Recommend me a combi boiler please for my 2 bedroom house

[Cis4cookie]

Well I have have been refurbishing my first home with my girlfriend , it has been going on for around 9 months now and has been hard to do stuff what with work as well.

when we originally moved in the place had a old back boiler which we were just going to keep, however as we are now coming to the end of the refurb and looking at floors and bathrooms we are now thinking that a combi would be a better up to date option, we will lose the tanks in the loft which we plan to build into at some point and we would make our bathroom bigger which is where the cylinder is currently.

Been told that the back boiler would be reliable and I know they are as my sister still has hers, however I think there would be money needing to be spent updating the current system so thinking now would b the time to get the system done if we wanted to.

The place is a 2 bedroom semi detached house, I would say it is medium size as the its a 2 up 2 down but fairly large rooms, 6 rads in total, downstairs toilet, upstairs bathroom running one bar mixer shower that we have bought.

ive been told to buy the combi myself online as it will work out cheaper, im involved in various trades myself and know a fair few people so hopefully I can find some on to fit it for a good price.

can you recommend me a good boiler please, would like to get one for under £1k and hopefully be looking to pay no more then £400 for all the fitting

been told elsewhere to look at valiant, glow worm, Worcester, potterton

thanks

 

[Mike Jackson]

A back boiler to combi conversion is not a straightforward job and you'll be looking at a lot more than £400 labour if you want a decent job done. Depending on things like gas run etc. budget on £2,500 plus for the whole job and you're somewhere in the ballpark.

I'll offer no guarantee on a boiler that someone has sourced for themselves. Most manufacturers want the installer to visit before they'll come out and if I've supplied the boiler this is free of charge. If the customer has supplied the boiler it's chargeable. This is why most of us charge a mark up on materials, it's not to sneak a bit of extra profit it's to cover labour costs should we get called back to faulty materials. The manufacturers will replace them free of charge but don't cover the labour.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

We supply and Install Worcester Bosch boilers with 7 or 8 years guarantee .We cover London and anywhere from J1 on M1 to J16 .
As MJ said already conversion from back boiler to a combi boiler can not cost £400.00 .
If you would like job done 100% pm me your location and I will survey you home and give you a free of charge quote .
You can visit www.safegasinstall.co.uk and see for your self some of the work we have done

 

[Howsie]

Get one of your fair few friend who will fit it to recommend one.

 

[Killy Bing]

Get your installer to recommend and supply, will work out cheaper in the long run.

If they are a decent heating engineer even if they put mark up on the boiler it will be cheaper than you buying online.

as mike said, £2500 is more towards the lower end of what it will cost in my view.
totally depends where you have the boiler too.

if you have it installed above the meter chances are you will have to have flow, return hot and cold run to it.
in the kitchin then you will have hot and cold but need gas, flow and return run to it.
in the current cylinder location you will have flow, return, hot and cold but need gas run to it and a vertical flue.

none of those are a £400 option 🙂

 

[Cis4cookie]

I cant see why the conversion would not be straight forward tbh as the layout of everything is in my favour.

the gas pipe is situated about 2 metres from where the combi will be, there is a rad pip also situated within 2 metres and luckily the bathroom is right above the larder cupboard where the boiler will be housed.

I have already pulled out the back boiler and fire front and all the pipework associated with it, well the pipe which runs from the boiler to the cylinder to heat the water.

so hopefully it shouldn't be too costly, I will seek further advice on which boiler to go for was just seeking some more advice in advance , gonna get quite a few quotes, had one saying £450 for their time plus parts costs

like you have said though ill only be getting warranty I assume if the fitter is registered fitter of that company

 

[Cis4cookie]

should of also said I have all the new rads and thermostatic valves as well

washing machine and sink in kitchen are within 2 meters as well, mains supply water within 2 meters

the bathroom above means that the bath, sink and toilet will all be within say 4-5 meter rang from combi

 

[Ray Stafford]

so thinking now would b the time to get the system done if we wanted to.

This is good thinking if you can afford to do it. Depending on the building, conversion from back boiler to combi can be disruptive, and its much better to do it when there is other work going on, and before decorations, flooring etc are finalised.

ive been told to buy the combi myself online as it will work out cheaper,

Stop listening to the person who is telling you this. Read Mike Jacksons answer for why - it is a false economy, and divides responsibility for your new system between manufacturer and installer. It may save you a few quid in the short term, but it is roughly the equivalent of going to a garage with a spare you have sourced on ebay and asking them to fit it.

im involved in various trades myself and know a fair few people so hopefully I can find some on to fit it for a good price.

If you are involved in various trades yourself, you will have plenty of experience of how corners can be cut to keep a price down. Ask yourself whether you want those corners cut in the property that you and your girlfriend are pouring so much effort into?

can you recommend me a good boiler please, would like to get one for under £1k and hopefully be looking to pay no more then £400 for all the fitting

been told elsewhere to look at valiant, glow worm, Worcester, potterton

Ask 10 heating engineers, get 11 answers. Search this forum, and you will find every possible opinion about which is the best boiler.

PROPERLY INSTALLED all of the brands you mention are fine. Vaillant and Worcester are likely to be dearer than Potterton and Glowworm.

But put your time and effort into finding enough money to get a proper job done.

 

[Kyle87]

You can put the most expensive fantastic boiler in but if you don't pay a good engineer your boiler will not last.

You currently have a back boiler. Which makes your current system old.

Old more than likely means dirty!!

Dirty system = dead combi.

Make sure you get it done right!!

 

[Reltub]

£400.00 hahaha

 

[Centralheatking]

For this size home and the info given - it is combi all the way - forget and scrap ALL of the
existing system - all pipes rads cylinder etc. make it ground zero centralheating wise.

get 2/3 quotes to do the lot from local gs reg fitters and call their customers if they are ok
with it. It should take 3-days for 2 fellas.

Which c/h unit to choose ??????? whatever your fitters happy with but the fellas on here
will list the carp ones - so I dont fit Worcester but love Vaillant - few comebacks

Mind you we have fitted 19 intas over the summer - no calls yet !!! Centralheatking

 

[Meady]

I think your best bet is to put up your location and get someone off of here.

 

[Cis4cookie]

old one works but needs updating, new cylinder, timed system etc.,

I can remove old boiler no problem and old tanks and cylinder and any relevant pipework

already have new rads and valves

larder cupboard where boiler is to be fitted is directly under bathroom so is in 4-5 metre range of bath, sink and toilet

kitchen sink and washing machine and water mains all within a 2 metre rang, gas supply is about 3 metre from new boiler location as well.

been quoted £450 for someone's time plus whatever materials cost so far but gonna get a lot of quotes done

 

[Cis4cookie]

im in Clacton on sea essex

 

[Meady]

I'm guessing your not getting a powerflush in that price??? Or a magna cleanse / fernox tf1.

 

[erpkid]

Go with the £450.00 option but please let us know how you get on.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

I can see why you have been quoted a 1 day labour now as you have empty house and kitchen will be empty and you will have half the job done !

 

[village idiot]

Go with the £450.00 option but please let us know how you get on.

There will be tears!!!!

 

[Cis4cookie]

tbh guys I never said I was going with that option, that's why im on here to get opinions and advice, on a budget so rally looking to get it done as cheap as possible but still have a quality system

 

[howbeef]

Get someone properly qualified in to do the whole lot. Fitting a new boiler to an old system is not a quick and easy job. If I was doing it I would be looking at fitting Vaillant, either an 831 or a 28 depending how much flow rate for hot water you want. you will also need trv's, a filter and controls fitting by someone who understands how they work and is able to set it up properly for you.
You pays your money and takes your choice but I know that any boiler guarantee won't be worth the paper it's written on if the boiler is not correctly installed.

 

[Howsie]

Bite there hand off for that money but dont pay until its all working.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

I will fit the boiler for you on the 06/01/2014 ! But I will be removing all the old pipe work and cylinder ! I can supply and install a Worcester Bosch boiler with 7 years guarantee ! Just pm me your address ! Or call me on 07900830869 ! Or visit my web site www.safegasinstall.co.uk and go to contact page and I will be in touch !

stan

 

[LPC]

Bite there hand off for that money but dont pay until its all working.

It'll probably work. For a year or so.

 

[stevetheplumber]

£450 is for the powerflush i assume if your getting a back boiler to combi done for 450 id go for a ravenheat no point wasting money on anything decent

 

[Jimbob]

That's a very generous offer from whoever quoted. Would be difficult for a qualified engineer to provide labour for such a job for that price. They're either cutting corners and it'l be a rough bum job or they are selling themselves short which means they won't be around for long. You do pay for what you get, make sure you trust who you choose as it's something you will have to live with.

 

[Cis4cookie]

i have all the rads and trvs, so gonna rip everything out and then start getting some all in quotes

 

[Cis4cookie]

also out of interest can the mains cold supply a few things before it goes into the combi so for example can my mains supply a outside tap before it feeds into the combi.

if so can it supply a few downstairs taps before going into the combi

 

[julesverne]

tbh guys I never said I was going with that option, that's why im on here to get opinions and advice, on a budget so rally looking to get it done as cheap as possible but still have a quality system

You can Have Cheap and Yes you can have Quality but you cant have both in the same sentence or job

 

[stevetheplumber]

You can Have Cheap and Yes you can have Quality but you cant have both in the same sentence or job

yes you can
I bought 2 tins of quality street cheap down the market.

 

[julesverne]

yes you can
I bought 2 tins of quality street cheap down the market.

I got mine for free when i got a boiler off ray and his merry band of merchants

 

[Cis4cookie]

also what should I be looking for a plumber to do or include in the install, if the old pipes are used there must be a system flush if new pips then no flush through, what else

 

[SafeGasInstall]

OP just sent you a pm

 

[Ermintrude]

Outside tap before boiler all depends on pressure system layout ect. Turn tap on boiler has no flow ur shower almost stops?

 

[Deleted member 32524]

Why is it always about the price and not the value for money? A good installer being paid a decent wage for the job will carry out a full installation with no cut corners and you will get good customer service to boot.

Cheap is never the best. Who wants to go to work earn pennies. You will never get a good installer cheap. Just at good value for money. There is a difference.

 

[Ray Stafford]

GOOD - CHEAP - QUICK.

Pick any two of those three.

 

[cr0ft]

No engineer who in any way values their work would do that job for £450 labour. Anyone who owns a powerflush machine and has invested their cash in it would charge £300 ish for a powerflush really. That leaves less than a day's labour to fit the boiler, run all new pipework.

It just doesn't add up.

You simply don't get cheap and quality in this game, they are mutually exclusive. Plumbers who are cheap have to rush to earn their money so the quality suffers. Plumbers who are expensive don't have to rush so their work is better quality. This is unless you can find a plumber with 3 or more arms or another similar freakish advantage, then they would produce better quality work than other plumbers in a given time.

There are no economies of scale really in this trade any more especially in heating work, there is next to no margin on boilers so you won't really save much there between firms either.

I wouldn't be looking to save money on the heating install in a house I lived in.

 

[Cis4cookie]

Well got to it today ripped out old tanks in loft and all pipework, took cylinder and all pipework out, just left with the existing rad pips left in which I was not intending to lift up tbh.

So gonna get on t a few plumbers this week see what the say

what should I be looking for a plumber to do or include in the install, if the old pipes are used should they be doing a system flush, if new pips then no flush through, what else

Also m bro inlaw has found a friend he knows on sites who fitted his Worcester oil boiler for him so will see what e says.

I ha someone round the other day to look and tbh they didn't seem to look at much I was unable to be there so I drew up a plan of where everything was going and where gas and such were currently
My GF said they didn't really look at much, they asked to measure the new rads that we have new in box but then they didn't do it. I got a txt from them today saying they think a 28kw maybe even a 34/35kw boiler is required depending o what my budget is

 

[Howsie]

You seem to know a lot of people that might be in the know. If I were you, I'd get them around. Eyes on and all that.

 

[Ermintrude]

Sounds a real steaming pile ! So.... Jobs been looted, stuff cut out all over and your paying £450? Boiler should be sized on your incoming mains and use. Why would you fit wb? If your doing it on cheap?? Baxi platinum for less money better DHW and 10 years to anyone !!!

 

[TBServices]

Lol, I hope you labelled the pipes in the cylinder cupboard. You sound like an absolute nightmare customer. Anyone decent and not desperate is going to run a mile.

I think you'll be stuck with an illegal homer from a site plumber. Boiler won't last 2 minutes.

 

[Ermintrude]

Lol, I hope you labelled the pipes in the cylinder cupboard. You sound like an absolute nightmare customer. Anyone decent and not desperate is going to run a mile.

I think you'll be stuck with an illegal homer from a site plumber. Boiler won't last 2 minutes.

Yep commercial sanitary and unistrut installer come combi cowboy!

 

[Killy Bing]

I think i fit into the cheap / good category.
450 still woulden't get me doing it!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Hope it goes smooth .....remember
safety comes first
quallity comes at a right price
taking the Micky comes cheap

 

[Dotty]

if new pips then no flush through,

wrong wrong wrong.....

 

[Ermintrude]

wrong wrong wrong.....

Isn't all the sludge in the pipes? I was told that plastic pipes are self insulating and couldn't get sludge in them

 

[sheff paul]

Well got to it today ripped out old tanks in loft and all pipework, took cylinder and all pipework out, just left with the existing rad pips left in which I was not intending to lift up tbh.

So gonna get on t a few plumbers this week see what the say

what should I be looking for a plumber to do or include in the install, if the old pipes are used should they be doing a system flush, if new pips then no flush through, what else

Also m bro inlaw has found a friend he knows on sites who fitted his Worcester oil boiler for him so will see what e says.

I ha someone round the other day to look and tbh they didn't seem to look at much I was unable to be there so I drew up a plan of where everything was going and where gas and such were currently
My GF said they didn't really look at much, they asked to measure the new rads that we have new in box but then they didn't do it. I got a txt from them today saying they think a 28kw maybe even a 34/35kw boiler is required depending o what my budget is

you fall into a very specific kind of customer we call ''Tossers''

 

[LPC]

You will never get a decent engineer to work at your house, I promise you.

 

[Cis4cookie]

you fall into a very specific kind of customer we call ''Tossers''

and why Is that then

also why would i label the pipes n the cylinder cupboard as im gonna have new water pipes, if you mean for the heating then no but its clear to see which one is which

tbh some poeple seem to be giving very negative comments, why because I wish to save some money and do as much as I can myself. at the end of the day there are people out there that do charge the earth and still do shoddy work, seems as though some people are greedy and just wish to charge more because of the extras involved which I a trying to do myself, lie tank removing and pipe removing

If you knew the layout of my house im doing the plumber a favour IMO by prepping everything.


basically the combi will be directly under the bath in kitchen larder , water and gas mains within 2-3 metre away, radiator connection at other end of the bath, sink and toilet to the right about 2 metres away on opposite wall to bath, kitchen sink and washing machine on same wall as boiler about 2 metres away,

The old setup had the cylinder where the toilet will be, and the heating pipes went into the next bedroom and into the chimney stack down to the combi

there's new pipes then no flush through, I was asking if that's right. I wasn't stating that

I don't think anyone has actually said or told me what I should be expecting a plumber to come in and say and be looking at and advising

Surely this is a help forum is it not

 

[Cis4cookie]

"You will never get a decent engineer to work at your house, I promise you"

because?

a decent engineer should be able to work anywhere as with all trades including my own

 

[Cis4cookie]

Sounds a real steaming pile ! So.... Jobs been looted, stuff cut out all over and your paying £450? Boiler should be sized on your incoming mains and use. Why would you fit wb? If your doing it on cheap?? Baxi platinum for less money better DHW and 10 years to anyone !!!

only rad pipes remain no water pipes, £450 was quoted for 2 days labour, other person also said day and a half, so £225 per day,

 

[Ermintrude]

So what work are u planning to do? So far u just ripped out. Assume u had a GSR cap off the supply?

You should replace all the radiators
Run 15mm pipe from each rad to a central 22mm "spine" provide zones and trvs to suit output and a leak rad, including drain off at lowest points and avoiding air locks.
You should provide the installer with a 32mm solvent weld waste pipe connection at the proposed location,
You should clear a route for the gas supply - you cannot look at or touch it legally!
You can have a part p sparkie install a 13A fused spur within 1m of proposed location but sufficiently routed to avoid contravening regulations which apply to the gas pipe.

This will save you a few pennies but if it's a mess then could cost u a lot!

Also hot and cold will be required at the boiler location in 15mm copper.

You cannot use plastic within 1m of boiler on services.

 

[rpm]

1st post on this thread but suggest the following.

1 Get plumbers to come, look and quote.
2 Choose your plumber and talk to him about what you can do yourself to lower the costs.
3 Book him.

What may seem simple to you may not be quite so simple.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

OP what do you do ?

 

[village idiot]

OP what do you do ?

He is a carpenter by trade and does general handy work at home and at his friends place

 

[SafeGasInstall]

We had one of this on the last boiler change job doing bathroom and all the improvement on the job ..... What a waist of time this handy person was ! 3 days to run hot and cold around the bathroom and still 1st fix not done ! We done a conversion +6 rads and all new pipe work to bathroom in 2 days

 

[Cis4cookie]

Im a roofer by trade and also do fascias sofits and gutters, used to be a bricky.

I have completed some basic courses on electrics n plumbing, I know enough to get me by, I rewired the whole house apart from the light circuit which I only done minor work to, moved added an moved sockets ran wire pretty much everything, then had a sparky in to update the fuse box check over everything an sign I off.

Basically im going to connect all new rads 2 of 6 already done 1 will be towel rail, wil put dran plug on the rad It was first on

Ill clear path for gas and also run the hot and cold for kitchen sink so I can fit the kitchen permanently, as said tanks and boiler have been removed gas was capped off by GS its turned off at the outside box.

mains water is already nearby

only thing about the rads is the whole systm is run in 15mm, it only changed to 22mm at the old boier and there was only about 2 feet of it, everything else is 15mm from what I can see

 

[Masood]

Im a roofer by trade and also do fascias sofits and gutters, used to be a bricky.

I have completed some basic courses on electrics n plumbing, I know enough to get me by, I rewired the whole house apart from the light circuit which I only done minor work to, moved added an moved sockets ran wire pretty much everything, then had a sparky in to update the fuse box check over everything an sign I off.

Basically im going to connect all new rads 2 of 6 already done 1 will be towel rail, wil put dran plug on the rad It was first on

Ill clear path for gas and also run the hot and cold for kitchen sink so I can fit the kitchen permanently, as said tanks and boiler have been removed gas was capped off by GS its turned off at the outside box.

mains water is already nearby

only thing about the rads is the whole systm is run in 15mm, it only changed to 22mm at the old boier and there was only about 2 feet of it, everything else is 15mm from what I can see

See there's the problem. Knowing enough to get you by is not the same as knowing how to it properly. Therefore your help might actually turn out to be a hindrance. Get a professional, pay them a decent rate and get the job done right once for all.

 

[Ermintrude]

See there's the problem. Knowing enough to get you by is not the same as knowing how to it properly. Therefore your help might actually turn out to be a hindrance. Get a professional, pay them a decent rate and get the job done right once for all.

Seems intent on DIY? Course on being a bricky too? That's why he's doing roofing now !!

22mm can't say that's why u need to have some on site help! Good luck. ! When it's all done upload some pictures and the gas safe cert for the boiler , if not just to show all the doubters !

 

[Dotty]

OP has had more than enough sensible advice now.

Closing this thread before I have to slap peoples thighs for flaming.