Help Me Understand A Boiler Installation Quote

[dlockers]

Shall we quote the famous £1 for the hammer, £99,999 to know exactly where to hit the hammer?

They are gas safe fitters whom have to pay to train and recertify, so it certainly isn't a cheap job (although if they do a crap job you'll know about it forever more).

Extra cost certainly could be attributed to power flushing which could be risky if you have old pipework.

 

[Squink]

Shall we quote the famous £1 for the hammer, £99,999 to know exactly where to hit the hammer?

They are gas safe fitters whom have to pay to train and recertify

I know this, but £600 for a day's labour? That's 115 grand a year gross, assuming 80pc utility over a five day week and including 4 weeks off. For fitting boilers. In the north of england.

Extra cost certainly could be attributed to power flushing which could be risky if you have old pipework.

I've found something on the Worcester Bosch website that says they don't recommend a power flush, so having seen that, I don't know why this plumber is including it in the price.

 

[dlockers]

I know this, but £600 for a day's labour? That's 115 grand a year gross, assuming 80pc utility over a five day week and including 4 weeks off. For fitting boilers. In the north of england.

Think boilers installations are trending towards "value based deal" constructs versus labour and materials. You'll be hard pressed to find a gas fitter who would charge standard day rates for a boiler installation.

I've found something on the Worcester Bosch website that says they don't recommend a power flush, so having seen that, I don't know why this plumber is including it in the price.

Get them to take off the power flush. There is a lot of margin in this now and a chemical flush is more than adequate.


Edit: Try these guys primetimeboilers.co.uk. They specialise in "volume" and have fitters all over the country. They make up for the lower margin by trying to push aftercare and attract more volume (they incentivise you to leave reviews etc). I had absolutely great service and can't hesitate to recommend. I think I paid 2151 inc vat fitted but I had a very basic setup. That included 10 year Vailant guarantee.

 

[Squink]

Think boilers installations are trending towards "value based deal" constructs versus labour and materials. You'll be hard pressed to find a gas fitter who would charge standard day rates for a boiler installation.

What do you mean by "value based"? Like the fitter's charge scales up with the value of the product he's fitting?

 

[dlockers]

What do you mean by "value based"? Like the fitter's charge scales up with the value of the product he's fitting?

You are getting 10+years of "worry free" heating. Buyers of your house, you, your family will value this infinitely more than the £160 odd quid day rate. They know they can charge more for "peace of mind" etc etc etc.

Edit: See my previous edit about getting another quote. They do it over a video call. Takes 15 mins.

 

[Squink]

Edit: See my previous edit about getting another quote. They do it over a video call. Takes 15 mins.

I had a look thanks and they only give a quote for "good boiler" or "great boiler". I want a specific boiler (a WB 8000 Style) owing to the fact that it's going into a kitchen where there's no large enough cupboard (and no easy way to fit a large enough cupboard), so it'll be on show and has to look suitable.

 

[happy_2008]

I recently had my boiler changed from a conventional to a combi at a cost of £3,600 which included a Nest thermostat. The price they quoted were very similar to others and i picked my fitter as he was the most recommended guy on the local community FB. I'm quite glad i decided to go with the fitter as he was extremely tidy and clean and even posted on FB in our community group requesting for similar bricks to cover the old flue hole. I doubt any other fitter would go to this extreme detail.

 

[dlockers]

I had a look thanks and they only give a quote for "good boiler" or "great boiler". I want a specific boiler (a WB 8000 Style) owing to the fact that it's going into a kitchen where there's no large enough cupboard (and no easy way to fit a large enough cupboard), so it'll be on show and has to look suitable.

The website is made for Joe public, give them a call and the chap will spin you up a quote very quickly.

Feels like you are getting a high price but not willing to put any effort to getting it down.

 

[Squink]

Feels like you are getting a high price but not willing to put any effort to getting it down.

Not at all I'm at work and dipping in and out of this forum, so unwilling to spend 20 minutes on the phone listening to sales patter. I can pick those things up later when I have more free time.

 

[norm]

To be honest swapping a boiler "like for like" in the same location has to be fairly straight for somebody competent. If it wasn't for needing to be gas safe registered I think it'd be doable.

For a combi you've got copper pipework consisting of your gas in, water in, ch out, ch return, hot water out, and an electricity supply which is a fused spur. You don't even have to solder copper nowadays to get a reliable fitting, you can use crimp fittings instead which are becoming more popular in the industry.

I think if you dedicated a long weekend to it somebody competent and willing could do just as good a job at a fraction of the price.

 

[JRJ]

Seems to be towards the higher end but I don't think it's over priced, do you have windows near the flue that would need extensions to meet regs? lots of little things add up.

 

[Squink]

Seems to be towards the higher end but I don't think it's over priced, do you have windows near the flue that would need extensions to meet regs? lots of little things add up.

He didn't mention anything like that. Just that it was 'one man day' start to finish.

 

[JRJ]

He didn't mention anything like that. Just that it was 'one man day' start to finish.

Should give you an idea
6.8.12 Gas – outlets and terminals - NHBC Standards 2021 NHBC Standards 2021 (nhbc-standards.co.uk)

 

[Mickcas]

Funnily enough I'm getting a new boiler on Thursday, plus all trvs changed, chemical flush and a few radiators removed and flushed, and a wireless thermostat.
Had quotes from 1300 to 2100, depending on which boiler and length of guarantee.
We got 4 guys round each quoted us on atleast 2 boilers and all in range of each others prices.

Best thing to do if your unsure is grab a few quotes.

We didn't go with the cheapest fitter we went with the one who did the best job in explaining everything, talking through certain aspects in more detail etc, also he had excellent feedback on mybuilder.
The most expensive guy just went in for a few seconds, asked what else we wanted said 2k and left, must have took him longer to get from the van to the front door than the time he actually spent here

 

[ZG002]

It's on the higher end, but it's not a like for like boiler swap.

Flue will need to be changed and could possibly require adjustment and piecing up after if it's through an external wall, pipe work under the boiler will need adjusting, external condensate will need installing if your current boiler doesn't have one.

Ask him to itemise, I've a feeling most will come in close to this and decent tradesmen have been mega busy the last year! Everyone is spending money on the house instead of holiday which could also be reflected in price. Supply and demand.

I got a £350 quote for a tiler to tile my front door step.... 1/2 a days work at most. Did it myself in the end but not like you can have a go at installing a boiler.

Defo get at least one more like for like quote.