Plastic pipe for central heating is this right (no copper)

[JayJay1978]

Hi chuggypig, sorry to hear of your problems.

You say you've had 8 quotes for this job, what kind of price fluctuations did that bring on and how did the chosen installer fit into that?

basically was he the cheapest?

This lie he told you about the boiler falling off the back of a lorry and being dented, could you provide a little more detail here. Are you saying he rang you up to say your boiler wont be delivered until tomorrow because its dented when all the time it was sitting there waiting to be installed?

 

[bengasman]

It is probably a matter of a time and a place for everything.
A continuous length without the need for joints in plastic, is safer than a stretch of copper with 8 joints in places you can hardly get to.
Sticking plastic on a hall radiator with a pushfit valve, is asking for trouble.

I suspect that the bad reputation of plastic comes largely from sheapskates/cowboys that use poor quality, and don't fit it properly either.

 

[gassafeman]

Did I read that right?... Client got 8 quotes for this job?...

Well spotted, I missed it. Methinks that explains the problems.

The OP has gone quiet hasnt he?

8 quotes....

Now he's chosen the cheapest and its bit him on the 'arris.

Just an assumption of course

 

[bengasman]

Did I read that right?... Client got 8 quotes for this job?...

Well spotted, I missed it. Methinks that explains the problems.

The OP has gone quiet hasnt he?

Leave him alone, he is entitled to a lay on sunday morning

8 quotes....

He is very thorough, and will not be fooled by a rip-off plumber

Now he's chosen the cheapest and its bit him on the 'arris.
Just an assumption of course

Surely not; he compared the credentials of the 8 chaps, and after careful evaluation, he chose the one that appeared to be the most skilled and reliable.

 

[MrOcelot]

Tendering costs money. For a domestic heating installation a one in three chance of getting the contract is reasonable but one in eight is wholly unreasonable. It seems that OP used a scatter-gun approach instead of doing some real research to short-list, say, 3 contractors, any one of whom he'd be happy with, then getting proper tenders from them. It seems he has got what he deserved. He could have asked friends for recommendations, he could have checked Check-a-trade, Instead, he has gone for the very cheapest he could find and it may not then be surprising if he has come unstuck.

 

[rojaca]

Night before he was about to start i get a phone call saying "your boiler fell off the wagon and it's dinted i wont be able to start till a day later" ***LIE*** boiler came yeaterday and has been sat in my house as he fitted the RADS yesterday so why did that hold him up a day when he had no intention of fitting it on the first day. must think i'm stooopid

Blr came yesterday.
Eng fitting radiators yesterday
Therefore Eng phoned two days previously as was obviously due to start day before yesterday.
Blr arriving yesterday does not make engineer liar at all.

 

[namsag]

Any guy thinking that a 2 foot by 2 foot double would correctly heat a 16 by 16 foot room is a a chancer and as he has priced for Central heating the OP should not be paying any extra for bigger rad.

By the way the OP is now on holiday as he said in first page

 

[JayJay1978]

Yes, lets not all jump on the op, there's alot of this on forums and many posters are ridiculed and almost slagged off by forum members who lets face it only have very basic facts and don't know the poster.


Although a few cases the poster (not necessarily chuggypig) needs only type a few sentences to show himself to be the true ar****le that he is.

 

[muggles]

Also would have to question the use of 15mm for main flow and return, surely a 22mm pipe with 10mm connections from manifolds would be better for efficiency.

Already said that but thanks for the backup...

 

[rojaca]

Don't think anyone is rushing to defend the installers' practices, they sound woeful.
I was however pointing out that there was no basis in calling the installer a liar based on the description of events given.

 

[chuggypig]

No i hav'nt gone quiet i've got better things to do than sit monitoring a forum all weekend like watching 2 chuckle brothers installing a heating system.

Yes i got 8 quotes and no he wasn't the cheapest they ranged from £3250 - £6400 he was one of the higher prices of £4400 but no where near British Gas and their £6400 quote but then the next highest was £4680.

I am of the opinion that cheap is never cheerful so went for the installer who seemed to be the most capable but unfortunatly his confidence and ability seemed to be lacking when brought into the real world and actually started on the job. "Gift of the Gab" i thinks is the saying. I'ts easy to bullshit a client who has no knowlege of a tradesmans trade into thinking their the best for the job.

As a result my heating is finished now and despite all the stuff about how great plastic pipe are.,it looks ****e and i'll be getting the visible pipes put in with copper... by someone else obviously.

Ohh and before i go what sort of a plumber thinks it's acceptable to turn all the TRV's, thermostat and temperature's on the boiler right up to max to try and scald people just for laughs. (and yes i did here him telling his pal whilst up stairs saying i'm gonna sweat these bastards out!!!) all because i made him put in the correct radiators not the fun size ones he was trying to install (must have dinted his pride...a bit like my alleged boiler). But thankfully i dont have crab claws instead of hands and was able to turn everything down as soon as the clown and his monkey mate had left to avoid anyone getting scalded including my daughter who would not have known any better about the increase in water temp.....

 

[good old the jazz]

You should of told him to put copper to the radiators at least, not pay for someone else to do it.

 

[chuggypig]

He's not been paid yet!!

Holiday next week now after having to stop home

 

[CortinaV8]

Plastic onto the radiators looks turd, did he do a flush of the system? what brand of boiler did he fit also how long did the install take?

 

[chuggypig]

Boiler is a Baxi Duo tec

Green stuff came out the drain off radiator via hose to the outdoor drain i assume this was it being flushed.

Boiler seems a good one unless someone tells me otherwise i'm pleased with it get hot fast and easy to use

Took a day to fit the boiler but the whole system took 4 and a bit days