Taken for a ride? Boiler swap

[teddysmith]

I'm getting an old boiler replaced and to save cost i am doing all the pipework up to the new boiler. So I have ripped out the old cylinder and tanks, will re-pipe new hot and cold and also pipe up Flow and return this will be all in place up to the new boiler position. All I ask for the RGI is to supply and fit boiler and pipe up 22mm for the gas. All boards will be lifted for the gas pipe run.

The quotes I am getting are including timer/ wireless stat:

Vailent ecotec plus 824 - £2200
W/B 28i Junior - £1700 ( I supply 22mm for gas @ ~£100)
W/B 24i Junior - £2200 ( They supply copper for gas) add £120 for 28i

I'd say a W/B 28i with all the gubbins inc flue, timers etc £1000?

I'll be getting a scrappage allowance but regardless of this fact I thought this was a bit dear for just supply and fit, since I've done all the legwork. A days work tops I'd say for the RGI?

Any thoughts?

Many Thanks

 

[omegaman]

I'd say a W/B 28i with all the gubbins inc flue, timers etc £1000?

I can't comment on the quotes but no one will do it for that price. How much is the boiler? £700 (roughly) ? Its got to be hung, flue connected and piped up which you accounted for but its got to be commissioned and to do it properly takes time and time = money.

 

[teddysmith]

Sorry think you misinterpreted that, I meant the boiler and all the gubbins inc flue timers will cost about £1000? thats is minus the labour.

Minus the boiler cost the labour charge to just install and register another £1000 seems a bit excessive?

 

[omegaman]

aha

 

[teddysmith]

Out of curiosity if you were presented with my situation and you were willing would you say £1000 for install is a fair price? If that is the case I'm missing a trick here and in the wrong trade!

 

[Agile]

We would charge the cost of the boiler plus £840 to install, treat the water as required and commission. Thats of course in our normal operating area and plus any parking costs.

One of the fears we have in a situation like this is that YOUR pipework may be full of leaks when we come to pressurise it.

Tony

 

[thefloosyonthebeach]

I though the job has to cost over £2000 to qualify for the boiler scrappage scheme.

Just bear that in mind with the middle one of the quotes you posted.

 

[gas4you]

No qualifying price for the scrappage scheme.

Why do customers always think that there is only a boiler & flue on a boiler swap

 

[teddysmith]

Why do customers always think that there is only a boiler & flue on a boiler swap

I appreciate that and aware that a boiler swap is not a simple job, but normal boiler quotes account for decomission of old boiler + any open vented set up. That is what takes the additional time and also the additional cost associated with that. The boiler install itself is possible in a day including commisioning, I'm not even asking for a flush. Just a fill + inhibitor and pressure test. Im pretty competent with with copper pipework and have not had one leak yet always testing to 3 x over working bar pressure which is normally more than enough.

I cant seem to understand where the £1000 installation cost comes from, If it included decommision then that would be a fair quote?

 

[heatingeng]

i would charge more for the install if the customer is doing some of the work .
every job i have ever been to where a customer has done any of the work there has been problems. then the customers expects you to sort it out even though you have only allowed a certin amount of time for the job.
i would say you are lucky that any plumber will even quote you .

 

[Agile]

The last one I went to, the customer did not put any water in the system until I arrived and then there were about five leaks.

I had to leave and return the next day.

In London getting to/from a property can take about 1.5 hours!

Tony

 

[dextrous]

I did a similar thing as you - did all the wetwork myself (for which I am qualified anyway), and subcontracted my services out to my RGI who "got me" to drill the core, hang the boiler and connect wet pipes up. Also flushed and pressure tested the system, and added inhibitor. All done several days before he came - thus no snagging

He came to run the gas pipes (well the final 150mm at each end,'cos I'd done that to his specs whilst his "subcontractor"!), and he did the final connections and commissioning and benchmark/gassafe registration paperwork.

For that, I paid him £450, which seemed reasonable for his time, knowledge (consultation fees) and professional qualifications. After all, it's his name on the ticket. So, if you view it like this, with the remaining £400 to £500 (in effect me paying myself) for the work that I'd done near and prepping the boiler, then £850-£1000 sounds about right.

Remember also the money you're saving doing the rest of the wetwork.

 

[heatingeng]

i went to one last week where the customer had bought the boiler .
he bought a combi and he needed a standard boiler .
i had another that wanted me to fit a bathroom that they got from B&Q ,the bath was bigger than the room.

 

[teddysmith]

If I had the boiler i'd do the same as you dextrous and hang it and connect all the pipework to it bar the gas. I am not sure how that would affect claiming the scrapage however that is what is putting me off.

Also on a side note, howw big/deep does a soakaway have to be? I know its got to be half a meter away from the house. Also I'm assuming the condense pipe has to be above the soakaway? [/i]

 

[tamz]

i would say you are lucky that any plumber will even quote you
.

Wouldn't touch it could be more trouble than it's worth