Was this a rip-off?

[D_Hailsham]

Someone I know paid £4500 to have his 27 year old Potterton Kingfisher removed and replaced by a Vaillant 428. The price included a powerflush and some pipework changes.

And here's the best bit

Some time later the motorized valve gave up, so he called the same firm in. They sent and engineer who diagnosed the problem, but didn't have the valve on him - it would have to be ordered!

The customer phones the firm the next day to find out when they would be back and was told the valve will be in on Thursday and they can come on Friday.

"How much will it cost?", asks the customer. "£400!" they reply. "That's a ridiculous price!" says the customer, "You can cancel the order. I will go elsewhere."

So he goes back to the firm who had installed and maintained the old Potterton, who send a man the next day with valve. Cost? Just over £100.

 

[misterdubya]

Someone I know paid £4500 to have his 27 year old Potterton Kingfisher removed and replaced by a Vaillant 428. The price included a powerflush and some pipework changes.

Seems on the steep side, but I cant see the work involved.

The customer phones the firm the next day to find out when they would be back and was told the valve will be in on Thursday and they can come on Friday.

"How much will it cost?", asks the customer. "£400!" they reply. "That's a ridiculous price!" says the customer, "You can cancel the order. I will go elsewhere."

So he goes back to the firm who had installed and maintained the old Potterton, who send a man the next day with valve. Cost? Just over £100.

Drain down jobby? Make and model of the valve?

£100 seems a bit cheap, but seeing as no diagnosis of the fault was needed (the 1st company did that), it may explain why the price was cheaper. £400 seems a bit pricey though.

Why did your friend not use the company that installed / maintained the potty to install the new boiler?

Mr. W.

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

Lots of little chickens running round, guess what noise they make...

 

[Nige F]

not much if they`re headless

 

[simond]

£100 is too cheap.

Are you sure they didn't just change the syncron motor?

 

[Boilerman2]

And if he did, and it worked, then GOOD FOR HIM!!

 

[dcawkwell]

Boiler replacement was a rip off to the tune of a simple boiler swap shouldn't have been more than 2000-2500 depending on boil.

A replacement valve approx £20 for a cheap one that means he had £80 profit.

 

[roguetrader]

how the hell can anyone say the boiler change was a rip off??

would it have been a rip off if the aforementioned pipework changes were a new 40m gas run and move the boiler from one side of the house to the other. no one has seen the ****ing job.

no body is being ripped off if they obtain and accept a written estimate.

 

[expertgasman]

A replacement approx £20 for a cheap one that means he had £80 profit.[/quote]

Where would you get a motorised valve for £20? And he's either got to pay VAT on the valve, or pay about £16.50 VAT out of the ton?

Way too cheap

 

[dcawkwell]

A replacement approx £20 for a cheap one that means he had £80 profit.[/quote]

Where would you get a motorised valve for £20? And he's either got to pay VAT on the valve, or pay about £16.50 VAT out of the ton?

Way too cheap

2 port zone £17.28 inc vat
28mm 2 port £21.92 inc vat
22mm 3 port mid £19.94 inc vat.

Don't just turn up at your local plumbers merchant and get ripped off there as well.

 

[lawrance]

A replacement approx £20 for a cheap one that means he had £80 profit.[/quote]

Where would you get a motorised valve for £20? And he's either got to pay VAT on the valve, or pay about £16.50 VAT out of the ton?

Way too cheap

2 port zone £17.28 inc vat
28mm 2 port £21.92 inc vat
22mm 3 port mid £19.94 inc vat.

Don't just turn up at your local plumbers merchant and get ripped off there as well.

Billy Bunter comes to mind

 

[scatmanjohn]

A replacement valve approx £20 for a cheap one that means he had £80 profit.

Even if it was £20 are you saying that the rest is pure profit?

What about overheads?

 

[expertgasman]

2 port zone £17.28 inc vat
28mm 2 port £21.92 inc vat
22mm 3 port mid £19.94 inc vat.

From where?

 

[mickyg]

2 port zone £17.28 inc vat
28mm 2 port £21.92 inc vat
22mm 3 port mid £19.94 inc vat.

From where?

chinese bill

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

No it wasn't a rip off because you turned his quote down geezzz