Hi,

I wonder if anyone can cast an eye over the following 2 quotes to see if they are reasonable as they seem pretty pricey to me! (I will be getting more quotes but this affects the budget elsewhere).

There are 2 options. First is to replace a conventional boiler with a combi, second is replace the conventional for a new one and relocate the immersion tank to the loft.

1. £3,234.76
To drain down and remove the existing boiler and flue.
To make good the flue hole.
To drain down and remove the old hot water cylinder, cold feed tanks
and redundant pipework.
To supply and fit a new Worcester Greenstar 34CDi Classic condensing
combination boiler with a standard flue, magnetic system filter and
comfort2 programmable room thermostat.
To run a new gas supply around the rear of the property at low level to
the boiler location.
To run a new condensate pipe to drain.
To connect the new boiler to the existing hot, cold and central heating
pipework.
To fill, test, commission and add inhibitor on completion.

2. £4,795.69
To drain down and remove the existing boiler and flue.
To drain down and remove the existing hot water cylinder, cold feed
tanks and redundant pipework.
To supply and fit a new Worcester Greenstar 18Ri condensing regular
boiler with a standard flue, magnetic system filter, wiring centre and
comfort2 programmable room thermostat.
To supply and fit on a reinforced base into the loft a new 210litre
unvented hot water cylinder with all assocciated pipework, fittings and
controls.
To run a new blow off to drain.
To connect the new boiler to the existing central heating system.
To connect the new boiler to the new hot water cylinder.
To connect the new cylinder to the existing rising main and hot water
system.
To fill, test, commission and add inhibitor on completion.

Thanks,

In the first example I think around 50% of the cost is materials. I would have thought the job would take 3 days, so that is how much your installer is charging per day. If you think its worth it then its not expensive I guess and vice versa.

I’m sure you could get it done cheaper

Thanks for your input, I’ve got a few other people booked in. British Gas have quoted the same as the first option but for £4500!

I’d say pretty pricey also…just finishing one off tomorrow like your first quote but with a Valliant boiler and replacing 8 rads and valves-all in under 3k. Where you based? Prob get dry bummed if down south!

Definitely pricey. We had more or less exactly the same install as your first quote in March this year, but with the 42Cdi boiler, all in for £2700. Based in West Midlands.

British Gas have quoted the same as the first option but for £4500!

What, they offered you their 50% discount on the first quote? Must be desperate for business 😉

Watch out for running new gas supply pipe costs – 2nd quote does not include it ?

Does the new boiler industry work like double glazing where you’re given BS quotes and you’re supposed to haggle down to something sensible after they’ve “phoned their boss” (using your phone) and got you to talk to him (bloke in the pub) with lots of sucking of air and moans that they’re barely going to make a profit at that price ? 😉

With of course the hope some will fall for the first quote and the rest fall for the belief they are actually getting a great deal after haggling when they’re not.

All quotes from BG are BS! They only do rip off pricing.

Both your quotes seem pretty high to me. I’d be looking at paying around £2k for the work you’re carrying out as described.

You can price up the materials from here…..

Mr Central Heating

For a boiler swap i’d expect to be paying two guys a days labour at roughly £150 per day each as a contractor employing self employed subbies.

For a “retail customer” i’d expect the labour to be 50% higher than that, say 2 guys for a day at £225 each plus a bit extra for the gas pipe relocation. £600 say?

Very pricey!
When we swapped out the knackered conventional boiler for a condensing one, about 4 years ago, we paid about £800 total. One guy, one day.

and the cheap prices are fully corgi registered or whatever they call it these days?

Had a neighbour go with one that wasn’t because otherwise they were too expensive but he’d “get it certified”. Hmm. Thankfully he left and new owner got a replacement properly done.

They both seem reasonable to me.
You get what you pay for and both jobs involve a lot of work. I love it when people tell me how long a job they asked me to quote should take.
I don’t need the work that badly and when that happens, I walk away.
If you ask me to do a job, I will do it properly and expect to be paid accordingly.
Anyone who expects a boiler fit system flush and commissions in a day by one guy, either doesn’t know a good job from bad or doesn’t care.
Pay peanuts……get monkeys.