heating engineer bill

[BUDFORCE]

Just checking because this seems like a lot but...

The expansion relief valve on our hot water tank (we have and oil fired boiler) was faulty/leaking and hot water was leaking out the overflow.

We got a local boiler guy (my wife knows his wife) we have used him once before to change over a pressure guage that had blown, that time he charged us £20.

Anyway, this time, to replace that expansion relief valve, we now have an invoice for £280.

Looking on various online sites even the most expensive version of that part I can find is around £80 (unless I am looking at the wrong thing?) but most seem to be about £30, seems like a lot of money we have been billed?

 

[robfosters]

Just checking because this seems like a lot but...

The expansion relief valve on our hot water tank (we have and oil fired boiler) was faulty/leaking and hot water was leaking out the overflow.

We got a local boiler guy (my wife knows his wife) we have used him once before to change over a pressure guage that had blown, that time he charged us £20.

Anyway, this time, to replace that expansion relief valve, we now have an invoice for £280.

Looking on various online sites even the most expensive version of that part I can find is around £80 (unless I am looking at the wrong thing?) but most seem to be about £30, seems like a lot of money we have been billed?

How long did it take him?

 

[BUDFORCE]

Hour tops.

 

[Stephanie Peterson]

The cost is not in what part to hit with the hammer, the cost comes from knowing where to hit it.

Or so the saying goes...something like that.

 

[cheesyboy]

I can't recall what we paid, but had the same job done a few years ago, but also included some adjustment to pipework that the guy reckoned wasn't installed optimally (water coming in from the top to a relief valve rather than below, IIRC).

I feel as though it was nowhere near £280 for the work, as that would have stuck with me a bit more. About half that amount, probably.

 

[robfosters]

Hour tops.

Sounds a lot to me. About £200 is acceptable imo.

 

[Maccapacca]

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Sounds like it's an unvented hot water cylinder. Unlikely that the pressure release valve failed on it's own did he replace any other parts or re-pressure the expansion tank/air bubble ?

I would expect the pressure release valve activated due to a faulty expansion tank/bubble, faulty pressure reducing valve or a leaking mixer value either shower or tap which can allow higher pressure cold water to mix back if a pressure reducing valve wasn't fitted to the cold water supply.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Lol fair but we were not even in the house when he did it, we needed to nip out on my lunch break (I work from home) and gave him the key!

Sounds like it's an unvented hot water cylinder. Unlikely that the pressure release valve failed on it's own did he replace any other parts or re-pressure the expansion tank/air bubble ?

I would expect the pressure release valve activated due to a faulty expansion tank/bubble, faulty pressure reducing valve or a leaking mixer value either shower or tap which can allow higher pressure cold water to mix back if a pressure reducing valve wasn't fitted to the cold water supply.

K literally not going to pretend I really know what you are talking about but he didn't change anything else. I note filling the bath tub for my 1 year old son the water looks slightly cloudy since though.

We do have an expansion tank down in the garage near the boiler, red thing, so you are probably correct in that it's a closed system.

 

[kindai]

Ask for a breakdown on the invoice.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Ask for a breakdown on the invoice.

Ye we have, we only got it today so not heard back yet.

 

[Dylock]

I changed the expansion vessel on my oil combi. Part was £60, took me about 20 mins to do.
I know as standard engineers check emissions and a few other bits so will take a bit more time.
Plus the call out charge which I hate (why should you pay for them to drive to work!)
I would say absolute top end is £200

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Red vessel will be for your heating an unvented cyclinder would use a white vessel or if a Megaflo they won't have one but use an air bubble in the main tank for expansion as the water is heated up.

If it is an unvented cylinder parts can be expensive on my cylinder the pressure reducing valve and pressure relief valve are one part and the cheapest I can see it for is £130. You also need additional qualifications to work on unvented cylinders known as G3.

As above I would ask for breakdown on the invoice.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Red vessel will be for your heating an unvented cyclinder would use a white vessel or if a Megaflo they won't have one but use an air bubble in the main tank for expansion as the water is heated up.

If it is an unvented cylinder parts can be expensive on my cylinder the pressure reducing valve and pressure relief valve are one part and the cheapest I can see it for is £130. You also need additional qualifications to work on unvented cylinders known as G3.

As above I would ask for breakdown on the invoice.

Yes. It's a megaflow that uses a bubble as the expansion.

 

[Rroff]

Without knowing more detail of what they did hard to say but that is close to double what we've been charged for vaguely similar work.

One issue you might find though is that they have enough well paying jobs that it isn't worth doing the smaller ones so they just charge up everything at high rates (though normally they'll tell you first) and you might struggle to find someone to do it otherwise.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Yea fair enough, I mean it is what it is, I will of course pay it, it's just he's sort of a friend of a friend and whilst I would not expect any kind of mates rates, I certainly would not expect to get charged over the odds.

I have asked for an itemised invoice but if it turns out he is just expensive, fine thats his right, I'll just never use him again.

They replied just now funnily enough, they reckon the part was £215.

Cold water combi valve apparently.

 

[kindai]

They replied just now funnily enough, they reckon the part was £215.

Cold water combi valve apparently.

Well a quick google does suggest the part could very well be that expensive, ymmv. Possibly he didn't shop around and just paid what his supplier asked which sucks for you but at least his labor charge isnt too bad then.

 

[Orionaut]

Well a quick google does suggest the part could very well be that expensive, ymmv. Possibly he didn't shop around and just paid what his supplier asked which sucks for you but at least his labor charge isnt too bad then.

Shopping around takes time and effort. as might buying and collecting from a distant rather than local supplier. Would people be willing to pay the guy to do this?

And no, do not expect a contractor to fit parts that you supply. it isn't just about the "Profit Margin" it is that, legally, if he fits them, he has to guarantee them. and that is not on!

 

[wedrum]

So £65 labour sounds like a bargain.
He wont be helping you out again.

 

[BUDFORCE]

So £65 labour sounds like a bargain.
He wont be helping you out again.

Nah paid it first thing this morning. Only had the invoice yesterday.