Urgent advise needed: Should I install Ferroli HE Plus 31C?

[Debs]

Hi guys,

I have had an engineer visit to check out my lagging Ravenheat 25/20 (12 years old).

He has been recommended to me by a couple of people for decent work, and lives at the top of my street, so I have no reason to mistrust him. He advised that he fits Ferroli and suggested the HE Plus 31C, so I thought I would jump on the net and check on it.

To say I am alarmed by the intenet bashing Ferroli has gotten is an understatement! Generally it seems 'avoid like the plague' is applicable.

I am also concerned about the rumours that this company is on the verge of going bust, so now I am really worried!

The engineer seemed very eager to fit, is prepared to let me pay over 3 months so long as he can fit now. In his own words he is 'having difficulty getting people to commit at the moment...'!

I don't know if this is because of the bad rep Ferroli have, or just a general thing given the economic climate.

He has quoted £1500 all inclusive to provide and fit the boiler with a flush and lime scale inhibiter but, after the reviews I have seen online, I am concerned that I am gonna regret having this boiler fitted. And with only one wage coming in, £1500 is an awful lot of money for me to write off to install a dodgy boiler.

I want a boiler that is going to be reliable, not cost me a fortune in time and money having to keep getting it fixed...

What should I say to him?

🙁 Should I ask him if there is an alternative make he can provide, and if so what would you suggest I request as an alternative to the HE Plus 31C, at a similar price?

😱 It seems that this boiler is about £650 to buy.

😕 And is £850 a reasonable price for flushing and fitting, or do you think he is overcharging for the labour?

Or am I just being paranoid?

He wants to start work Monday, so my room for manouvre is very limited.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE....

Thanks
Debs 🙁

 

[quality]

The price seems ok but the boiler is not

 

[GQuigley67]

that £850 includes copper pipes and fittings and other material also which aren't cheap not just labour which is a good price but why don't you say to him you dont want the ferroli boiler all boilers are near enough the same to install so why can't he just install another one for you or has he got a spare ferroli sitting around and he wants to get rid of it ?? just tell him you don't want the ferroli after seeing reviews of it online and you want a decent reliable combi boiler, need to be quick though incase he orders it from merchants soon.

 

[grahamgas]

As already stated it is a good price but a rubbish boiler.
You will be replacing a rubbish boiler with bad backup, for an equally rubbish boiler with even worse backup!
Main make a combi boiler that is equall to the ferrolli in price, but far superior imho,and have a decent service/repair backup through heateam.

try here: Main Combi Eco

Graham

 

[md68]

Got agree with previous statments. The price is ok (even a bit on the cheap side) but the Ferroli boilers are rubbish. For a good budget boiler I would have a look at the Main Eco range. They have proven to be very reliable.

 

[gassafe]

Tell him you want a Worcester Bosch because they are the rolls royce of boilers =]

 

[Debs]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the responses.
I have just spoken to the engineer and he says he only installs Ferroli.
He said that if they were that bad, he would have no windows left from all the bricks coming through them... lol! He said that you can have problems with all boilers (which is of course, true), even Worcester Bosch, it is just down to how good a job the fitter does.
I asked if he dealt with servicing on behalf of Ferroli, and he said no. It is down to Ferroli to send someone out to me.
Now I am completely confused...
Do I still give it a wide berth?
Thanks
Debs
Debs

 

[GQuigley67]

it depends on the quality of the boiler cheaper ones tend to give you more trouble than more expensive ones, why can't he fit other boilers ??

 

[Debs]

Gassafe,
Lol! He told me WB were riding on past glory, and asked why they spend so much money on ads if their product is so good?
Debs

 

[Debs]

GQuigley,
Because he knows the Ferroli inside out and so gets to the problem quickly. Also, he couldn't cope with the workload if he dealt with all boilers...
Debs

 

[GQuigley67]

If you don't want a ferroli installed then don't get one installed simple as, why let him pressure you into getting one that you don't want installed ? why dont u get someone else to install a better boiler if he only fits ferroli

 

[Debs]

GQ,
He is the only engineer I have managed to get to quote me so far, the other 4 said they couldn't help because they were so busy. I thought it would be easy to get someone out, seeing as I was going for replace, rather than repair...
I have posted on the 'Rated People' site to see if I can get 3 more quotes.
I didn't think it would be this hard to get quotes to be honest... lol!
Debs

 

[GQuigley67]

where are you based someone on this site might be able to give you a quote alot of good gas safe registered engineers on this site

 

[Debs]

GQ,
Oh, pleeeeassse lol!
I am in the West Mids, by Merry Hill in Brierley Hill, Dudley.

Any engineers want to quote on a replacement for me?

Cheers
Debs

 

[Blackcatgas]

Gassafe,
Lol! He told me WB were riding on past glory, and asked why they spend so much money on ads if their product is so good?
Debs

I agree with him on that point, to a degree..... they are a good boiler, but there is better out there.

 

[Blackcatgas]

Swapping the Ravenheat for the Ferroli is like swapping Malaria for Hepatitus C.

 

[Debs]

Blackcat,
Lol! That's hilaaaarious!!!!
Debs

 

[gassafe]

Its fair enough if your installer only installs ferolli, It may be that he knows em inside out and its just easier for him!
Im surprised he wont service the boiler he installs tho however!?

 

[Debs]

Hi Gassafe,
I wondered on that one too...
As I posted earlier, he did say he only deals with Ferroli as he knows them so well. But it threw me when he said he did not deal with the repairs. He said I would have to contact Ferroli and they would sort me out.
He didn't even say I would ring Ferroli and then they would contact him to come out (which seeing as he lives at the end of my street sounds logical)...
But the tales I have heard about their customer service, or lack of, really concerns me.
I have another engineer coming to see me on Saturday, so at least I will have two quotes then. Hoping to get some calls from 3 others over the next couple of days....
Debs

 

[stevetheplumber]

Lol! He told me WB were riding on past glory, and asked why they spend so much money on ads if their product is so good?
Debs

got to agree with that statement however i wouldnt fit a ferroli what i cant understand is why he can only fit ferollis unless he is under contract to them or he gets a good kick back from the rep

 

[md68]

He probably just pops down to Wicks and picks one up. I cant see why anyone would only fit Ferroli boilers when you look at their reputation, reliability and backup. Sounds to me a bit like he installs it cheap & then thats the last you here from him. Personaly I service every boiler I install for free for the first two years. It gives my customers peace of mind and brings in a lot of extra work.

 

[mcniven]

Dont see why you dont trust him, hes offering a good service at a decent price. If your saying hes reccomended I cant see whats the problem? He may not be telling you but he could have a contract for cheaper ferrollis, maybe he has one already paid for in storage and is trying to make a maximum amount. If you persisted and said you didnt want that boiler, and told him that you wanted a different boiler, and that you would use someone else if he didnt want to fit a different boiler, then im sure hell be able to fit another then!

 

[obseen16]

we fitted a vaillant ecotec 28pro 2 weeks ago for £1600+Vat and that involved upgrading the gas pipe from the meter in 28mm to the boiler and new wireless controls plus all the bits n bobs. we refuse to fit ferolli, unless the customer buys it and we fit it, that way when it breaks down we cant get blamed for the boiler choice. the good boilers are just as affordable as the rubbish ones,

just say to your installer you dont want a ferolli and you want something like a vaillant or a worcester bosch, if he says no just say thankyou and goodbye.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

ferrolis are poo,they should all have axes put trough them

 

[metaldust9]

could understand if you only had a £1000 to spend but £1500 id go for potterton heatmax 28 he and still have money over am not into forroli,s but my mate has fitted them for the last 5yrs and not had any comebacks cos they have 5 yr guarentee plus they have wilo pump,s in them says it all really

 

[oldplumber]

get quotes for other boilers from other plumbers look at intergas as well, good dutch make and wb are riding on old history in regard to their boilers

 

[Dotty]

We refuse point blank to fit ferroli's because they're such tat.

 

[Debs]

got to agree with that statement however i wouldnt fit a ferroli what i cant understand is why he can only fit ferollis unless he is under contract to them or he gets a good kick back from the rep

Hi Steve,
As I mentioned earlier in the post, he says he only fits Ferroli because he knows the product inside out, and wouldn't be able to cope with the workload if he dealt with all boilers...
Debs

 

[Debs]

Dont see why you dont trust him, hes offering a good service at a decent price. If your saying hes reccomended I cant see whats the problem? He may not be telling you but he could have a contract for cheaper ferrollis, maybe he has one already paid for in storage and is trying to make a maximum amount. If you persisted and said you didnt want that boiler, and told him that you wanted a different boiler, and that you would use someone else if he didnt want to fit a different boiler, then im sure hell be able to fit another then!

Hi mcnivens,

I did state in my original post that I have no reason to mistrust him as a fitter..., I just don't like the reputation that Ferroli as a company has.

I also told him that I had no problem with the price, and would be more than happy for him to do the work if he could provide an alternative boiler. He only lives at the end of my road, so it is more than convenient for me...
Unfortunately, he did not want to entertain the idea.

He told me that it was my decision, that I should go away and think about it, and that he would sort something out at a later date should I decided to go ahead with the Ferroli and then wrapped up the call.

I don't think talking about bringing another fitter in will do much good, as he has already made it clear that he has no interest in fitting anything other than Ferroli. I don't blame him, he repairs/fits what he knows and has a reputation for being good, it's just a shame that the make and after service is putting me off...

Debs

 

[Debs]

Thanks so much to everyone for your responses on this!

I have another engineer coming over on Saturday to quote, so I will see what he offers and compare. I am still trying to get another couple of quotes, but no-one has contacted me yet.

At least I am getting a better understanding of what to look for, and how much I should be expecting to pay....
Debs

 

[Backboiler]

I think its true to say that the Ferroli's come with a 5 year guarantee but I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole, apart from servicing them (ouch those edges are sharpe). Ask how many engineers Ferroli have on the road if anything did go wrong within the 5 years and compare them with a top brand. There are plenty of gas engineers who will install any boiler you choose. Search on the Gas Safety Site for a local installer.