aint a plumber, spark, builder etc, I'm a software designer who has an old house which needs some work, hence my numerous questions here.

If it's any help, the answers I've had on all my questions have been very helpful so a big thanks to you all!

 

[Dan Robinson]

10 rads, the boiler and fitting for £2400? Christ alive. Oh and sorry I thought you were the chap that wanted a good boiler for £1500 fitted - my mistake...


I am in the South and cover London so our prices will probably be higher than you get in Edinburgh.

You're looking at £800 - £1000 for a decent boiler and rads depend heavily on size and style. If you are changing pipes as well then things really escalate. Even if you were talking dinky rads (unlikely up there!) and averages say £80 or so for a 1000 x 500 double panel (just under 2Kw)plus valves (£160), plus controller (£90) this gives you a materials bill of approx £2000 before you even start to add pipes labour and chemicals and powerflushing.



Labour rates are next to impossible to judge and vary from £150 a day to £400.

 

[Agile]

My rule of thumb pricing comes to £4600 inclusive of everything. That includes water treatment and a full guarantee.

I really dont understand how anyone can do that for so little!

Please tell us when he has finished and that you have paid exactly what was quoted in writing and its all working fine and he has filled the benchmark and notified CORGI.

Tony

 

[chrishutt]

Just had a quote for the Vitodens 200 fully installed with 10 new rads by an Edinburgh based Veissman certified installer ... for £2400

Sounds too good to be true. Do you have that in writing, or was it just said over the phone?

 

[chuckalicious]

Just had a quote for the Vitodens 200 fully installed with 10 new rads by an Edinburgh based Veissman certified installer ... for £2400

Sounds too good to be true. Do you have that in writing, or was it just said over the phone?

It was only a rough estimate over email based on size of rads. as long as it's under £3600 I'm happy

 

[chuckalicious]

More info if you're interested, the quote I was given was based on the assumption that the condensate drain (which to me is a pipe I assume) was close to where the new install was going to be.

However, I don't have one, so I guess that'll need to go in, so that'll bump up the cost.

I fully expect the price to go up, because I understand there will be a fair amount of work to be done, but as long as it stays below 3600 I'm fine and happy to pay it.

installer details are www.latentheat.co.uk and I found them on the Veissmann website.

 

[mikej2005]

More info if you're interested, the quote I was given was based on the assumption that the condensate drain (which to me is a pipe I assume) was close to where the new install was going to be.

However, I don't have one, so I guess that'll need to go in, so that'll bump up the cost.

You just connect into the nearest convenient waste, often from a nearby sink or washing machine. If there isn't one nearby, then it can run outside and down to the nearest external drain. (The pipe has to be insulated or increased in size to prevent freezing, if it's done externally)

I can't see this adding much to the cost materials-wise, as 22mm pipe is inexpensive...plus a few waste fittings of course. It'll just add a bit to the labour charge.

 

[chuckalicious]

That's good to hear. It will have to go outside as there's no convenient way to connect the new pipe to any drainage within the house, but on the external wall, one floor below where the boiler will be, is a plastic waste pipe from my sink, so I assume they could join into that.

All other pipes should be in the same place, I imagine, as I want the boiler in the same place as the old one.

However, I would like the hot water tanks removed if possible, and the person giving me the quote did say he'd need to look at my current setup before he could comment on how easy/costly that would be, and so didn't state whether the boiler suggested was a system or combi. If we have to keep the hot water tanks, it's no biggie, would just be nice to have the extra space.

 

[chuckalicious]

Ok, I need to stop asking so many questions, but I'll ask this one

The guy recommended the Vitodens 200, which from what I have read seems to be used in "smaller properties with one bathroom" (quote from a reseller). My property has 3 floors, 2 bathrooms (granted they will never be used at the same time), a kitchen and a utility room, both of which need hot water to the sink. Again, it's unlikey that they will ever be on at the same time.

Would a house over 3 floors with 10 rads be suitable for a Vitodens 200? The biggest rad I have is 190cm in length, second is 180cm, then all the rest go between 90cm and 60cm in length. All rads are 75cm deep. Some are double panelled, some are single.

I could do with renewing the insualtion in the loft as well (unfelted slate roof).

 

[mikej2005]

he'd need to look at my current setup before he could comment on how easy/costly that would be, and so didn't state whether the boiler suggested was a system or combi.

You need to have a think about what your hot water demands will be first.

Also - swapping a conventional boiler set-up over to a combi-based system will involve more cost, as there is far more re-routing of pipework to be done than a like-for-like swap.

Incidently, my Worcester combi boiler and rads (x14) alone cost £2500 and that's not including TRVs, pipework, boiler controls etc - get that original quote in writing quick !

 

[chuckalicious]

Thanks Mike.

I guess the bottom line is I'm just going to need to wait until the guy can come out (booked up for the next 2 weeks). All I can do is get a quote for a combi and a quote for a system (I think that's what I have) and see which I can get.

I don't mind keeping the water tanks if it means I can have a very good boiler at a cost I can afford, over a lesser boiler without the tanks.

Hot water demands are as follows:

Hot water used for washing of hands and face via sink. Hot water used for the occassional washing up (normally use cold feed dishwasher). That's it. Rarely have baths, all showers are electric. There's only 2 of us in the house. The most hot water I use is when I shave, which is about half a sinks worth. So we're not big hot water users.

 

[Dan Robinson]

A combi sounds ideal then...

 

[gas4you]

Thanks Mike.

I guess the bottom line is I'm just going to need to wait until the guy can come out (booked up for the next 2 weeks). All I can do is get a quote for a combi and a quote for a system (I think that's what I have) and see which I can get.

I don't mind keeping the water tanks if it means I can have a very good boiler at a cost I can afford, over a lesser boiler without the tanks.

Hot water demands are as follows:

Hot water used for washing of hands and face via sink. Hot water used for the occassional washing up (normally use cold feed dishwasher). That's it. Rarely have baths, all showers are electric. There's only 2 of us in the house. The most hot water I use is when I shave, which is about half a sinks worth. So we're not big hot water users.

if he's only booked up for the next 2 weeks I would wonder about him! I'm now booking October and would be around £4200 + VAT for this job.

Can't see how he can do it properly for this price

 

[Dan Robinson]

'Spose installers live on air and fried Mars bars up there G4Y... I would certainly be pushing 5K from the sounds of it to be done to standard with a good boiler.

We are booking well into October now (15th I think is next proper appointment).