My existing CH boiler is now over 35 years old and I'm looking at replacing it and maybe updating the system.
It is gas fired, open vented, fully pumped with a fairly new indirect HW storage cylinder. The timer is digital, providing separate control of the HW and CH, and the room stat is a new digital programmable unit. There's a total of 10 radiators, varying between 3 and 35 years old, most with TRVs. The boiler is located in an old chimney breast in the middle of the house with a conventional flue up the old chimney, rising about 36 feet up (a replacement boiler will probably have to go in a quite different location - no access for a balanced flue).
The house is a Victorian semi, with kitchen, dining room, large lounge and hallway on the ground floor, 3 bedrooms, toilet, bathroom and landing on the first floor, and bedroom, study and shower room in a loft conversion on the second floor. The walls are all 9 inch solid.
I want to do some of the work myself, particularly replacing radiators where necessary, in a phased approach as rooms are redecorated, and any work associated with removing the old boiler (gas work excepted). I have in mind a Worcester Bosch boiler (not a particular model) and either an open vented, or sealed system if the existing pipework is suitable. I don't want a combi. Having had a couple of "silly" estimates for just supplying and fitting a new boiler, including British Gas and an independent CH installer, the approach I'm now considering is to commission a CH engineer to inspect the existing system and then produce a design for updating it, including a replacement boiler. Based on this design get estimates and then someone in to do the bits I can't do (like install the new boiler), with me doing any prep work, maybe the electrics, and "labouring", followed by me doing any further updating (eg new rads). An option might be for me to source the boiler. I'd certainly want the boiler installation properly certified.
I'd be grateful for any advice on:
- Is this a sensible, viable approach?
- Based on the info given what might a CH engineer charge for the design bit of the work?
- Any recommendations on CH engineers in the mid Herts area (I'm in St Albans), a) to do the design, b) to undertake the work.
Apologies for the long winded post, just trying to give enough information so people can make sensible comment.
Thanks, David (remove _notme from email address)