Replacement combi...

[doitall]

If you buy the boiler then you are responsible for the warranty if it doesn't work out of the box or breaks-down, the installer would be right to charge you for any problems.

As said before, a quote should include the total job.

It should include a spec of what they are fitting etc.

For example.

Brand A boiler.
Remove old boiler and dispose of any waste.
Flush the system.
Add inhibitor.
Upgrade Gas supply if necessary.
Fill, test and commission the system.
Explain the control.
Make good where necessary.

Leave in a safe working order

That will be £200000 please.

 

[simond]

Absolutely spot on Lawrance.

If we supply a fixed price and a detailed spec for the task, why should we break it down?

BG will provide a breakdown of costs to a potential installation customer but it is a total fiction. Most of the rest of us would prefer to say 'No' rather than offer a work of fiction.

If you were to tell customers what your overheads were, they'd never believe you. I know, I've tried it, they look at you blankly and think you are telling porkies.

So do you lie, or just refuse to give an itemised breakdown? The latter sits much better with me, I can afford to give the other customers the wide berth they deserve.

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

I give a proper written "quote" with everything that will be supplied and fitted and all work to be carried out, I "don't" do a price breakdown, the total cost is the "total cost".
FFS should we all be asking for a price breakdown of our groceries at the checkout, how much the flour salt wheat additives preservatives etc etc checkout girls wages managers wages delivery mans wages shops energy bill water bill till maintenance ad nauseum, should I go on, no we either pay up and shut up, or GO ELSEWHERE......

 

[BingoBongo]

I don't know how anyone can say if this is adecent price as he doesn't know what he's getting.could be a 35cdi with power flush and magna and upgrade all done nicely by a charity worker or a junior thrown at the wall no flush and a bit if 22mm when it may need 28.nobody on here can tell you what to pay or if it's a decent price.post is absolutely pointless this isn't moneysupermarket

 

[tomplumb1]

To be honest I think we are all getting a little carried away – for all the chaps who have posed saying they are insulted that chesketh has asked a reasonable question then please sit down and have a word with yourselves, you can’t tell me that you have never questioned the price that you have paid for something, and if your correct in the way that your expressing yourself then I am guessing that when you go for a pint & some scratching your don’t question the £300 bill left on your table!! Don’t be silly!

doitall is on the button and chesketh is totally correct to try and do his research to establish what is a suitable price in what is an overinflated market due to untrusting plumbers looking for a quick buck – I have no problems at all explaining what my clients are getting for their money.

Happy new year!

 

[studips]

overinflated market? good for you, sadly the market this side of the river is over populated, not over inflated.
you can't swing a cat round here without hitting a gas fitter,

the price seems fine to me, the quote should list what is being done as has been said by do it all, but depending on what's involved in the new gas run, it may well be fair to charge the extra quoted (22mm is £6.34 per metre at wickes)- if the guy is collecting the boiler and parts required, placing the order etc, then that is covered by his small profit on materials - as is having to go buy something extra on the day.

we all react differently when quizzed on our pricing, often because when being open with someone in the past, we have had a shocked and insulting response - i went to give someone some paid advice the other month, as it was a bit of a drive - half an hour each way, plus half an hour at the house. i just wanted my diesel covered really

she seemed to think that £20 was a bit steep for half an hour of my time. i still haven't cashed the cheque...... must do that.

3 detailed quotes old fruit, but don't expect a breakdown of the costs, just compare like for like.

 

[chesketh]

Thanks to everyone who has provided constructive advice. Cant get more quotes now till new year, but will get a couple more, before I decide.

To everyone who thinks I am trying to get a cheap job, well thats your look out really. For what its worth, I dont mind at all paying for a good job to be done, i just like to know what i have paid for, as 1800quid is alot of money to anyone in the current climate.....

 

[doitall]

Thanks to everyone who has provided constructive advice. Cant get more quotes now till new year, but will get a couple more, before I decide.

To everyone who thinks I am trying to get a cheap job, well thats your look out really. For what its worth, I dont mind at all paying for a good job to be done, i just like to know what i have paid for, as 1800quid is alot of money to anyone in the current climate.....

What you're getting for your money is the correct terminology.

You want to know as per my dummy quote at the top, you will be lucky to get a breakdown of the prices, you are buying a package, you either except the quote in total or reject it.

There's some important issues you need to know in my quote, if you read through it.

 

[DP]

The only way a quote can be compared is if all quote providers quote from a spec the customer provides i.e. what boiler, copper pipe only, specific items etc.

A quote from three installers each specifying what they will do is of no use for price comparison.

Better option would be to talk to friends and relatives for name and number of their installer. If you are lucky, you will get an installer's name crop up from different mouths- that is the one you want.

A good instal will soon make you forget the last penny you spent on it. A bad instal you will certainly pay twice and more for, to have an acceptable system.

 

[roguetrader]

as has been mentioned countless times, most companies will not provide a breakdown in cost, basically to save on nit picking over the finer points. my advice to you is decide on a specification, write it down and stick to it, that way every man through the door is pricing the same job.

 

[ajrobb]

The question is, what should you ask for in a quote?

• power flush
  X400 flush
  X100 inhibitor
  magnaclean filter
  weather compensation option
  DHW temperature limiter option
  all fitting, parts and labour
  service contract

Alternatively, find a couple of Gas Safe fitters you can trust, possibly working for big firms, who will do the job cash-in-hand in the evenings with all paperwork. Agree the boiler and go from there. Then sit back and worry about it breaking down.

If they absolutely have to run the condensate drain externally, make sure they use exterior-grade closed-cell insulation. The interior stuff turns to powder in the sun and soaks up rain. If you have an older property with iron and clay drains, you might need a soak-away drain for the acid condensate at least 600mm from the foundations, filled with lime chips and the drain holes facing away from the foundations.

Weather compensation should save at least 2% of your fuel bills (look at SEDBUK rating).

I think DHW temperature limiters are compulsory for new bathrooms at least on the bath tap. Anyway, I think they are worth considering. Although you can set DHW temperature on the boiler; I notice on my Baxi that the boiler output is reduced at lower temperatures, so it takes longer to fill a bath. Also, if hot water is run when the heating is on, there can be an initial period of scalding water (the Baxi uses the plate exchanger for its ABV flow).

 

[vulcancontinental]

When I bought a car from a small family garage years ago I saw the following on a poster. They copied it for me and I memorised it and used it when asked about pricing jobs. Funny, can't remember many gas regs. or boiler fault codes but about money I could remember a lot.

It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money -- that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do.

The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot -- it can't be done.

If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.

John Ruskin

 

[1CANHELP]

That price seems reasonable should you be getting a mid range worcester.

It should also include a power flush, upgrade to gas supply, upgrade to controls if needed i.e room stat and or TRV's. Part L compliance.

You have no right whatsoever to know what price he is getting the materials for!!! At the end of the day when you buy a car or a pair of jeans........does the garage or shop owner tell you what they paid for the car or jeans NO!

Would you ask NO!

A business is there to make a profit i.e money left over after all costs and wages have been deducted, if there is no profit, then there is no point in being in business.

Remember the next time you distrust a tradesman trying to make a living, that YOUR boss has to make a profit in his business or YOU would be out a job.

People like you make me sick!!

An NICEIC, OFTEC, Gas Safe and MCS Registered installer/business

not helpful...... If you dont want to provide helpful advice, then dont post crap like this......

Read the first three paragraphs you moron! I have given you advice, good advice on what you should be getting.


My Boss is the Government/NHS so I fully realise the tight spot EVERYONE is in.

Well that explains it...another public sector worker who expects everything for nothing, an over bloated area of our economy which, rewards mediocrity and failure

Thanks for the HELPFUL advice tomplumb1

Tomplumb1 isn't even a timeserved plumber, have you seen all of his posts, he's asking some basic things. Like I have said before, this site is full of short course/fast track idiots masquerading as plumbers ripping of the general public.

For gods sake, he can't do a job without asking how to do it on a DIY site...what is this country coming to

You go right ahead public sector moron, you'll get what you deserve...especially if you think tomplumb1 gave advice which, was good.

 

[1CANHELP]

To be honest I think we are all getting a little carried away – for all the chaps who have posed saying they are insulted that chesketh has asked a reasonable question then please sit down and have a word with yourselves, you can’t tell me that you have never questioned the price that you have paid for something, and if your correct in the way that your expressing yourself then I am guessing that when you go for a pint & some scratching your don’t question the £300 bill left on your table!! Don’t be silly!

doitall is on the button and chesketh is totally correct to try and do his research to establish what is a suitable price in what is an overinflated market due to untrusting plumbers looking for a quick buck – I have no problems at all explaining what my clients are getting for their money.

Happy new year!

Your clients, please don't tell me you are passing yourself off as a timeserved professional plumber??

Looking at your posts so far, all you do is ask how to do something or other. Do you ask the client as well

How far are you into your mickey mouse city & guilds plumbing course?? you'll find very quickly...quality, timeserved tradesmen serve APPRETICESHIPS.

You should not be masquerading and passing yourself off as plumber, do you have no morals.

I suggest you look at the CIPHE or SNIPEF website and familiarize yourself with the qualifications needed to call yourself a plumber LEGALLY.

An NICEIC, OFTEC, Gas Safe and MCS Registered installer/business.

 

[chesketh]

That price seems reasonable should you be getting a mid range worcester.

It should also include a power flush, upgrade to gas supply, upgrade to controls if needed i.e room stat and or TRV's. Part L compliance.

You have no right whatsoever to know what price he is getting the materials for!!! At the end of the day when you buy a car or a pair of jeans........does the garage or shop owner tell you what they paid for the car or jeans NO!

Would you ask NO!

A business is there to make a profit i.e money left over after all costs and wages have been deducted, if there is no profit, then there is no point in being in business.

Remember the next time you distrust a tradesman trying to make a living, that YOUR boss has to make a profit in his business or YOU would be out a job.

People like you make me sick!!

An NICEIC, OFTEC, Gas Safe and MCS Registered installer/business

not helpful...... If you dont want to provide helpful advice, then dont post crap like this......

Read the first three paragraphs you moron! I have given you advice, good advice on what you should be getting.


My Boss is the Government/NHS so I fully realise the tight spot EVERYONE is in.

Well that explains it...another public sector worker who expects everything for nothing, an over bloated area of our economy which, rewards mediocrity and failure

Thanks for the HELPFUL advice tomplumb1

Tomplumb1 isn't even a timeserved plumber, have you seen all of his posts, he's asking some basic things. Like I have said before, this site is full of short course/fast track idiots masquerading as plumbers ripping of the general public.

For gods sake, he can't do a job without asking how to do it on a DIY site...what is this country coming to

You go right ahead public sector moron, you'll get what you deserve...especially if you think tomplumb1 gave advice which, was good.

Personal slander isnt really needed is it...... I dont know who is a timeserved plumber or not here.... Came on here for some helpful advice not to be slagged off. Any more from you and I will resort to alerting the Mods, this is a public forum, where the PUBLIC can ask questions, being helpful is one thing, vindictiveness at my trade is another. If I saw you in my trade, you would expect me to be polite and courtious, please pay me the same respect.....