i've bought a ropey old house from the 50's
A plumber has quoted 1,500 + vat to take out knackered water tank in attic, take out bizarre boiler in airing cupboard (looks like the side of a german uboat), take out steel pipes etc.
...and replace with an electric boiler like this http://www.directheatingsupplies.co.uk/pid_39784/176704/Centerstore-210-Litre-Indirect-Unvented-Cylinder---1503-x-550.aspx
or 1,800 + vat for an eco boiler, basically the same but with extra coil in it for solar if needed in the future...
Does anyone know if this boiler is ok, or is there any council/gov grants I can claim, for an eco boiler install? Should I be looking into another type of system or is this actually a normal amount to pay for a new hot water supply. The plumber is a good fellow, and I trust him to do a good job. just trying to figure out how best to blow my hard-earned.
any advice appreciated.
scott
Can I be a bit pedantic first - that's not a boiler, it's a hot water cylinder - they are quite different things to the trade.
What you've been offered is a very budget piece of kit rebadged by the distributor. It will be from one of the brand manufacturers but a budget version of their main brand. The two year warranty set my alarms ringing as the main brands (tribune, megaflow, power flow) come with a 25 yr guarantee.
The price is about right, given that you were talking about steel pipework to be removed and probably some rejig going of the existing system, but I'd personally pay the £3-£400 extra for a better warranty.
Why not get a second quote from the guy for a megaflow, and a quote from another installer?
HTh
The solar coil option is a good bet depending on your view of fossil fuel prices in the next 5-10 years, assuming it lasts 7-10 years longer than you take to get round to install solar.
I wouldn't bother with the solar bit.
Smudger - interested in this. The I branded cylinder has a 25yr leak warranty, just 2 years on other parts. A 125l megaflo and 120l own brand show up on the side and it's £450 and £1160 - is it really worth the extra?
Edit - megaflo is precplumbed so a lot of difference
Isn't an electric boiler just a cylinder heated by just an immersion heater?
To give you a comparision, we have a house with just electric heating and I've just changed the old vented water system to an unvented system.
Paid £250 for a 4 year old 210L Megaflo off eBay and £275 for a plumber to remove the old cylinder, fit the Megaflo, remove an electric shower and replace with a Mira MiniDuo shower which cost £160 new.
Not sure I'd not bother with the solar - but we have PV which I use to get free hot water from surplus electric generation using a proportional immersion controller.
Solar thermal can only heat water - PV can supply water ans space heating, lights and power.
if the unbranded cylinder above has a 25yr leak warranty, then thats fine - didn't see that from the link.
Isn't an electric boiler just a cylinder heated by just an immersion heater?
not to the trade.