New Boiler

[wayne3280]

I've recently purchased a new property and had a Gas Safety Inspection Report conducted.

The boiler is a Worcester 9.24 Electronic. It was installed in 1992 and I've been informed probably has one or two years life left in it. The flue is also apparently too close to the door (less than 300mm) and a section of 22mm pipe needs replacing with 28mm. The property is a mid-terrace, approx 6 by 7.5 metres (6m walls being the externals), well insulated, 1 bathroom.

As I've yet to move in, I'd like to replace the boiler sooner rather than later and so am in the process of getting quotes. I should have done my homework beforehand, but that's where I am!

The guy who carried out the inspection has been reliable in the past when carrying out work for my parents. He stated the boiler needs replacing and a section of pipe from the gas supply needs changing from 22mm to 28mm. He stated he'd be looking to replace it with a Worcester Greenstar (didn't state a model and I foolishly didn't ask), change the section of pipe and flush out the system (using Magnaclean) for £2,000 plus VAT.

A friend of a friend visited today, who stated he'd carry out the above work and replace it with a Baxi 105e (I've read mainly bad reviews) or a Vaillant ECOTEC PRO 28 (much better reviews) and do it for £1,650.

I have another local guy coming to see it tomorrow evening and my mother has asked British Gas (having seen some 'save up to £750' offer in the paper) to come on Saturday.

What should I be asking the guy who visits tomorrow? Any advice on what to be mindful of? I realise having read a few posts here already that I've not researched this in enough detail.

Again, the work will involve a straight replacement of the boiler, the flue needs to be moved over slightly and a section of pipe needs replacing.

Cheers in advance.

 

[holty]

Baxi 105e

hope he doesnt fit one.

 

[persiamomolti]

You don`t seem to trust any of your `friends` and now seeking advice from someone you have never met in the hope that they will be more honest. Time to ditch friends like that.Go for the cheapest option and you will pay dearly. Forget favours. ring Gas safe who replaced corgi for reputable gas installers in your area.

 

[tonybhoy]

Best piece of advice I can offer is to make sure you are getting like for like quotes.

A Worcester Bosch 30 CDI band A ex flue and including Vat and two years warranty from 'any' RGI cost is around £990 trade plus fitting, having the same boiler installed by a Worcester Bosch approved installer adds one additional years warranty FOC and an option to extend to five for an additional £115.

A Vokera Compact 29HE band B on the other hand is around £600 from 'any' RGI including flue and mechanical time-clock built into the boiler incl Vat and comes with two years manufacturer's warranty.

Straight away you can see there is more than £400 of a difference on the boiler alone but once you add in a flue, mechanical clock and when you add the two years additional warranty this takes the total to almost £600 more before you've even hammered in a nail

I would say set a budget in your own mind and a short list of two or three similarly priced boilers and then get quotes along those lines and ask questions about everything such as boiler make and model, warranty, programmer (some of which are £150) ,Magnaclean and power-flush or chemical flush etc etc.

Tony.

 

[wayne3280]

You don`t seem to trust any of your `friends` and now seeking advice from someone you have never met in the hope that they will be more honest. Time to ditch friends like that.Go for the cheapest option and you will pay dearly. Forget favours. ring Gas safe who replaced corgi for reputable gas installers in your area.

It's not really about seeking advice from someone I've never met in the hope they're more honest. It's about seeking advice from whatever sources I can (albeit a bit late) and lots of people here appear knowledgeable. People here have nothing to gain from offering advice, afterall.

 

[wayne3280]

Best piece of advice I can offer is to make sure you are getting like for like quotes.

A Worcester Bosch 30 CDI band A ex flue and including Vat and two years warranty from 'any' RGI cost is around £990 trade plus fitting, having the same boiler installed by a Worcester Bosch approved installer adds one additional years warranty FOC and an option to extend to five for an additional £115.

A Vokera Compact 29HE band B on the other hand is around £600 from 'any' RGI including flue and mechanical time-clock built into the boiler incl Vat and comes with two years manufacturer's warranty.

Straight away you can see there is more than £400 of a difference on the boiler alone but once you add in a flue, mechanical clock and when you add the two years additional warranty this takes the total to almost £600 more before you've even hammered in a nail

I would say set a budget in your own mind and a short list of two or three similarly priced boilers and then get quotes along those lines and ask questions about everything such as boiler make and model, warranty, programmer (some of which are £150) ,Magnaclean and power-flush or chemical flush etc etc.

Tony.

Appreciate the advice. It would seem the first guy who carried out the inspection is suggesting a Worcester Greenstar 30Si, will be chemically flushing out the system and using Magnaclean. It already sounds like the better deal to me!

I suppose I'll wait and see what tomorrow's quote is and have a think over the weekend.

Cheers again for the advice. Much appreciated.

 

[persiamomolti]

You won`t get change out of 1800 quid. End of.

 

[gremlin16]

Worcester Greenstar 30Si.

A cheap british built box with heating control and an separate hot water control.

If you are fooled in to thinking WB are the dogs *******s then at least go for the overpriced CDi.

 

[wayne3280]

You won`t get change out of 1800 quid. End of.

That is pretty helpful. It's the first time I've had to get any sort of work of this nature done, so it's useful to know what sort of money I should be expecting to pay, even with lots of variables.

Cheers.

 

[wayne3280]

Worcester Greenstar 30Si.

A cheap british built box with heating control and an separate hot water control.

If you are fooled in to thinking WB are the dogs **** then at least go for the overpriced CDi.

I'm not 'fooled' into anything, I'm just using whatever info I have available. At present, it's you guys and other Internet reviews and the Baxi had rubbish reviews and it seems, from what I've read, the WB has had much better ones.

 

[gremlin16]

We use to supply and install WB gas and oil boilers.

Then some brain dead r&d decided to make their HE boilers a pain to install and a bigger pain to service/repair.

Yes they have a large fleet of service vehicles, but ask yourself why do they need so many. Is is because they break down so often.

When choosing an installer ask him if he will service and carry out repairs on the boilers they supply and install.

To many installers fall heavily on manufactures warranty, because they know how difficult and expensive some of the carp are to repair.

 

[wayne3280]

We use to supply and install WB gas and oil boilers.

Then some brain dead r&d decided to make their HE boilers a pain to install and a bigger pain to service/repair.

Yes they have a large fleet of service vehicles, but ask yourself why do they need so many. Is is because they break down so often.

When choosing an installer ask him if he will service and carry out repairs on the boilers they supply and install.

To many installers fall heavily on manufactures warranty, because they know how difficult and expensive some of the carp are to repair.

Fair point. As I said, I think I've started researching all of this a bit late into the process. Two grand is a bit much to be jumping in head first. Maybe I'll have a re-think.

Thanks.

 

[namsag]

I must be getting different 105`s from who you have read reviews from , have fitted close on 300 over an 8 year period and have had less than half dozen breakdown under the 2 year warranty, 2 boards, 2 condensate traps and one with a noise.
Half dozen boards out of warranty and a couple of air pressure switches.Along with the usual diaphragms as per any combi
Also fit worcesters and valiants and in terms of performance build quality they are not worth £300 quid more and when they breakdown they will cost you far more to repair.
Personally think worcesters are worst of the 3.

 

[tonybhoy]

Go for the CDI over the SI mate. Everyone has differing opions on what constitutes a good boiler but frankly, unless you work for one of the manufacturers you won't have a clue regarding breakdown rates etc.

From my own experience WB boilers are excellent, in nearly three years of installing them I've had one fail with a PCB which was repaired out of warranty FOC. I only install the CDIs BTW and WB customer service is second to none as is their tech support.

I'm currently involved with a customer who has been left in the lurch by another WB AI (eighteen month old junior 28i sludged up) and WB have jumped through hoops to help this customer and after I'm finished cleaning the system they are intending to go back and jump some more.

As an example I had to contact WB regarding a repair thier engineer had carried out on the boiler (which was not heating the hot water) so they asked me if I wanted the engineer to call back and I said yes, within minutes and I mean minutes they had contacted the customer and organised for the engineer to go back the next afternoon.

You don't get much better CS than that, IMO.

 

[holty]

WB great service, ****e boilers.got fed up with em so turned to viessmann.not had a single prob with the new 100w easy to fit and the heat ex can handle itself with 10 years guarantee. and 5 years parts and labour on the boiler. a german manufacturer that can make a simple to work on boiler. thought id never see the day.