Polly1 said:
A straight replacement of a combi boiler can be done in an 8 hour day, so I can't for the life of me, see how plumbers can want £1,000 + for their labour alone.
Perhaps for a cowboy.
It used to take me about 3 days (ie 21 hours) to swap a non condensing combi. That was for installing in the same place with correctly sized existing gas pipe and perhaps the odd radiator change and TRV's. Normaly all the lockshields would require changing since most are rubbish quality.
Typically the time would be made up of a 2 or 3 hours spec'ing the boiler, checking the stopcock works, checking water pressures/flowrates, checking existing radiator condition and valves, checking gas pipe sizes/pressures, checking for flue position compliance, checking adequate drainoffs fitted, checking any other existing faults, checking access for ladders etc.
Then add the time for obtaining the boiler/rads/parts and unusual controls that some installations require - could be another hour or two.
The the actual swapout - normally start 7.30am and finish 7 or 8pm (no breaks).
Now disposal of the old stuff to a licenced trade site (often several miles away) ie another hour and cost.
Then another return visit to drain down cleaner/fit controls(eg new room stat) and refill with inhibitor, tweeking the balancing etc and sorting out the paperwork. Then we have the basic safety checks to do on the other appliances (duty of care etc) all this typically adding another 3 or 4 hours.
Now we have condensing boilers, often exisiting flue positions won't now comply and the boiler will require moving to a different location or extended flues must be installed. This can take forever going through the different options. We now have the condense drainage to plumb in - again lots of options and time. Powerflushing (often entailling all radiator valves to be changed) is essential for many systems if the boiler is to have any hope of survival and comply with thw warranty conditions.
This all adds several more days to the installation.
Now add more time for the call backs due to p*ss poor manufacturing and design. Now add the cost of providing a warranty. All more expense.
Lets say you want to earn £30000 (not unreasonable for self employment in a complex occupation) + £10000 (to run the business) ie £40000.
52 weeks a year - 7 weeks of bank holiday/annual leave - 4 weeks training/assessment/illness/callbacks etc ie "working" for 42 weeks a year.
Roughly £1000 a week. Many of us are lucky if we can scrape 4 days earning a week after all the non chargable agro (getting parts/contacting manufacturues etc). Therefore roughly £250 day rate.
Therfore a boiler swapout taking a week commands a £1000 installation cost. The boiler could be anything from £600 to perhaps £1200 if extended flues and remote controls are required)
Anyone dumb enough to pay a £1500 for a days work deserves to get ripped off - it might make them see sense, afterall cowboys wouldn't exist if the public weren't so dumb and lazy that they can't spend a little time to check what their paying for.
As for tight ars*d landlords I know hundreds especially the stupid ones that have bought property in the last few years (at inflated prices). Haven't got a penny to maintain their properties and want charity rates for everything. Roll on the property crash to knock some sense into them.
I also have some very astute landlords who appreciate that a well installed system will be long lasting but won't be cheap. However they are rewarded by very few breakdowns and happy tenants that stay ie no void periods providing zero rent.
