heating grant - dodgy quote dilemma

[seneca]

Hi,
I applied for a WarmFront grant for £2700 for a new boiler and was accepted. The engineer who came to assess my old boiler said the new combi condenser would have to go in the old airing cupboard upstairs (a massive cuboard containing the hot water tank.)

It could not be fitted in place of the old boiler in my utilty because it was too close to neighbours boundary and my window. He also said his company, refused to put boilers where they had to go through flat roofs (my garage would have been ideal.) No, it had to be in the upstairs bedroom airing cupboard. I agreed so I could get the grant, but have since thought I would not want it cluttering up a bedroom. Well this company, sent me a copy of the invoice they sent to the grant people saying the new combi condenser boiler and parts would be £800.

Their work would £1900. Hence the full amount of the grant. Do these prices seem reasonable or are they scamming money from the Warm Front grant people? I know of people in my street who have had a new combi condenser and new radiators in each room fitted for £4500. These guys want over 2/3 that for just a boiler.

I would still have all of my old radiators and a crappy microbore system of pipes. If I rejected the grant and got the £4500 work done by the chaps who did others in my street I would have a complete new system (with 15mm piping to all rads.)

Anyone have any opinions on the £2700 quote from or anything else on the matter?

 

[fitz1]

its free to you so have it done.just make sure they completly flush your system and cleanse it afterwards. Harland rise are paying the installer about 350 to 500 labour, so their profit is about 1000 plus. but that doesnt really concern you.

 

[seneca]

(warm front give the grant , Hrland Rise are the people who carry out the work.)
I realise that it's a free boiler, but one that costs £800 including pipes, is that any good? I thought a decent combi condenser was more expensive. The point is, If they are not prepared to site the boiler somewhere else (they were adamant that the airing cupboard was the only place) then I think I might forget the grant and pay somone to fit it somewhere else. Having looked at a few other forums, it seems anumber of people are annoyed at not being able to have their boilers fitted where they would like, and instead having to lose a bedroom instead. Why are combi condensers so tricky to site, or is this just a case of a company (Harland Rise) making a huge profit for fitting a boiler where it is easiest.

 

[oilman]

When your new boiler breaks down (one day it will) you will have no back up for hot water, as you will have no tank. If that's ok with you, fine.

 

[holty]

i used to work for a company who did these sort of grants when i was at the end of my apprentiship. my old boss who was the dogs *******s taught me the proper way but unlucky to me he had to retire so tried to finish my apprenticeship with this firm, it didn't last long as the way they fitted the systems with robotic plumbing and quick in quick out and other reasons was against everythin i was taught. there not bothered about makin your house look good.just the easiest way for them.

 

[oilman]

I did oil work for a firm that otherwise did only gas. Their work was poor, and I stopped doing the work after the MD dropped into Anglo-Saxon because I would pickup on all the things that were non compliant (regs or MI). They used to do grant work for the council as they were CHEAP.

 

[fitz1]

Harland rise sub the work out.

 

[seneca]

Well I'm in Birmingham and my dealings with Harland Rise have not been great so far. Apparently, the assessor who came around to tell us that the new boiler could only go in the airing cupboard, was from their main office in liverpool. The fitters who are going to fit the new boiler are in Birmingham. So, it's likely they have been subbed by Harland Rise. I suppose I'm just a bit miffed that the assessor refused to budge from telling us the boiler could only go in one place. And, saying his company reefuse to put the flue through a flat roof. If the grant is £2700. The parts are only £750, then you think that almost £2000 for the work was enough to make them give a few options about the installation... and not wreck the house with surface mounted pipes etc.

 

[Bamber gaspipe]

If you are unhappy with the chance of a boiler supplied & fitted for free because you cannot have everything exactly the way you would like, reject it, pay a reputable Corgi installer top whack & I am sure you will have it fitted wherever you choose. Regulations permitting of course.

 

[seneca]

It's not that I want to pass up on new boiler, it's just I'm unclear on wht are the actual regulations for condeser boiler flue termination points (any chance of a link anyone?) I just wondered whether the assessor was just putting the boiler where it was easiest for him, or whether there were actual regulations involved, not convenient ones he made up.

I may well end up paying for someone else to install a new boiler. Bet they won't want two grand for the work. Who knows they might be willing to ventue into the unknown and put the flue through a flat roof. Everyone seems to refuse to consider the option.

Just out of interest was does a combi condenser boiler need going to it: ie. what thickness gas pipe, water pipe, drain etc.

 

[Bamber gaspipe]

Find out the make of boiler that is to be installed, download manufacturers instructions from t`internet & read away till your heart`s content.

 

[oilman]

If you are unhappy with the chance of a boiler supplied & fitted for free because you cannot have everything exactly the way you would like, reject it, pay a reputable Corgi installer top whack & I am sure you will have it fitted wherever you choose. Regulations permitting of course.

I don't see why, if the customer is getting this grant aided, they should have to put up with a lazy, slipshod job just to suit the robbin' hoods who are quite happy to take ratepayers money. This is typical of the ignorant thugs who slouch about in the domestic property world.

 

[bripl]

the warmfront scheme is supposed to be for pensioners,it is not a grant their are guidelines which have to be followed,as someone who installs these i can tell you the money is tight,all work has to be done to part l so
new cly
new pump
new controls,mv,cly stat,room stat,programmer
auto by pass
new trvs
sys flush
inhibitor
bonding to bathroom rad
bonding to gas pipe
light fitted if boiler in a cupboard
just a list of a few things that need to be included,this scheme gets so much abuse from people who have scammed the sys to get a free heating sys/upgrade.the paperwork side is a ferkin nightmare with them,the installer has a limited time from survey to completion then he gets fined for each visit the inspector makes after completion for snagging.as for oilmans remarks about slipshod workmanship and robin hood attitude you are way off the mark we do a tidy job in some horrible hovels with socially challenged people and then have to wait in excess of three months for payment which is oftened delayed longer because a box in the paperwork was not ticked in the correct coloured ink

 

[Bamber gaspipe]

oilman
I don't see why, if the customer is getting this grant aided, they should have to put up with a lazy, slipshod job just to suit the robbin' hoods who are quite happy to take ratepayers money. This is typical of the ignorant thugs who slouch about in the domestic property world.

I suggest you change the people you work with. My colleagues are all hard working, conscientious individuals who, as Bripl has quite rightly pointed out, sometimes have to work in difficult conditions, (especially council contract work) for some people who are less than deserving. Not that I am suggesting that this is the case with the original poster.

 

[Paul Barker]

bonding to bathroom rad

(rads not required to be bonded by 16th edition, pipework can be bonded from adjacent cupboard, but may have to be bonded in bathroom, then only if supplied by copper, if just coppers drops not required to bond, bonding has to be taken to cpc's of any equipment in the zones.)

as for oilmans remarks about slipshod workmanship and robin hood attitude you are way off the mark we do a tidy job in some horrible hovels with socially challenged people and then have to wait in excess of three months for payment which is oftened delayed longer because a box in the paperwork was not ticked in the correct coloured ink

(I can confirm the standard of workmanship is top notch for the team that fit them in the Scarborough area, and they are well underpaid, I wouldn't do their work any more than I would sub to Gritish Bas)