Oil Boiler Service - did he do it correctly?

[chestnutplumbing]

well well, you old dogs out there with your fading eye sight and muffled hearing maybe, just maybe a calibrated gas analizser can smell more than you. And yes I do quote OFTEC rules and guidelines because I follow them, don't you? tut tut

I am replying to a message from over six months ago so others that check out this site can gain some useful tips not just old hands spouting rubbish

 

[chestnutplumbing]

oh and you 30 yrs experience plus I am not saying that the knowledge you have isn't invaluable but are you saying that you can't learn something?

 

[cider]

just out of interest chestnut, what do you charge for a service ?

 

[muggles]

Original post was nearly five years ago...I'm sure the OP has sorted their issues by now

 

[chestnutplumbing]

I charge £150 inc vat for a service and I am suprised at the prices I see on the internet, they are so cheap. But if you read there description of their service no-one mentions taking the boiler apart and cleaning the insides of all the soot and sulphur deposits.
Not meaning to rant but the eyes only tuners, do they fill out all the apropriate paperwork and give the efficiency Gross and net to the customer just to give them peace of mind to the output of their boiler.

Have happy warm days good luck everybody I'm off to do the proper job I'm paid to do.

 

[slapper]

I charge £150 inc vat for a service and I am suprised at the prices I see on the internet, they are so cheap. But if you read there description of their service no-one mentions taking the boiler apart and cleaning the insides of all the soot and sulphur deposits.
Not meaning to rant but the eyes only tuners, do they fill out all the apropriate paperwork and give the efficiency Gross and net to the customer just to give them peace of mind to the output of their boiler.

Have happy warm days good luck everybody I'm off to do the proper job I'm paid to do.

Another Ex Office worker on a short course,thinks he knows it all. Keep charging £150 for a service and youll soon realise your ripping people off.

 

[chestnutplumbing]

So how much do you charge to do a PROPER JOB then. Or are you just doing the bare minimum

 

[simond]

The bare minimum and a proper job should be the same thing.

We charge £115 for a service including new nozzle and oil hose, unless it is a specialist boiler like a Kidd, where it is around £150.

Admittedly we only offer servicing to customers whose boilers were installed by us, so it keeps the time and scope of work predictable.

 

[moliver34]

Ive been reading the last posts with an uneasy feeling that some clients are being ripped off when they have their oil boiler serviced.

My standard charge for a service is £95.00 incl.
For that the clients boiler receives;

Burner stripped down and cleaned, replacement nozzle, clean and inspect electrodes, replacement flexi hose if required or over two yrs old. fuel filter replaced(if fitted} clean fuel tank strainer, check fuel tank. Remove baffles and clean incl (hoover out) internal combustion chamber. Test fire valve. Check and clean turbulators if condensing and clean and check the condensate trap and discharge pipe. Check the prv and expansion vessel pressure if fitted.

Report on any faults.

Check that the programmer/port valves/thermostat works correctly

Carry out pressure test on the burner fuel pump and combustion test, adjust as required.

On average a service takes between a hour to an hour and a half to complete, depending on when it was last serviced and how dirty it is, some times longer.

Ive been asked by clients why Im taking so long and whats the hoover for
Im often told that the last chap that serviced the boiler was only there for 1/2 hr... and charged £160.00 for the service. Left no paper work and didnt bother or could not carry out the combustion test because they didnt have a gas analyser...

 

[chestnutplumbing]

Atlast someone on the same level, to me mate you are doing all the right things as do I. I do the same things but take longer as I mostly get boilers that no-one has checked and as you said customers say the old guy never did that. I get my money you get yours the main thing is we leave the customer happy and the boiler IS running at it's most efficient. I will always call back to customers if there is a problem mostly for free. Just ask yourself one thing with all the equipment you have and the other guys don't are you not worth more money?

 

[moliver34]

I might be worth more money, but I get repeated services every year. If the boiler breaks down during the year, they call me back to fix it. If they want a new boiler they ring me for a quote. If there toilet gets blocked up they ring me and I pass it on to my mate whos a plumber and likes to get his hands dirty..!

I guess it depends on the job, but I do earn more on some other jobs so it equals out in the end.

Where are you located Chestnut

 

[chestnutplumbing]

As do I once you are in the house and trusted you get all the plumbing and heating works. I'm in the south east of the country and cannot book any more work in till early Feb as I am fully booked. cheers ps a bit snowed in at the moment though.

 

[bradscottjames]

Its interesting the prices of boiler servicing

I must consider my self lucky that i live in lincoln and pay £65 for a full boiler service that complies with Oftecs CD11 form.

It then begs the question whether you service a boiler in lincoln or timbucktoo surely a boiler service is a boiler service complying if you follow with oftec regulations and recomedations.

I can't see the cost of living is any differnt in the north or south as both have now caught up. so why the big differential in price?

Whilst people have to earn a living at who's exspense? I guesse its all about supply and demand and what people are prepared to pay.

This is just an observation so before the die hard launch in to an attack and bemoan high over heads and high cost of living ,were all in the same boat. no matter what part of the country you live in.

Any one who may wish to get a fair price for boiler servicing try "boiler juice" we used them and got a list of about 6 reputable heating engineers who charged £65 for service £11.50 for nozzle perhaps that is akin to this area

Taking an objective view if a proper service should take 3 hours to complete its worth considering your engineers hourly rate and consider whether the cost is exspensive, considering a a mecanic charges £35/40 per hour to fix your car
is £150 excessive? subject to debate I guess

 

[Tibbot]

Any one who may wish to get a fair price for boiler servicing try "boiler juice" we used them and got a list of about 6 reputable heating engineers who charged £65 for service £11.50 for nozzle perhaps that is akin to this area

Maybe it is your area as servicing through Boilerjuice here is a minimum of £92.50, which sort of makes an ar*e of your point. The firm you're pushing does the very regional thing that you're knocking.

 

[chestnutplumbing]

As Tibbot has said the prices differ regionally but also I include all the parts normally needed on a boiler service (not breakdown) in my price so you are not comparing like for like. As it will be impossible, but good try and I hope your man does a good job and your boiler keeps going on for many years. Cheers.