Going rate for changing a gas hob

[Tim+]

What would be a fair rate for a gas safe fitter for changing a gas hob (assuming an average number of embuggerances)?

Assume that the customer is supplying his/her own hob.

Tim

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Difficult to say. They should be plumbed in using rigid pipework - so that may or may not need altering. Making a big difference to the time involved. If it were simply swapping like for like, it only takes a few minutes.

[Tim+]

A better question perhaps is how much per hour would a qualified fitter charge then?

It just that my mother's elderly neighbour could really do with a more modern hob with a flame failure device (why on earth aren't these compulsory fittings on new hobs yet??) and I know from my mother's experience that elderly women get ripped off something rotten on a regular basis. It would be good to know what a "reasonable" hourly fee might be just to be able to advise her if she's been taken for a ride or not.

Tim

[Robin]

I am not sure if that "should" was meant to be read as "must" but, as has been discussed here before, the widely held view that hoses were a no-no for hobs was based on bad drafting in an earlier version of BS6172. Eg

$20hob$20flexible$20hose$20bs6172/uk.d-i-y/wWQndObGGAg/MXiGpbsy37AJ includes (per John Rumm)

"11.1.3 A gas hob shall be connected to the termination point by means of rigid pipework or, unless stated otherwise in the manufacturer's instructions, a flexible connector and self-sealing plug-in device conforming to BS 669-1."

I know at least one person with a hob connected recently by a registered fitter that way.

Of course that's not to say rigid isn't better in other (or most) circs. And the flexible hose needs to conform - eg not come in contact with a surface over 70 degrees C or be at risk of damage from drawers.

[A.Lee]

£50 is typical for a hob. I pay £30 ish when I want one doing. Assuming no leaks on the system when tested etc.

[Tim+]

Thanks, that's all I really need to know.

Tim

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I was just quoting what it said in my Neff hob instructions.

To me it doesn't make sense that you are allowed a flexible hose for an entire cooker, but not a hob.

[charles]

it makes perfect sense; you don't need to move a hob, but you need to move cooker for cleaning round it.

[stuart noble]

I don't think I could get the boiler serviced under £80, and that's only half an hour's work

[polygonum]

That only explains why a flexible connection is sensible for a cooker; not why a flexible connection is not allowed (in some cases) for a hob.

[charles]

if the rule is solid connections except for some necesary exceptions, it explains it all.

[Tim+]

Except that the rule quoted above, quite clearly (to me at least), says that either is permissible unless the manufacturer stipulates otherwise (ie

*only* rigid or *only* flexible).

Of course this may not have been the intention of the rule but that's what it says.

Hobs don't need flexible connections but I'm sure in some instances it would make installation easier.

Tim

[polygonum]

Not why that rule exists! If a flexible connector is good enough for a cooker why not for a hob? What is unique to a hob that precludes use of a flexible connector which is perfectly adequate for a cooker? Indeed, what makes it allowed or mandated to use a flexible connector for some hobs but not others? (That is, if the manufacturer's instructions say so.)

[John Rumm]

Having gone through each of the editions of the doc, and followed the languages changes I am fairly comfortable with the interpretation that either are fine unless overridden by the manufacturer.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

That may make sense to you.

[stuart noble]

AIUI a free standing cooker can have a hose providing it also has a chain anchored to the wall (and presumably shorter than the hose)

[Mark]

Me neither. How would you install a hob without a flexible hose since the hob goes into a hole in the worktop?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In the same way as you connect the gas supply to a boiler - or any other fixed appliance. You install it first, then plumb to that.

[F]

To make the connection to ours, the drawer below the hob was slid out to allow access and the rigid pipe connections made from underneath.

[Mark]

How? In our kitchen there is no access from below.