New heating system

[Joolz89]

Hi,

I am looking for some advice from the people in the know out there please

I am need of a new boiler, plus the radiators etc as the system I have at the moment is about 23 years old and the boiler is on its last legs.

I live in a 3 bedroomed semi detached house with one bathroom. I have had a local heating engineer around who has quoted me £2300 for a complete fit which includes the following:

Baxi 105 HE with 2 year Guarantee from the maker.
5 new raditors & 1 towel radiator with new piping.
Strip out of my old system.
5 year guarantee from himself for the pipes & radiators

Firstly is this a good price? Also after doing some online research I am getting mixed reviews on Baxi boilers? what do people think of this model etc?

The bloke proposes to put it in my loft as space in my kitchen is very tight and the airing cuboard is very small and he says it would cause problems trying to fit the required piping. My loft has a boarded floor but has no proper loft ladder for access, will I need to get a proper loft ladder fitted for access? After asking the engineer he said I would but it doesn't have to be done immediately, and could be done at a later date after the fit has been done.

Also I asked him about registration, he told me he would register the installation with corgi, who would then do the neccessary and I would then receive the required documention, is this correct?

Thanks for your help in advance

cheers

Joolz

 

[Agile]

You dont make it clear if that includes renewing all the pipework.

If it does then it sounds very good value.

He can fit whatever boiler you prefer.

Each installer has a different ideas of whats the best value boiler.

Baxi say their boilers are very good!

Tony

 

[kevindgas]

in my opinion i would avoid Baxi 105, in fact i would avoid baxi/potterton all together there are much better boilers out there and some within the same price bracket are much more reliable.

 

[corgiman]

there are good and bad things about every boiler, most fail cos the numpty who installs it doesnt clean the system correctly

the price is spot bolloc I would say cheap in fact

 

[Joolz89]

Thanks for the speedy replies!

In answer to the pipework he said the price includes everything that is required to fit the system and he won't be able to use the old piping, which he said he would drain and leave under the floorboards.

Any comments on the registration and loft issues?

What boiler would you recommend?

cheers Joolz

 

[Agile]

If he is CORGI registered he does what he has told you and fills in the Benchmark certificate.

A permanent loft ladder IS required ( retractable OK ) and a permanent light as well.

Regulations also say a guard rail round hatch but no one ever bothers.

Its not required, but I would fit a pressure gauge and filling loop as well as gas and electricity isolation at the landing level. Usually in the airing cupboard.

Thats not required by any regulation though. Its just that I like to do the best possible job.

Tony

 

[Joolz89]

Tony,

do i need to get the loft ladder and lighting done before the fit or can it be done retro?

Reference the pressure gauge and filling loop as well as gas and electricity isolation, what exactly are these for? need to have my facts straight when i pester him lol

cheers

Joolz

 

[Agile]

Dont pester him as he has quoted a very reasonable price!

The lighting makes the installation much easier! Better to do it first but he can use portable lights.

The ladder and lights SHOULD be done before the boiler but not everything is always done when it should be! Certainly BG would refuse to accept it on a maintenance contract until its done.

The manufacturer's engineer would be entitled to refuse to repair it under warranty but I expect most would still fix it if you had an adequate ladder and lead light. With a Baxi you ned to make sure warranty repair acccess is available!

My extras are to make checking and increasing the pressure easier for the owner and allow the electricity and gas to be turned off quickly and easily in an emergency. They are NOT required by any regulations and most installers do the minimum required to satisfy the regs.

Tony

 

[Joolz89]

Tony,

thanks for the advice things are a bit clearer now.

I get the feeling you are not a Baxi fan:

"With a Baxi you ned to make sure warranty repair acccess is available!"

So what make of boiler should I go with? My house is an average sized 3 bedroomed house with 5 radiators and one bathroom. It has double glazing fitted. As a family we are shower people so would like a boiler thats good for that rather than turbo filling a bath.

For me relability and ease of use is my prime requirement due to the fact I work away from home and the long haired general is pretty clueless when it comes to TV remotes let alone combi boilers!

Regards

Joolz

 

[gas4you]

Are you sure this blokes legit? That price would just about cover a boiler change, let alone 5 new rads, towel rail etc

If you trust him bite his hand off, normally you would get quoted aroune £3200 + VAT for this, probably a bit more as he is having to remove old system first.

 

[Joolz89]

Dave,

He got recommend to me by a friend who has just had him do a similar job in his house, which so far he has had no problems with but it is early days. From what I can see the standard of is work is good, he tells me he is GORGI registered but he hasn't actually proved this to me yet, however my friend says he checked before he did his house and has his corgi number and reckons he is the geniune article. What he also said is that he has not long left another heating buisness to start his own buisness and he is trying to get a good customer base etc.

Looking at the boiler model he wants to fit for me it would cost about £750 for me to buy, also I expect he gets them a lot cheaper than this. You telling me that your average engineer is going to charge me about £1800 just to fit the boiler before even shelling out for the boiler itself? seems a bit steep to me, or more likely I am a tightwad

Spoke to another local company who quoted me £1800 over the telephone for the boiler and fit, but they are coming around to give me a proper qoute on the price with the radiators etc.

regards

Joolz

 

[corgiman]

bet you sainsburys get their eggs cheaper than you can buy them to?

if you dont trust the man dont use him

thou he sounds like a toff to me as he comes recommended, but then there is no pleasing some people and he would probably be better off not working for someone who will second guess his opinions and his prices.

 

[gas4you]

I was basing that on fitting a quality boiler with the latest in programmers/weather compensation, TRV's, full flush/cleanse, new rads and pipe work.

£3200 is about average round my way for a 5-7 rad ch combi system fitted correctly

 

[Dan Robinson]

I won't be working in Norwich then... .