British Gas Homecare

[chrishutt]

TRV's should only attract 5% VAT

Only if the installer is VAT registered. But the non-registered (for VAT) installer is still slightly cheaper since the labour element then attracts no VAT.

 

[cutiecat]

Thanks for those tips. Our boiler is unusually on the top floor and could not be floor vented. Adding vents is just going to be a nightmare where the boiler is positioned.

Thanks for the info on the TRVs I was told by the heating engineer that they were £18 each. Is this a rip off?

 

[ollski]

Thanks for the info on the TRVs I was told by the heating engineer that they were £18 each. Is this a rip off?

No £18 sounds like a reasonable retail price for a decent quality TRV.

 

[chrishutt]

Our boiler is unusually on the top floor

then you might be able to ventilate through the ceiling, via the roof space and soffit boards. Your roof space may already be ventilated well enough to require only the vent through the ceiling. It might have to brought down to low level in a pipe or duct.

 

[JohnD]

You'd be surprised how easy it is to use a core drill... cuts a nice clean, round hole, right through the wall, that a plastic ducts fits into, and the trim hides the cut edge of the plaster/brickwork. Go on, you know you want to.

 

[cutiecat]

JohnD I am revved the drill up now.

Just had a BG salesan round who told me that I can not put a new boiler in my airing cupboard as there is no drainage for a high efficency condensing boiler and that I must have one. He said the only alternative is to put it inthe kitchen and that is what the government say I have to do! He kept telling me all about the Kyoto agreement and how I would be breaking the law to do anything else.

I am totally annoyed about the whole thing and will probably be adding those ventalation holes in the near future.

I just find it hard to believe that I can only have one type of boiler and that I can only have it in my tiny kitchen.

Arghhh. I am going shopping.

 

[chrishutt]

Just had a BG salesan round

BG salesmen won't know all the ins and outs of the new regulations and what's available on the market. There are various ways of dealing with condensate so you probably can have a new boiler where the existing one is. You just need to get a competent heating engineer (not a salesman) to advise you on the options. Where are you, geographically speaking? We might be able to suggest someone.

 

[sidecar_jon]

JohnD I am revved the drill up now.

Just had a BG salesan round who told me that I can not put a new boiler in my airing cupboard as there is no drainage for a high efficency condensing boiler and that I must have one. .

that's odd cos we last week had a guy round for a grant aided installation and he said the airing cupboard was the only place to put it. He showed extreme reluctance to put it in the kitchen as he would have to drill thro a very solid granite wall. Our experience is one gets different stories from each person involved.

 

[ollski]

JohnD I am revved the drill up now.

Just had a BG salesan round who told me that I can not put a new boiler in my airing cupboard as there is no drainage for a high efficency condensing boiler and that I must have one. He said the only alternative is to put it inthe kitchen and that is what the government say I have to do! He kept telling me all about the Kyoto agreement and how I would be breaking the law to do anything else.

I am totally annoyed about the whole thing and will probably be adding those ventalation holes in the near future.

I just find it hard to believe that I can only have one type of boiler and that I can only have it in my tiny kitchen.

Arghhh. I am going shopping.

Ask him why you can't have a condensate pump, they are supplied and installed by Bg.

 

[cutiecat]

Ollski - When you say pump do you mean to remove the vapour to another outlet if so he said that the max it could be run is 5 meters and that would not be possible.

I don't understand why it cannot be vented out of the top of the ceiling which is straight onto a flat roof and where the existing flue is.

As my current boiler is running fine I am relectant to do anything but get my usual HE to replace my trvs and give me another quote for the boiler. He igt come up with a better solution.

ChrisHutt - If you can recommend anyone I am in Kentish Town, London.

Thanks

P.S Hope you are all enjoying Valentines night!

 

[chrishutt]

If you can recommend anyone I am in Kentish Town

Agile for one - he posted on this thread a while back. You can contact him via his profile.

 

[topgazza]

Just following this thread on.

I have had Homecare for 3 years since I had a Megaflow fitted. The old system i could fix myself but this unvented stuff is scary. Boiler is 16 years old, a Potterton, and the last servce by BG the guy said that it will go on for years and in any case parts are easily available.

3 months after taking policy out the vent fan was replaced by BG under the policy. I pay £21 a month and it covers all the plumbing and the drains. I have to say I don't mind that and treat it as a pure insurance 'cos you never know. Plumbers are hard to find where I live. Good ones anyway.

 

[pierrot]

my mate had a BG service and breakdown contract, had a hot water problem on his worcester 24cdi, after 3 visits by 3 different BG men, still wasnt fixed . he bit the bullet phoned me and asked me to have a look and give an opinion, round I toddle takes me all of about 1 minute to diagnose a worn diaphragm in the diverter valve. Tells him ring them again and then ring me to let me know when theyre coming, to cut a long story short BG man turns up I arrive about 5 minutes later with kit to repair it. embarrass him and end up standing over him while he does job.
the reason i suspect theyve been fobbing him off is that it is an ackward job but then theyre supposed to have the best trained men in the country, funny that I had to stand over him and tell him how to do it.

 

[ollski]

I arrive about 5 minutes later with kit to repair it. embarrass him and end up standing over him while he does job.

Sounds like a fun job , giannoni diaphragms are standard vanstock kit so what did the first 2 guys say?

 

[Agile]

If the 24cdi is the one with the diverter fitted with its axis from left to right and towards the back then I expect the BG men knew exactly what the problem was but "chose" to act dumb!

Apart from the old Ravenheat and the Worcester Heatslave 9.24 ( and ignoring the Sonya Duval and the old Ocean ) that Worcester must be the worst one to do. I would allow 2.5 hours.

Tony