boiler advice

[scotsgraeme]

Hi Folks.
Ive had a couple of guys round to quote to replace my central heating, quotes vary from 2900 - 3400 which isnt' as high as i was expecting for a 4 bed house tbh.
I'm looking for advice to choose an installer, one guy recommends an ideal logic+ boiler, another a baxi platinum boiler. both have given us the option of going between a lower rating and a higher rating boiler to allow for higher flow rates, if we wanted to replace the shower later with a mains shower rather than electric power shower.
I've never heard of ideal boilers, and our current (very much on its last legs but until recently reliable) back boiler is a baxi, but i've never seen a baxi combi boiler.

any advice is GREATLY appreciated. I mentioned worcester bosch boilers to one of the installer and he insisted they were overpriced for what they were, and no more reliable than the ideal boiler. not sure if that's true.

thanks for any pointers.

 

[dcawkwell]

Keep back boiler.
Unless it's leaking has few parts to go wrong and will go on forever
and never need any parts.
My mums back boiler is 40+ years old and looks like new inside.
You can replace radiators and add thermostatic valves wall thermostat to existing system and keep back boiler.
A little bit more expensive to run but will benefit from never breaking down.
Both logic and baxi are quite good. I would be inclined to go for the baxi as it has a longer warranty.

 

[scotsgraeme]

the back boiler has to go, the fire for the front if it is unsafe, and i cant get a compatible one anymore. it's also costing is a FORTUNE each month, i suspect due to inefficiency. we got controls upgraded to a wireless room stat, about a year ago which reduced our gas bill from 190 a month to 150 a month. a neighbour in a similar house is paying about half what we pay. so i think i'd rather get a newer boiler.
we already have thermostatic valves on most of the radiators, but they, the boiler and pipework were fitted in 1981 when the house was refurbished. most of the pipework has kinks in it, and since we bought the house a couple of years ago, we've had three leaks from the current system.
we also have an uninsulated hot water tank, with a non standard immesion heater fitting that cost me 189 quid to replace 6 months ago when the seal went. the pump has failed since we bought the house.
i can see the attraction of less to go wrong, but when things start to go wrong, they get expensive. i doubt its easy to get bits for a late 70s / early 80s baxi boiler anymore.

but thanks for the tip that the baxi si probably the better boiler

 

[blakie8]

Got the same dilemma with what to go with.
Reliability wise apparently Intergas combi's have not a lot to go wrong.
For pure efficiency it's a Atag A325ec for your place, although oversized for the heating will give you a good shower (1 shower at a time)
The intergas is a hr 36/30.
But you struggle to find approved installers, so next option is a Vaillant, per a Ecotec plus 837 or for 2 showers at a time the Ecotec plus 937.
But everyone installer will say put a unvented cylinder in.
I'm in the same boat and am leaning towards the Intergas for just the reason of being so simplistic and less to go wrong but no idea on hot water flow delivery?
Hope that helps

 

[petit_pablo]

Both boilers are on a par with each other tbh, not top end but good mid range boilers.

Baxi has a longer warranty.
Ideal is probably a bit more reliable (never thought i would say that!)

 

[blakie8]

Are they really any good?
What is the OP asking for advice on the best quality boiler or the best out of the 2 offered by the fitters.

 

[ianmcd]

Personally I would go for a Valliant as you seem to have a little bit more left in your budget, like most things boilers adhere to the rule, buy shoite buy twice, you will probably get a few recommendations for the intergas as they seem to be popular with the southern guys on here, but they are not that common here, whichever you decide to go with look for a long warranty period 5 years is now very common and some are offering 7 years, with Glow -worm you can extend the warranty up to 15 years, im sure others can be extended also.
Sadly though Im afraid no matter which new boiler you choose it will never be as reliable as your old Baxi BBU

 

[ScottishGasMan]

Agree with ianmcd above, the back boiler has literally nothing in it to go wrong, same with most open flued cast Iron old boilers, they were all very reliable, and the fact that baxi is in the name of that and a new boiler has no relation on reliability or service life.

Personnally its vaillant every time for me, and if you get an approved installer the ecotec plus will have a 7 year warranty.

Intergas, are reportedly very reliable, there only about 2 components less than the std combi its not night and day of a difference really, but they have so far in this country been produced in very limited numbers, and In my opinion and expirience have a poor aftersales help (I dont even know if there is a scottish agent for them) so something to bear in mind,

 

[CombustionGuy]

im from manchester ( the north) i would use a intergas

 

[ianmcd]

im from manchester ( the north) i would use a intergas

Its a long way from Manchester to Lanarkshire (even more North ) though

 

[Murf520970]

baxi duotec (he not ga) , good solid boiler , good warranty & easy to work on . Has less plastic inside than most .If its hidden intergas is ok as well .

 

[St0rmer66]

I bought the Baxi for my own house and for my Gran, having worked on lots and lots of Worcester boilers... (by no means are they the worst you can buy though).

 

[Murf520970]

but by far the worst to fix as you know

 

[St0rmer66]

but by far the worst to fix as you know

Have you had the "pleasure" of seeing the inside of a Greenstar Compact yet? Oh dear..

 

[Murf520970]

yep from a distance & thats where im staying