Repositioning a combi-boiler by a few inches

[Sprogginz]

I'm in the process of buying a new house.



Please have a look at the photo of the boiler and let me know if you think it should have been installed inline with the wall cabinets? My current home has the vent right up to the ceiling.

Boiler positioning

• Sprogginz
• 10 Sep 2014
• 1

I don't know if it is because of regulations but I find this really annoying and I'm wondering if it's possible to move it upwards? I know this sounds fussy to some (or most!) but if it is possible can you tell me the following please:

1. How much would it roughly cost to pay someone to do this?
2. Does this person have to be Corgi registered?
3. Would it matter if I put a matching cabinet door in front of the boiler?

The deciding factor, if it's possible, would be the cost. I'm assuming it would take no more than a day's labor to do it.

Thanks very much and hope you can help.

 

[Jackrae]

Why not just box in the whole assembly from worktop to ceiling (with a suitable removable access panel for boiler servicing). That way you don't have to move boiler and you hide all the pipework.

Moving boiler does require a gas-safe technician.

 

[Agile]

It certainly looks odd. Are you in Southampton?

Is there a reason why when viewed from the outside where the flue terminates.

I would be quoting about £340 to refit higher.

Tony

 

[sooey]

If it was in line with the cabinets the flue would be inside the ceiling void, so forget that.

 

[Sprogginz]

Why not just box in the whole assembly from worktop to ceiling (with a suitable removable access panel for boiler servicing). That way you don't have to move boiler and you hide all the pipework.

Moving boiler does require a gas-safe technician.

Yes, that is what I'm going to have to resort to if the repositioning is too expensive. I just would have liked it to look like one of the cabinets instead of one of my DIY botches!

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Agile]

If the top was then yes, Peter.

But the bottom could be aligned with the bottom of cabinets and probably the boiler could be raised a little higher as well.

Tony

 

[Sprogginz]

If it was in line with the cabinets the flue would be inside the ceiling void, so forget that.

I know what you mean but when I said inline, I meant inline with the bottom of the kitchen cabinet. I think there is room for that. It doesn't matter about the top.

Thanks.

 

[kbdiy]

Please have a look at the photo of the boiler and let me know if you think it should have been installed inline with the wall cabinets? My current home has the vent right up to the ceiling.

I think you will find that the boiler was installed well before the kitchen cabinets and therefore there were no guidelines to follow so was fitted at the most convenient height for the installer.

Some kitchen cabinet ranges have a wall cabinet that sits on the worktop, usually with drawers or similar at the bottom. Perhaps you could do something like that and adapt it so the boiler casing is fully accessible?

 

[picasso]

£340 recoring the flue and making good the old flue hole, then extending all the pipework which is a complete draindown for £340 , I might let you have that one tony

 

[Sprogginz]

It certainly looks odd. Are you in Southampton?

Is there a reason why when viewed from the outside where the flue terminates.

I would be quoting about £340 to refit higher.

Tony

Thanks! Unfortunately this property is in Havering, Essex.

Good point about a possible reason why it was installed at that level. I don't think that's the reason but I will check.

 

[Agile]

Boiler makers usually ask for 200 mm below the boiler ( as a minimum ).

Looks like he may have made it exactly 200 mm!

Tony

 

[kbdiy]

I don't think that's the reason but I will check.

I'd put money on it. The worktop has clearly been cut to fit after the pipework was fitted, so it was there first.

 

[Dean744PiN5]

another thing to bare in mind is that if an installer is refitting the boiler then anything that doesn't meet current regulations would have to be rectified before it was recomissioned I.E inadequate gas supply pipe ect.
Hopefully won't be the case but something to think about as any remedial work will up the costs.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Depends on what's above / outside the boiler. That location might have been needed to drop the flue to the required distance from an opening window in the room above.

Most new boilers seem to have top-entry flue; Flexicom range have top or rear entry option.

I think those curved top entry flues always look like something in asbestos-cement from the Ascot era.

As it's the end of the run of units against the wall, boxing in up the ceiling and between the boiler and worktop will probably look ok.

 

[Phill Peck]

If you box that boiler in it looks to me it would over hang the window.

If I were u I'd not buy the house