MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Had some quotes to replace our old gas boiler...couple of local firms and one large company. Price is much the same within a couple of hundred quid. However, boiler choice varies. Glow Worm Betacom 24HE, Alpha CD28C and the cheapest Saunier-Duval Senia AF. Most professional and comprehensive installer is offering the Glow Worm or the Saunier-Duval, but Alpha from local 2 man band looks like the best value...any views would be gratefully recieved before I part with the pennies.
avoid Alpha.
We have one in our house... doesnt work much.
It broke twos years ago, broke/poured water over the kitchen (happened while we were at work). got fixed.
broke last easter - went without a boiler till December when British gas fixed it.
It was running up untill 2 nights ago when something else has gone wrong.
according to the British Gas guy theres loads of Alpha boilers in our area, and they keep him busy.
Glowworm and Worcester were 2 he recommended.
Older Baxis were terrible apparently. We had one that repeatedly broke, to the point where the insurance company refused to repair it anymore and blamed our water system for it.
We were really wary when the local plumber suggested a Baxi again, but he said they'd really learned from their mistakes and the new ones were excellent. Ours has been in for a couple of years now with no problems, other than a loss of pressure but that was caused by my wife battering our bedroom radiator with the bed ([i]not[/i] doing what you're thinking) and breaking the olice in the radiator pipe not the boiler.
Worcester or ideal for me.
I bloody hate combis though.
Conks.
I've just fitted 2 Volkera boilers to a property I'm renovating. They were recommended by my plumber as they share the same critical components as Bosch Worcester etc: Honeywell electrics/gas valve and Grundfos water pump - all of which are top quality, easily available and therefore, reasonably priced.
The boilers were less than £400 each too.
Steer well clear of Feroli, utter shite and things like gas valves, pumps, fans etc cost the earth to replace.
If it's a simple remove and replace, it shouldn't be more than 200-300 quid labour.
Got a WorcesterBosch 28cdi - needs the divert valve diaphragm replacing every 18 months or so. Bit of a PITA to do due to the layout of the boiler.
Just had a boiler replaced in a flat, plumbers all recommended Valliant as the ones which break down the least. This new one (condensing combi) is certainly more efficient than the antique that it replaced. As for reliability - we shall see (or I'll read about it down there in a few minutes!)
I have a WorcesterBosch boosted combi and its been great. No problems whatever and it has a "heatbank" so you get a greater flow of hot water than normal combis. Ruddy expensive mind you
And just for balance - also got a Worcester Bosch 28CDI. 9 years old and has never needed the diverter diaphragm replacing.
Water pressure relief valve leaked (didn't re-seat once after dumping pressure to replace a radiator). The part cost £10 and 10 mins to replace.
The only breakdown was this winter when the gas solenoid valve stuck shut intermittently. £90 for the part + labour (pretty much the same price for all combis).
Have also had Valiant recommended and seen terrible problems with early Baxis (but also heard newer stuff is good).
Really like our combi - plenty fast enough for running the bath etc.
mick_r - Interested to hear that you have had 9 years out of a divert valve. Are you in a hard water area? Whilst I remember, I have also had the bearings seize up in the flue fan assembly. About £2.50 from RS Components to replace. No flue flow = no fire up 😥
Not had chance to reply to this all day... but interesting reading, thanks for the replies. It's not a really simple swap job coz the gas feed has to be changed (15mm to 22mm apparently.. the old gas pipe runs within the cavity wall (yes..daft) so it's floors up etc. The current boiler has been in since the 80's.
When I look at the boilers & reviews nline, the Alpha is priced around £800 (£770 being the cheapest I found), the Glow Worm seems cheap at around £400....yet the whole installation job for both quotes is £1900. Do I risk local Joe and the more expensive Alpha, or go for the big firm and the cheaper Glow Worm but with (allegedly) high customer service and good guarantee?
Avoid the rest, buy a Worcestor Bosch, or at a push/budget a baxi 105 he.
or go for the big firm and the cheaper Glow Worm but with (allegedly) high customer service and good guarantee?
the big firm isnt northern gas heating is it?
only we've had the rep around tonight pushing the glow worm boiler with a 5 year garrentee
Yes Lord S.... That is them. Seemed quite professional and knowledgable. Got to admit though, our old Glow Worm has been faultless, it's just... old. Reading other forums, Glow Worm & Worcester Bosch are the preferred units of British Gas engineers... but not sure how true that is.