Well, the first quote of £2365 was from a well recognised medium sized local firm. Less £170 for no powerflush and use my existing (unused) 3 port valve brings it down to £2200 inc vat. I got another quote from a one-man band. This time the quote was minus the powerflush - he said all I really needed was a rinse out. He also recommended I have two single port valves instead of my new three port valve. Seems to be minus a service too. Hmmmmmm. The one-man-band was more expensive!

Click image to enlarge

A rinse out will not achieve much at all the Y plan or three port valve you have already works perfectly fine so why swap

I have been used a gas safe Plummer over a year and recently he quoted £1260 to fit an Ideal logic plus 24kw. Eventually he agreed £1200, I thought the fitting cost is about £200-£300 but when I looked on line the boiler costs between £600-£700. 5 years ago he fitted the same boiler for my previous house for £1050. This boiler has 5 years warranty and the new one he's going to fit has 7 years warranty.
The old boiler is a worcester, do you need some addition kit to change ie. more cost added? If not do you think he is charging about £500 for labour?

The plumber will charge full retail price and perhaps a bit more for the boiler, with a 5 year old boiler of the same make and type the piping will be the same from about 24KW to 32KW, even a piping rearrangement will not be more than a 4hr job if accessible pipe work. The Worcester will be the same pipe configuration as your existing boiler so should be cheaper to change and not more than about £100 more expensive than the Ideal, look up the equivalent Worcester price and its pipe work orientation and sizes then ask again. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

£1200 is about right don't forget he has a lot of unseen (to the public) costs, van ,insurance compulsory gas training gas safe registration and others he has to make a living after all.

Thank Dartman and archie!
Few months ago the fault was no hot water and after the plumber had diagnosed with the Worcester's technician he replaced some valve inside and it was about £280. Somehow the problem came back and again with Worcester's they deduced that it needs new board + an expansion vessel which will cost about £500. Facing with choices of repair or replace, especially no guarantee that it will not break down again after the repair I decided to replace with a new one.
The plumber suggested the Ideal or Baxi both 24KW, the Baxi costs abit less but both have 7 years warranty. As we already agreed with the Ideal I can't really ask him about the worcester I only wonder about the labour cost after looking up on line.

If it is a combi 24KW may be a touch underpowered I have a 28KW combi and it produces a decent shower for one but you do know it if the washing machine or a hot tap is opened . my water pressure is about 4bar. On my 10year old Biasi I have changed 2 ignition starter boards at £230 for the pair and the innards of the diverter valve at £24, I have repaired one of the starter boards so I have a ready spare and take advantage low internet prices. What really surprises me is the amount of spares that are common to other makes, no matter which make you buy it is a mongrel of common parts and there are not many boards on the internet over £250 and those that are, are available elsewhere (ebay) for less all made by well known electronic companies my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

paxman wrote:

Thank Dartman and archie!
Few months ago the fault was no hot water and after the plumber had diagnosed with the Worcester's technician he replaced some valve inside and it was about £280. Somehow the problem came back and again with Worcester's they deduced that it needs new board + an expansion vessel which will cost about £500. Facing with choices of repair or replace, especially no guarantee that it will not break down again after the repair I decided to replace with a new one.
The plumber suggested the Ideal or Baxi both 24KW, the Baxi costs abit less but both have 7 years warranty. As we already agreed with the Ideal I can't really ask him about the worcester I only wonder about the labour cost after looking up on line.

Update: Another change of mind! Nearly done now. Wifey wanted to keep the hot water tank where it was so she keeps the airing cupboard and we decided to get a powerflush as well - had about 2 inches of stinking silt in the old system header tank. All the plumbing stuff is done and system pressurised but we've only got hot water on the immersion at the moment as their electrician isn't coming round until tomorrow to wire in the diverter valves, programmer, boiler, pump, tank and room thermostats. They've added some cleaner and as we are away for a week this Friday, they said they'll leave it in and they are going to do the power flush and service the boiler when we get back. Pipes everywhere in the airing cupboard - a real work of art.





So, we've now gone from a gravity H/W system to a mains pressure one and all I can say is WOW! The shower nearly knocks us over and I've had to go around turning all the tap pressures down as the hot water goes in the sink and straight back out again!  Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

paxman wrote:

The old boiler is a worcester,

You should keep your wife out of these discussions.  3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

Had a massive leak last week - while the system was drained down, I replaced a crusty radiator valve on the upstairs landing. Unfortunately I didn't tighten it enough and it leaked overnight and was dripping off the recessed ceiling lights in the kitchen. I sorted that and we went on holiday. Job done when I paint the ceiling. Or so I thought!

Ots been losing system pressure over the last week or so. This morning, wifey goes into the back bedroom to find that the rad had sprung a leak halfway up. Well, they must be at least 40 years old now and the system descaler and pressurised system had probably had something to do with it. Suppose I'll have to change all 4 upstairs rads now (all downstairs ones and bathroom are only about 10 years old). One thing after a bloody nother! Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

heating engineers get bonus point from boiler suppliers, and trade these in for holidays etc, so an engineer will guide you towards the boiler which gives him the most points. but he should have a reputation to uphold and hopefully wont sell crap even if it gives the most points.


Last week I was mostly flushing crap out of my commercial biomass boilers, the installer didnt add inhibitor 3 years ago so I had 6 tonnes of water to flush out and replace. All for £50 worth of inhibitor  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

My wife wanted a wardrobe moved in new position a bedroom, this required me to move a radiator and a power socket, up comes the floor boards to get to the pipework and cables. Then we need a new carpet don't we? So all is finished and I realise that the loft hatch is now above the wardrobe and inaccessible so we had to cut and install a new loft hatch. At the end of all this she is wondering if perhaps the wardrobe was better in it's original position!  3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

then she will find the new wardrobe is too big so will need a shopping trips to fill it up At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Because we were on holiday last wek, the plumbing company came back this morning to finish the job off - they had to do the power flush and service the boiler.
Bit of luck 1. Popped out to the plumbers merchants while the power flush was being done, picked up a rad and the plumber helped me fit it while power flushing. All sorted - I'll change the other rads as and when. Bit of luck 2. Not long after he had helped me carry the old rad downstairs and outside, an Eastern European knocked on the door asking for old scrap. Help yourself, son. Saved me a trip to the dump.  Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.