I am having a new oil boiler installed as the old one died. Now got a guy installing it, who has been great with the old one and has patched it up and made it last when he could have just said “you need a new one”

Now the time has come for a new one and it was delivered when he was out so i have the paperwork and it seems he is significantly marking up the cost of the boiler or his labour rate is sky high (which it hasn’t been before)

Basically he is charging £1400 to fit boiler over a couple of days, now there may well be mark up in there on the boiler. Is this normal? Obviously I want a good job so haven’t said anything yet. So do I wait for the invoice and then challenge him once the job is complete?

Any advice?

Thanks

mate – welcome to business – everything has a mark up from the trade supplier …. and subject to vat.

what brand oil boiler did you go for ~?

In my experience plumbers charge double normal day rate to install any boiler.

Just seems to be how they work.

Ultimately if have agreed to a price, and not an hourly/day rate then you shouldn’t quibble the price once the works done. How would you like it if you boss at the end of the week decided now was time to renegotiate your pay for the work you have already done!

it seems he is significantly marking up the cost of the boiler or his labour rate is sky high

How much did the paperwork say the boiler cost?

Total for all materials £2300 inc VAT

He has estimated £3700 all in.

“Estimate” is VERY different to “Quotation”

is it a change of system or a total system replacement – or a very big boiler ?

i got a grant vortex pro 26kw for less than 2300+fitting.

Worcester Bosch. Not complete system, existing radiators etc. Just one out and one in as they say. Only one bathroom so don’t need huge capacity.

seems very expensive for both the boiler and fitting….

Quite normal for him to charge retail when he’s bought at trade IMO. It would maybe have been a good idea to check boiler prices for a rough order of cost when you got the estimate, or to have asked for a parts/labour split. Have a friendly chat, £700 a day for labour seems steep, even if you do include a bit of markup on the materials.

I would assume you paid retail and that he’s built in contingency for additional labour and materials, but seems expensive for local tradesmen, even BG aren’t that expensive

how olds your previous system ? might be some other costs incurred on parts .

fire cut off valve for the oil #

tiger loop (depending on set up)

Magnaclean or similar.

The supplier is the plumb centre so I phoned them and priced all parts. Guess he may get them even cheaper with a trade account?