Boiler replacement advice Vaillant or Potterton

[DP]

Can see this endinhg in tears.

I would suggest the OP go for the cheapest boiler (even one with a dent that fell off the back of a lorry) as NO boiler will is going to last when offered to a 10 year old system that has not been treated,

Could be this chap is short of work, starting on his own, or doing the graveyard shift. Either way there is chasm between a cheap job and a job well done. Cheap job equated to subsequent visits and cold house when the fitter, due to wafer thin profit, fails to turn up.

Then you are at the mercy of part changers who will not come cheap.

If you want good advice, get the present boiler fixed and start saving for a new boiler and start looking for someone wyho does quality instals (this will be verified by talking to friends, relatives and neighbours)

No wonder I do little or no instals.

 

[Agile]

I have to agree with DP here. Little point spending and getting another problem in 2-3 years. I charge £840 to install a new boiler but then I do it properly and guarantee the work.

Nor do I see how any £250 installation is going to be a good one.

There is a further problem which I dont think you have realised. The £300 Warmfront grant is only paid at £250 to the installer as they deduct £50 for administration. Next, only installers registered with Warmfront can get that money.

Tony

 

[vulcancontinental]

As a matter of interest, how many times has the Ravenheat broken down in the past 10 years?

What is wrong with the boiler at the moment? The engineer must have given you some idea.

 

[sarahjones1975]

I would recommend an Intergas Combi Compact HRE 28/24

I inquired about the cheapest intergas 24/18 and after phoning intergas they put me intouch with an installer. I was quoted £1800 for supply and fit. This was for the lowest output boiler. I really cannot afford this. For this price I could fit 2 pottertons/biasi's (which it may come to since you guys say they are not great). I have looked at the remeha avanta range and they come out to around £850 for boiler which is around the same price as vaillant.

As a matter of interest, how many times has the Ravenheat broken down in the past 10 years?

What is wrong with the boiler at the moment? The engineer must have given you some idea.

Diverter valve, fan + 2 other parts (which I can't remember) busted. Will cost in excess of £800 to repair. Better to get a new boiler as it has had a hard slog. It has broken down around once a year. Already had he pump replaced, system flushed a few years ago too under the warmfront scheme.

>> I have also seen the Ferroli Optimax has a 5 year guarantee like the Biasi which I am tempted by and they are also around the £650 mark inclusive of VAT, flue, and clock! <<<

But my final decision looks like between the Biasi and Potterton. If I go for the Biasi I will definately get a Spirotech Mangabooster fitted so they can't weasel out of the 5 year guarantee and claim there is sludge etc in the system.

 

[Jake1886]

I'd choose the Biasi over the Potty.

 

[manortim]

i have fitted many biasi's over the years and none of them have ever had a issue caused though poor quality parts of the boiler.

they're durable and simple......just how i like my women!

 

[bengasman]

...I was quoted £1800 for supply and fit. This was for the lowest output boiler. I really cannot afford this. For this price I could fit 2 pottertons/biasi's

What do you expect to spend on the fitting?

 

[ServiceNumpty]

Ben,

She has an installer lined up for £250.
Lets be honest she don't care cause in 3 years time she'll try to get another boiler installed under the Warmfront or whatever it will be called then scheme.

 

[sarahjones1975]

What do you expect to spend on the fitting?

I think £250 tax free is a fair price for 1-1.5 days work. What do you think is fair? I think that is very generous, it's more than I get for a 1-1.5 days. Doctors/pharmacists/opticians get £125/day with all the responsibility they have. Do you deserve more than them?

I will read up on the install and make sure that the installer does a proper job. I have already had a Vaillant boiler buggered up by a poor install after I paid £3500 so more money does not mean a better install. Just depends on the attitude and work ethic of the person you hire.

Am hoping to keep the boiler for a few years so this is my calculation:-

Potterton gold 24 he = 662 inc flue+clock
+100 spirotech
+250 fitting
+ approx 120 for 3 years additional guarantee to make fair comparison (2 yrs included with product). It will probably be a bit more.
total = 1132 for 5 years

Ideal logic plus 24kw 760 inc flue+clock
+100 spirotech (fit so they don't weasel out of 5yr parts+labour guarantee)
+250 fitting
total 1110 for 5 years

I was aiming to spend a maximum of £1000 but am already over budget. I want it to last 5 years atleast so that's why I am calculating as above, don't want to use warmfront if I can help it.

The potterton looks like tried and tested but am keen to give the Ideal a go. Potterton has a stainless steel HE, the Ideal has Aluminium but looks like an ok boiler to me as a lay man. Have read some reviews on here, some slag Ideal off and others praise it.

I have dropped the Ferroli and Biasi form the list. The Ferroli due to the bad review, and the Biasi due to it being a newish boiler, with not many reviews and some of the negative comments about the after sales service from Biasi.

I know both Potterton and Ideal are UK based and have their own engineers so hopefully any warranty claim will be handled smoother and parts should be readily available.

 

[Agile]

The Biasi is new to the market but has not so far got many negative reviews.

If you dont mind an asian local service agent who is very good then I would suggest you keep them on your list.

What bothers me is that you want a cut price install for less than a third of what I would charge and you somehow expect that will be of the same quality.

Tony

 

[fazedup71]

I would personally still insist on power flushing your system before fitting any new boiler, that would put me at 2 days to fit, you mention having 22mm pipe I would still want to check that it is correctly sized for your new boiler.

Dirty systems, under sized gas pipes are a sure fired way to end up with the boiler manafacturer walking away from your boiler. The spirotech is not the magic answer, cleaning is.

I am no way expensive but your price seems to good to be true, however you are right that paying a fortune does not guarantee a quality install.

Ideal do not have a good reputation on this site, it could be that the logic turns out to be a very good boiler, but... it is unproven, the boiler has not been on the market long enough yet, you will be taking a big gamble with the logic.

 

[sarahjones1975]

Tony

About the install price. I haven't hustled any of the RGI. I have asked for a few quotes and like I said before 4 said £250, one of them lives in my town and has been installing boilers for 20 years. How good he is I don't know I must admit. Another said £325 + material and some were in the £350-£500, some higher £900-£1000. If 4 people say £250 then I guess that must be the price in the market place - supply and demand. I didn't hustle any of them down at any point.

I called Biasi sales and tech line and they were fairly quick to pick up and answered my q's about the install, they didn't say I must install a spirotech for the 5 yr guarantee to be valid (actually none of the manufactuers did except the remeha rep i spoke to) but i would in anycase if 5 yrs guarantee was included and seemed quite helpful on the phone. I was told by the tech people that they ask for credit card details before sending out a technician but how many employed technicians they have i don't know. I asked for an installer in the leeds/bradford area and they gave me a contact and a number but he has not replied to my message left on his answering machine. They do not have any installers in my area as far as i know except they guy that did not reply to my message, so how would i get the boiler fixed if no one around here knows/installs this boiler and i have no idea about the number of engineers they have around here? It doesn't look like much. Being a new boiler, the other concern is availability and price of parts, especially if they find some reason to void my warranty.

On the price side it is really good
Biasi 24kw ActivA £660 inc flue + clock
+100 spirotech
+250 install
Total £1010 for 5 yrs guarantee

THIS WOULD BE THE CHEAPEST OF THE LOT WITH A 5 YR GUARANTEE (SAME PRICE AS THE FERROLI INCIDENTALLY).

Am I brave enough to be the gineau pig, should I take the risk?[/b]

 

[Agile]

Any competent installer can fit a Biasi boiler and get the five year warrantee. The latest has been out for over a year and has not created many complaints.

I take about three days and install properly and charge appropriately and give my guarantee.

If you take someone who is quoting £250 then do you really think he is going to take more than one day and take any care or pride in his installation.

Try asking for a few recent installation customers and go and visit and take some pictures and post them here and we will evaluate them.

An installer does not have to live in your own town. Most will travel 15-20 miles to fit boilers.

Tony

 

[misterdubya]

Tony

About the install price. I haven't hustled any of the RGI. I have asked for a few quotes and like I said before 4 said £250, one of them lives in my town and has been installing boilers for 20 years. How good he is I don't know I must admit. Another said £325 + material and some were in the £350-£500, some higher £900-£1000. If 4 people say £250 then I guess that must be the price in the market place - supply and demand. I didn't hustle any of them down at any point.

I called Biasi sales and tech line and they were fairly quick to pick up and answered my q's about the install, they didn't say I must install a spirotech for the 5 yr guarantee to be valid (actually none of the manufactuers did except the remeha rep i spoke to) but i would in anycase if 5 yrs guarantee was included and seemed quite helpful on the phone. I was told by the tech people that they ask for credit card details before sending out a technician but how many employed technicians they have i don't know. I asked for an installer in the leeds/bradford area and they gave me a contact and a number but he has not replied to my message left on his answering machine. They do not have any installers in my area as far as i know except they guy that did not reply to my message, so how would i get the boiler fixed if no one around here knows/installs this boiler and i have no idea about the number of engineers they have around here? It doesn't look like much. Being a new boiler, the other concern is availability and price of parts, especially if they find some reason to void my warranty.

On the price side it is really good
Biasi 24kw ActivA £660 inc flue + clock
+100 spirotech
+250 install
Total £1010 for 5 yrs guarantee

THIS WOULD BE THE CHEAPEST OF THE LOT WITH A 5 YR GUARANTEE (SAME PRICE AS THE FERROLI INCIDENTALLY).

Am I brave enough to be the gineau pig, should I take the risk?[/b]

Do what the hell you like, this is a site to help DIY'ers. Personally, I could not give two hoots about what boiler you buy and what price it costs to install. You have managed to waste the time of a lot of RGI's on here (hell knows why their giving you advice when its Daddy's money / problem).

Oh hell fire, youve wasted over 6 minutes of my time now. I'll never get that back, will I? I could have boiled an egg for mummy - its their special day today. You have probably had yours made as I wasted my time writing this.

Mr. W.

 

[mickyg]

Doctors/pharmacists/opticians get £125/day

how can you put a doctor and a optician in the same wage band lol and yes they get a lot more than 125 a day. This is 2010 not 1970.

edit 2011 lol