part diy install

[cb9002]

Hi, as you'll see from my related topic down the page, I'm doing the same thing. I called 5 local installers from the Yellow Pages (one-man companies, not the big boys) and four were interested.

I would say that Agile sounds exactly what I want, and what I've agreed with my installer. He visited, and we discussed the installation before I finalised anything. He also suggested a Vokera boiler rather than the Vaillant I was planning on, and where he thought the pipe runs were best to go.

He wants to supply the boiler himself so he has peace of mind - fair enough, and it only costs me 50 quid more than buying it myself. He'll come back when the rads and all pipe (except gas) are fitted and tested, we'll hang the boiler and he'll do the gas pipe and comission it. Total 300 quid, including a 3m gas pipe with three bends.

 

[adwt2004]

Doesn't cover bristol area too does he?! At least i know people out there would help me. I know a lot of installers are looking for full installs but i just can't afford 1000-2000. The boiler, flue, and sundries excluding rads comes to about 800ish. I can't afford a 1000 or more to have all that fitted, I have the skill to solder water pipes etc so why not. If they leak that's my problem. My missus scrutinises everything i do so she will spot leaks straight away, (my pipes never leak ) plus i have the added inconvenience of the previous owner having the gas disconnected so will have to pay £500 for that from wales west utilities. Great huh!

You've made me feel more optimistic about this now!

 

[Nige F]

make it more realistically possible for me to put bread on the table when I get home.

I though what i was asking was quite reasonable. I too have to put bread on the table and paying hundreds to over a grand is not possible for me. Everyone is struggling financially, well, everyone i speak to including me. I though this would be possibly 3 hours work at £50 per hour. That's five times my hourly rate. Is that not high enough?

etc.

You get £10 an hour .....I`m moving to your end ..........From Sussex, where my boys get less than that...what can I get for £300k house-wise and is there plenty for a retired person to do ...I`m so bored

 

[adwt2004]

 

[GasAid]

He also suggested a Vokera boiler rather than the Vaillant I was planning on

Not to go too off-topic; but would it just be me in thinking that possibly this is how the guy is boosting his money up... Have you priced his "Vokera" at trade against your "Vaillant"?

 

[Agile]

At least I never get involved in purchasing boilers for DIY installs!

Firstly, if we supply a boiler we are responsible for managing warranty claims. If the DIyer buys it then its up to him !

Some would not like me to mention it but I believe in a transparent charging process. There are some subsidised schemes only available to CORGI professionals to buy boilers a little cheaper if you are prepared to do a bit of form filling. Another reason to use a CORGI !!!

Tony

 

[Paul Barker]

Hi, as you'll see from my related topic down the page, I'm doing the same thing. I called 5 local installers from the Yellow Pages (one-man companies, not the big boys) and four were interested.

I would say that Agile sounds exactly what I want, and what I've agreed with my installer. He visited, and we discussed the installation before I finalised anything. He also suggested a Vokera boiler rather than the Vaillant I was planning on, and where he thought the pipe runs were best to go.

He wants to supply the boiler himself so he has peace of mind - fair enough, and it only costs me 50 quid more than buying it myself. He'll come back when the rads and all pipe (except gas) are fitted and tested, we'll hang the boiler and he'll do the gas pipe and comission it. Total 300 quid, including a 3m gas pipe with three bends.

I see no cause for conscern or ulterior motive in any of that, you at least seem to have found a good guy.

 

[markie]

Round one, ding dong.

 

[the plumbing miracle]

anyway i carry out work for three major boiler manufacturers, approx 60 percent i see have not been fitted by a corgi reg installer, the other 40 percent have, most corgi installations i see are not right, ie they fill out the benchmark book recording burner pressure figures, when the boiler cannot get a burner pressure because of the gas valve,the installation pipework is normally wrong ie inadequate gas pipe sizing, they list carrying out a gas rate quoting a metre cube reading, when the meter is a cu feet meter, being corgi registered does not mean alot as most installations are wrong anyway

 

[GasAid]

@the plumbing miracle: I agree 100% that not "every" registered engineer does as they should; I too have walked into some very "strange" installations, but what would I prefer? Someone that has bothered to train and will have "some" certified practical skills; or someone that has read a book and voila - Heating engineer the next day?

I've walked into some DIY installs that have been at least very "interesting" with a cooker connected with garden hose and jubilee's to my favourite; a 2nd hand back boiler purchased off of ebay installed and made live in a blocked off builders opening...

Don't get me wrong; I think it's great that people want to learn and some DIYers could be advisory engineers and system designers - But unfortunately there are a few where "competent" seems to equal stupidity!

 

[BertieGas]

My brother who is in the same trade did it ONCE for a bloke with a hob he had bought and fitted himself. When the hob got scratched he called Comet for a repair under warranty, they said not covered as customer abuse, he rips the hob out while still connected to the gas to get transco to say it's faulty and get a new one. Transco cut the gas off and report my brother to Corgi and the health and safety via the RIDDOR as the guy says he left it like that. You never know what will happen. He only went and put a test on. Anyone who does this anymore is painting a target on his chest and giving the customer a gun! Dont cheapen your trade or make your hard earned qualifications mean nothing. Try buying a new car and asking them to leave the tyres off and not charge for them as you have a set at home.

 

[geoff@cetltd]

@the plumbing miracle: I agree 100% that not "every" registered engineer does as they should;

Don't get me wrong; I think it's great that people want to learn and some DIYers could be advisory engineers and system designers - But unfortunately there are a few where "competent" seems to equal stupidity!

Ah - I see, you're talking about CORGIs here

I had one on Friday - he's tried putting an apollo 15/30 winding on a Puma 100 fan (I measured it - the puma 100 draws 2.5 times more current than the 15/30)

and wondered why he had problems, I kid you not

This was a CORGI reg'd fitter

 

[Blasphemous]

Ah - I see, you're talking about CORGIs here

I had one on Friday - he's tried putting an apollo 15/30 winding on a Puma 100 fan (I measured it - the puma 100 draws 2.5 times more current than the 15/30)

and wondered why he had problems, I kid you not

This was a CORGI reg'd fitter

Forgive me for asking but how does this relate to the original question?

I want a combi fitted. I am going to dry run the gas pipe but leave to corgi to solder and check for leaks. Will be doing the rads flow return, dhw flow and inlet, doing the condensate connection, electrics. I am leaving the flue, hanging the boiler, connecting pipes and commissioning to a corgi. Would a corgi be happy to finish it and supply me a certificate of competence?

 

[cb9002]

Not to go too off-topic; but would it just be me in thinking that possibly this is how the guy is boosting his money up... Have you priced his "Vokera" at trade against your "Vaillant"?

Hi Gasaid, thanks for the idea - I'll look into it!