had BG round to sell central heating
he's convinced me to keep the existing pipework and radiators (just add one for good measure)
and install a Bosch-Worcester combi condensate boiler
cost about 4 grand
thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe
nor a very expensive magnet to filter iron out of the water
and I'm not entirely convinced I need an anti-corrosion/powerflush
(these last three items amount to £760.00)
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In message , Gill Smith writes
How any times have there been warnings regarding having BG install anything?
£4000?You deserve what you get if you sign on the dotted line
Now get a couple of quotes from reputable local people.
I got a quote from BG after they destroyed the previous boiler. This was a complete flush of the whole system, new boiler, new pump, 3 way valve, change rads to use TRVs, and a few other odd bits.
BG wanted £3800. The two local quotes were £1900 and £1850. I went with the £1900 as I'd used him before for smaller jobs. A brilliant job, did more than BG had quoted for.
BG had previously managed to flood the loft as well...terrible contracted- out workmanship. They did have a nice glossy folder and full-colour quote though.
PLEASE get some other quotes...
In message , Gill Smith writes
you may o rmay not, but you do need to make sure that it shouldn't freeze up, which has been a problem for a lot of people this winter
Lag it and keep an eye on it. A kettle of warm water does the trick.
>
Make sure the pipe is run indoors to your drain/stack and avoid all this freeze up business.
Bob
If that's Magnaclean (or whatever it was called), then I'd recommended that when the radiators are old and full of sludge, rather than depending solely on powerflushes and inhibitor. It's not that expensive either.
(I replaced one 3-4 year-old boiler, and changed half the parts on another, all due to sludge (and after a powerflush) before getting the Magnaclean fitted.)
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Please god tell me you're in Reading. I'd do all that for £760.00 less than BG are asking and then we'd both be happy!
Bunch of bandits. Last year I had 3 customers tell me BG couldn't continue to service their boiler because parts were not available - total bollox - and 2 who had been told the ventialtion was insuficient & air bricks needed replaceent @ £255 - I did both jobs for under £70 & made money.
Sounds typical, friend of mine had BG round to quote for replacing exiting non-condensing boiler, price of new boiler £800, total quote £4500! This included running 22mm supply half way round the house and condensate pipe half way back again, but god knows what else.
If you're in when it freezes!
tim
There seem to be a series of companies who are notorious for rip-off pricing in their respective areas:
Everest for replacement windows (and anything else!) Dolphin for bathrooms. Moben for kitchens.
Small local companies are invariably the way to go. They have a local reputation to uphold and if they have been around for some time then usually you can rely on them. Their estimates are often considerably lower than the big companies.
In message , tim.... writes
We were at Okehampton YH beginning of Dec, just as the cold weather struck last year.
The had a condensing boiler on which the drain froze - which causes the drain to leak at a join inside, it took quite a long time and quite a few kettles to unfreeze it.
Rather more sensible to install it so it isn't a problem.
And Anglian.
The latter two are the same company.
To be fair, there are plenty of other crooks about too. Just one example:
I was quoted £375+VAT to replace a 3-way valve, which I later found out only cost about £70, and would have taken about an hour.
Or £75+VAT to overhaul the existing one, which is what I opted for. After the 75-minute job was over, that suddenly changed to £75 per hour! £176 total. When I phoned up their office to complain, they just laughed.
(A few months later, I had to replace the valve anyway. That, *plus* replacing the secondary heat exchanger, *plus* fitting a Magnaclean, all came to just over £400. You just have to find the right people.)
That's not the worst of it. After you've done it, you can't sell the house again. Mortgage lenders won't lend on properties with such PV leases in place.
It is.
S-i-L (who knows naff all about the real world) got BG out to M-i-L's house to check the HW cylinder as she thought it was leaking: there was a slight green mark next to a union that probably just wanted tightening.
BG announced that a new cylinder was needed. Then said they were out of stock. But they could get, and fit, a combi boiler immediatley. You can work out the rest for yourself...
So pay the 20K up front yourself then.
Personally, I think that these deals where the fitter takes ALL of the risk are quite good value to the householder for doing SFA.
tim
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