Boilers with good after market care packages

[teabelly]

Which of the decent boiler manufacturers have the best warranties and care packages? I have had it with my current boiler and the person that installed it is behaving in such a manner that indicates he really doesn't want my business. I suspect the boiler will just keep breaking down every year so there's no point persisting with it even though it is only the diverter valve diaphragm that has gone this time (CH pressure quite low though so I am guessing something else is not far behind!) Not having extra warranties does save money but I think I'd rather just have the peace of mind even though I know after market warranties can be a bit of a racket in some ways.

I was thinking either vaillant or worcester bosch greenstar range as most people seem to find these makes the best. Ferroli is a possiblity as they aren't too far from me so if anything breaks I can go and get the parts myself and give them earache if I have to go there a lot!

Now it is april then it has to be a condensing boiler. The system I have at the moment is sealed and has TRVs on every rad so should this need much fiddling to work with a condensor? Is it ok to have a floor mounted one in a cupboard? I just realised that the mysterious cracking I have in a downstairs wall might be down to having this combi wall mounted....hmmmmm.

 

[bengasman]

Personally I only fit Worcesters as they are very reliable and their service is very good in the rare occasion that they do fail. Vaillant is good too. I wood recommend leaving the service to the people that install it and from all that people have told me a local company gives usually better value than the big national ones that spend a fortune advertising and pay out millions for a string of directors driving around in fancy cars.

 

[htgeng]

ATAG boilers. These are quality machines that are engineered to last. No appliance can be 100% trouble free, but at the end of day, you get what you pay for.

 

[teabelly]

I have been offered a good deal on a worcester so I'll be getting that. Hopefully the local installer I'm using won't turn out to be another pile of trouble....

 

[htgeng]

Hopefully the local installer I'm using won't turn out to be another pile of trouble....

why hope? didn't you ask him for references from other customers?

 

[teabelly]

The last guy I had was on recommendation, he was alright to begin with then turned into a PITA. This guy has been recommended by a few people I know but you can never tell with plumbers. They're nice and helpful one minute and then cutting you off and failing to turn up to appointments the next.

 

[noodlz]

...as with customers, as with life

Bit rich to expect to get advice from professionals in the plumbing trade here by tarring them with the same defamatory brush

 

[teabelly]

Sorry, I have been without proper hot water for several weeks now. It has made me grumpy, irritable and thinking the worst of every trades person I'm stressed out and fed up of living on ready meals to avoid creating washing up and having to mess around boiling kettles to have a proper wash. To top it all the blasted electric shower gave up just before the boiler did so my back up plan went down the pan too.

 

[bripl]

and the morale of this tale is be prepared and talk nicely to your plumber rather than slag his trade

 

[HARALIAN]

Viessmann boilers are giving a 10 year guarantee on its heat exchanger. New to this country on the domestic side but are meant to be the dogs wotsits in Germany.

 

[teabelly]

I have always tried to talk nicely to him. There comes a point where someone fails to turn up or do what they said they would so many times that you just give up . I'm being critical of him and merely wondering whether he is typical or atypical. The people on here are naturally going to be at the more dedicated end of the market as they care enough to spend their time helping complete strangers. I'm not trying to be critical of anyone on here, sorry if any of you thought that. There are a world of tradesmen out there, some good, some bad I was wondering about the proportions, that is all.