Boiler replacement quotes - surprisingly high

[stevelup]

Hi

I've DIY'd everything in my house but have now come to the point where I need to replace the boiler.

I know I could do it myself and am capable, but I will struggle to get warranty support from the manufacturer if I take this route - therefore I decided to get quotes from local suppliers.

The two suppliers are people I have used in the past - one at the previous house for a complete system and one at the current house to install a new gas supply from the meter to the current boiler. Both companies were reasonable in the past.

I have decided on a Vaillant 837 boiler which can be bought from a number of suppliers for around 1050 inclusive of VAT and the standard flue. The electrical supply is an existing FCU, I'm keeping the current thermostat/programmer and the gas supply is brand new and the correct size.

The boiler is a direct replacement for the current unit and apart from a bit of jiggery-pokery with the pipework and the installation of the condensate drain, it is a straightforward piece of work.

Both suppliers quoted in excess of 2300 which seems completely and utterly unreasonable. The costs did include powerflushing the system after removing the old boiler and before installing the new one.

Assuming this is two days work, and that two men would only be required for one of the days (if that), and assuming a generous 100 quid for parts/consumables - that suggests a day rate *per man* of 385 quid!

Am I being unreasonable in thinking this is unreasonable?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[tonybhoy]

Don't think you are.

Have you asked for a labour only price?

To be honest though I wouldn't do that job for anything less than a grand.

Cheers.

 

[stevelup]

Hi

Thanks for replying.

I asked one of them for a labour only cost and they refused. I have not yet asked the other company.

Steve

 

[tonybhoy]

Hi

Thanks for replying.

I asked one of them for a labour only cost and they refused. I have not yet asked the other company.

Steve

Well I would chase them mate.

Labour only (including the parts you mentioned) is perfect if ,like me,your on yer tod.

Keeps the turnover down re Vat registered then paying the boiler bill and all of that.

I actually encourage people to buy the boiler now simply because of the Vat situation ,in any event you really can't hide the price of the boiler nowadays in order to make your labour cost 'appear' more reasonable.

BTW,that is a very good price you have there for the boiler.

 

[ollski]

Think a very reasonable hourly rate these days is 50 quid, multiply it by a 10 hour day and you aren't so far out.

 

[stevelup]

You can't be serious...

500 quid a day is *not* under any circumstances whatsoever reasonable!

 

[Agile]

Try finding someone helpful ( like I am ) who works on their own who will be happy to let you assist and do all of the labouring work.

That should bring down the cost to about £600 but dont expect to get it much lower.

If you lived in out local area I would be prepared to let you do everything except what has to be done by a CORGI and in that case I might charge just £250-£350.

Tony

 

[stevelup]

You are exactly the kind of person I'm looking for!

I'll ask around.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Softus]

There you go Agile - one of your free adverts has worked.

 

[stevelup]

Agile is a 180 mile round trip away so I doubt he'd be interested in the work!

 

[Softus]

Am I being unreasonable in thinking this is unreasonable?

Probably.

Are you aware that the work is notifiable to your LABC?

Have you considered the cost of registering the installation?

Have you considered the cost of maintaining the professional registration that permits self-certification?

Have you considered the cost of buying and maintaining powerflushing equipment?

These, and other overheads, are part of the price that you will pay someone else to do the work when they are in business, and work within the law, and do a good quality job, and provide a warranty for their work.

 

[stevelup]

Are you aware that the work is notifiable to your LABC?

Yes

Have you considered the cost of registering the installation?

Yes. 57.50

Have you considered the cost of maintaining the professional registration that permits self-certification?

Both companies are quite large with many engineers working for them - these costs are surely quite diluted when compared with a sole trader.

Have you considered the cost of buying and maintaining powerflushing equipment?

Again, for a large company doing multiple installs per week - these costs will be relatively small. I can hire a machine for 50 quid + chemicals.

These, and other overheads, are part of the price that you will pay someone else to do the work when they are in business, and work within the law, and do a good quality job, and provide a warranty for their work.

When my previous boiler failed shortly after installation, it was Vaillant who sent an engineer out to attend to it.

The issue I have is not that someone should cover their costs and then make a healthy profit. I am questioning why I am being quoted over 1300 quid for a direct boiler replacement.

I contend that even taking all your points into consideration that is almost double what I would consider to be reasonable.

Steve

 

[stevelup]

Thanks folks - I've resolved the issue in a satisfactory manner.

I'm going to do the following:-

1) Buy a boiler online
2) Remove the old boiler
3) Hire a power flushing machine and do that myself
4) Install the new boiler myself with the exception of the gas connection
5) My colleague put me in touch with a CORGI registered heating engineer who is happy to come round to connect the gas and commission the boiler for a very reasonable fee. This is actually what I asked both the companies I contacted to do in the first place and they both refused

This is going to save me approximately 1000 pounds for the sake of taking two days holiday!

 

[Softus]

Have you considered the cost of maintaining the professional registration that permits self-certification?

Both companies are quite large with many engineers working for them - these costs are surely quite diluted when compared with a sole trader.

Hm. The word I would choose is "multiplied", rather than "diluted".

In addition, a large company will have administrative staff that do the things that sole traders tend to do for nothing.

Have you considered the cost of buying and maintaining powerflushing equipment?

Again, for a large company doing multiple installs per week - these costs will be relatively small. I can hire a machine for 50 quid + chemicals.

Again, a large company won't share one machine around - it will have many, and I'm skeptical that £50 (including VAT) will get you the kind of machine that you'd expect a large company to use frequently.

When my previous boiler failed shortly after installation, it was Vaillant who sent an engineer out to attend to it.

I don't know what you expect anyone to say about that.

The issue I have is not that someone should cover their costs and then make a healthy profit. I am questioning why I am being quoted over 1300 quid for a direct boiler replacement.

To cover their costs and make a healthy profit.

I contend that even taking all your points into consideration that is almost double what I would consider to be reasonable.

I think if you have a choice between companies whose charges you consider to be unreasonable, and others whose charges you consider to be reasonable, then you should choose the latter. If you're right, the unreasonably high charging company will eventually founder from a drop in business.

But whichever one you choose, please find an independent customer who is willing to recommend them/it.

 

[mehran]

stevelup it is terrible thing, it is almost like installers want money to live on how dare they quote a price that covers the costs and earn a living wage