British Gas - New System - Are they really the devil?!

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Considering BG after numerous quotes for a new system.

Are they really the devil?

I read a lot of tongue in cheek comments on this forum but are they really that bad? Is it that most pro's on here run their own businesses and like to bait the big giant!

I had a Homecare agreement with them a while back and found them very professional and knowledgable.

Searching the forums and the www I cant find many negative reports on them, considering how many systems they must install is it just the very cases of sub'd out work that goes astray?

Uhhmm
 
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alot don't like bg as they are the competition or have worked for um :LOL:
if ya looking for good posts about bg on ere ya wont find many! most people post topics on here to solve problems, not to promote the company that did a good job.
i work for bg and seen both good and bad installs, the only thing id rate higher than the most independents is that bg will keep on coming out until any probs are sorted.

think it all depends on how good the guy is who ya get in, from bg or where ever
 
If the price is competitive BG is as good an option as a decent independant. It's not the best but by no means the worst.

Plus there's always the bonus that if you get any problems they will always answer the phone whatever time of day.
 
You have the warm fuzzy feeling from a company that will still be there to fix stuff when it breaks. You'll usually pay through the nose for your warm fuzzy feeling.
 
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Hi,

To be honest, a lot of the "bad press" comes from ex employees, who's opinions are based on their own bad experiences of working for them..... As an employer they have faults ( as does any company) However, you can be sure that if BG do your install, you're warranty will be honered, and the standard of work will be pretty good.... The complaints about BG, tend to center around the fact that BG engineers are "encouraged" to sell upgrades, which sometimes people don't need.... On the whole, If you are happy with the quote you really have nothing to fear...

Martin
 
BG will give you a bog standard(quality wise) install...not good not bad just OK. they will change top draw money though.

now i have seen some truly dire BG installs but i guess the customer had a bit more of a comeback (if the punter ever found out what is what)

were an independent you can get top quality install & competitively priced were the gas bloke really cares...or some Muppet and his horse.


also do BG install boilers that give you 5 year warranty ? i know they push WB but do they up the warranty for the punter for free?

btw thats another thing they push WB which IMHO are not that good. much better stuff out there.
 
btw thats another thing they push WB which IMHO are not that good. much better stuff out there.

I asked for a WB but they quoted for their own brand 330+ which they did tell me is made by Gloworm.

In fairness they suggested that boiler becuase it can have a rear mounted flue - I did check WB's and I cant see theirs can.
 
btw thats another thing they push WB which IMHO are not that good. much better stuff out there.

I asked for a WB but they quoted for their own brand 330+ which they did tell me is made by Gloworm.

In fairness they suggested that boiler becuase it can have a rear mounted flue - I did check WB's and I cant see theirs can.

aka glow-worm flexicom.

one to avoid. WB not that great either and very expensive for what it is.

agree with other posters about BG being a decent enough install, but on the pricey side. if you can find a local installer with a good reputation (try Which? local if you are a subscriber) you will get a better product and a better price.
 
Outmyway,

It never ceases to amaze me why anyone would entertain BG/SG, they are by the far the worst trained, installations are poor nearly always, poorly trained 12month trained idiots not apprenticeships like the old days and are out of the planet on pricing.

And by the way! that BG330+ is a rebadged bargain bucket Gloworm Ultracom sxi.

Advice!

Get 3 quotes from LOCAL businesses AND LOOK FOR:

1. Gas safe registration. Check online
2. A business address and landline number.
3. Look for CIPHE or SNIPEF registration and ensure min level three qualification i.e ADVANCED PLUMBER status, it will be on their grade card.

This is important as you will ensure that they have served a recognised apprenticeship and will ensure you do not get any of the 12 month trained gas idiots or 6 month college trained short course idiots.

When installed you must receive,

1. minor works certificate from the electrician

2.The Benchmark must be completed at the back of the boiler installation manual.

3. Registration confirmation from gas safe and the warranty cover from the manufacturer.

4. Make sure the system is powered flushed.

Thats the best advice you will get take heed!


The gas board recently put two new bargain bucket worcester 28i junior combis in two neighbours houses of a customer of mine/friend of the family.

Both these systems I priced for and was 1k cheaper with a far superior boiler/warranty and install.

The reason the gas board got the job, they offered a buy now pay in 18 months, I couldn't offer that however, thats by the by.

This was a few weeks ago, the gas board and this is NO lie have been back twice to one address and once to the other..problems already.

One boiler was installed by one of the 12 month trained gas board idiots and the other by a subby who had done a 26 Wk course in gas maintenance. Also they done no powerflush which, is unbeleivable considering this is one of their money scams they play.

I know exactly what the gas board do/their levels of competence as I sub contracted heating work from them many moons ago when I first started up in business.

Believe me, when I stopped taking their installs due to my own businesses increased work load/reputation, the service manager practicly begged me to continue as he said that the new breed of bg employees are not as good as the day's when he was trained. i.e APPRENTICESHIP TRAINED.

Yes there are bad independants, but if you use common sense and apply what I have advised you will not go far wrong. Don't be fooled by BG's marketing/sales pitch.

You have been warned!
 
Well that rules me out! I did not renew the CIPHE after one of them was rude to me.

Non did I do an apprenticeship. It does not stop BG asking me to do instals for them though.

Thats something you need to be aware of, most instals are done by subcontractors, many made to look like BG staff.

An independent has access to the full range of boilers and can discuss the best with you and still do the job at a cheaper price.

It only has to be power flushed if it has certain types of dirt, or a lot of dirt. Many clean systems only need chemical cleaning.

Tony
 
Outmyway,

It never ceases to amaze me why anyone would entertain BG/SG, they are by the far the worst trained, installations are poor nearly always, poorly trained 12month trained idiots not apprenticeships like the old days and are out of the planet on pricing.

And by the way! that BG330+ is a rebadged bargain bucket Gloworm Ultracom sxi.

Advice!

Get 3 quotes from LOCAL businesses AND LOOK FOR:

1. Gas safe registration. Check online
2. A business address and landline number.
3. Look for CIPHE or SNIPEF registration and ensure min level three qualification i.e ADVANCED PLUMBER status, it will be on their grade card.

This is important as you will ensure that they have served a recognised apprenticeship and will ensure you do not get any of the 12 month trained gas idiots or 6 month college trained short course idiots.

When installed you must receive,

1. minor works certificate from the electrician

2.The Benchmark must be completed at the back of the boiler installation manual.

3. Registration confirmation from gas safe and the warranty cover from the manufacturer.

4. Make sure the system is powered flushed.

Thats the best advice you will get take heed!


The gas board recently put two new bargain bucket worcester 28i junior combis in two neighbours houses of a customer of mine/friend of the family.

Both these systems I priced for and was 1k cheaper with a far superior boiler/warranty and install.

The reason the gas board got the job, they offered a buy now pay in 18 months, I couldn't offer that however, thats by the by.

This was a few weeks ago, the gas board and this is NO lie have been back twice to one address and once to the other..problems already.

One boiler was installed by one of the 12 month trained gas board idiots and the other by a subby who had done a 26 Wk course in gas maintenance. Also they done no powerflush which, is unbeleivable considering this is one of their money scams they play.

I know exactly what the gas board do/their levels of competence as I sub contracted heating work from them many moons ago when I first started up in business.

Believe me, when I stopped taking their installs due to my own businesses increased work load/reputation, the service manager practicly begged me to continue as he said that the new breed of bg employees are not as good as the day's when he was trained. i.e APPRENTICESHIP TRAINED.

Yes there are bad independants, but if you use common sense and apply what I have advised you will not go far wrong. Don't be fooled by BG's marketing/sales pitch.

You have been warned!

On the basis that you are refering to BG as the "gas board" in the post i think your comments can be taken with a pinch of salt.

They are not as bad as they are made out to be and with the price cuts that are being introduced on installations they will be competitive too.

This was a few weeks ago, the gas board and this is NO lie have been back twice to one address and once to the other..problems already.
On a positive note to your negative spin on this, they will always return to a job for any small issue or just a custards query. BG dont go on holiday, get too busy or just ignore the phone as some independants might do. You also wont find you have to wait for the manufacturers if theres a boiler fault in the warantee period, BG will just get it fixed.
 
1CANHELP,

No dis-respect, but I find your comments on BG/SG engineers rather unfair.

I have come across quite a few engineers who completed a 3 or 4 year app, and quite frankly wouldn't have trusted them to wire a plug.... In return I know engineers who completed the year and a half course with B/G (Not 1 year if you account the improver stage, where they are monitered with tech support available to them) whom are just as good as many of those who completed a longer trainee-ship.....

I agree the course with BG should be longer, but the training it's self is NOT poor.

Don't get me wrong, I left BG for my own reasons and don't intend to ever go back, but to lump their engineers into the catagory of "idiots", is unfair, arrogant and somewhat ill-informed....

I appreciate you dis-agree, but it's just my view....

Martin
 
Agile,

I gave advice on the what I beleive to be sound advice given 24+ years experience.

I have no idea of your experience or really give a damn, for all I know you could be a regulation book worm who can talk a good show or someone who not only has experience and can do a good job, but can apply a common sense approach in solving problems to a variety of situations. THIS ONLY COMES WITH EXPERIENCE i.e APPRENTICE TRAINED.

From my experience, the best option for nearly all situations is to employ a timeserved tradesmen. You can rest assured he has the the very minimum of experience required to do a good job. bearing in mind the plumbing and heating trade is extremely varied and is not just sevicing/repairing boilers.

I do not agree with fast track trianing however, do agree that certain individuals can transfer compatible skills from other industries and with appropriate training and WORK BASED NVQ training can also achieve the standard required by plumbing organisations such as SNIPEF/CIPHE.

In Scotland the S/NVQ2 in plumbing is not even recognised anymore and the minimum standard now required to call yourself a Plumbing and Heating installer is S/NVQ3.

I make no appologies for saying that I do not consider fast track operatives professional tradesmen/women. However, with the approriate time on site thay most certainly can meet the minimum requirement.

These fast track individuals charge the going rate whilst learning on the job without the customer being aware. This in my opinion is morally wrong.

I suggest you sit back and take a deep breath, try to understand what I am saying in the thread, instead of getting upset because you undertook a short course in a gas/plumbing.

In your old job, if another individual came into the company with a fraction of the training/experience of you and was implying he she is at the same level....THEN YOU WOULD TAKE UMBRAGE.
 
aka glow-worm flexicom.
Whats wrong with Glowworms?

PS: I have had WB's before and never had a problem .. though they were good boilers? Plus they offer 5yr warranty.

Get 3 quotes from LOCAL businesses AND LOOK FOR:
Yeah, done that ... one local chap quoted £4K more than BG!
Other was about £700 less than BG ..


most instals are done by subcontractors, many made to look like BG staff.
Yeah, The sales chap when pushed said I could request only their own people, but take your points!

Although my local chap with all the right qualifications could still leave his 6 month trainee to do the work (as happened to my father .. made a right mess of fitting a boiler for him).
 
tinino,

Upon reading again it does look like I am implying ALL are idiots, that was not intended.

However, it is an undisputable fact the training is no where near adequate anymore at BG and they turn out inexperienced operatives.

I know many BG who served the apprenticeship the old way and these guys new their stuff, I often drink with a few of them.

They all agree with what I said! BG are going to the dogs.

I know there is good and bad in all walks of life and I thought I pointed that out.

I believe the information I gave was sound with respect to finding a reputable organisation who will undertake a good job at a reasonable price.

If you or should anyone eles disagree, please inform the OP as how to go about finding such a company to do their install.
 

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