Boiler advice please

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by BarryH, Apr 17, 2016.

  1. BarryH

    BarryH Member

    For the last 15 or so years I've had and enjoyed using a solid fuel Parkray fire. This runs the central heating and provides hot water.

    I'd now like to change to a gas boiler, there is gas to the area as before the Parkray we had gas central heating.

    Any advice as to where to start looking, does it have to be a big name like British Gas etc?
     
  2. It's always worth adding BG to your list of quoters - it kinda puts things in perspective.

    You will usually find they are criminally expensive - and will not automatically be any better.

    Best is if you can find someone local who has has gas work done and can recommend a GasSafe plumber - personal recommendation is almost always the best thing.

    There are some good plumbers on here who can help guide you, perhaps with recommendations of boiler makes, type of system, etc. Armed with this, you should be able to discuss your requirements more knowledgeably with the plumbers who come round to quote.
     
    Cliff Rees likes this.
  3. BarryH

    BarryH Member

    This is what I was hoping for. Thanks for posting.
     
  4. Dave does Gas

    Dave does Gas Screwfix Select

    Best advice will come from whoever visits your house and does the survey, we all have our preferences of boiler manufactures for various reasons. Pretty much why one person likes one brand of car over another, so do a bit of homework once you have your quotes in, with regard boiler choice. You should at this point also be discussing controls as well, nowadays these are equally important to the efficency of your system unlike the days gone by when it was just what time do you want it on.

    Go to the gas safe website and use their find an installer facility, you will then be shown a list of installers in your local area, pick a few and get them round to discuss your needs, you will then get a gut feeling for the ones your happy with and you will have picked up a lot of info just by talking to them.

    Another route you could take is the Checkatrde web site, plenty of Gas safe installers on there plus you can get to see their ratings from previous clients.

    Good luck with your venture and please keep us up to date.
     
    Deleted member 33931 likes this.
  5. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

  6. BarryH

    BarryH Member

    Thanks for all the help, really appreciated.
     
  7. As Dave says.

    Ask, ask, ask - everything and anything you don't understand of the guys who visit to quote. They should be willing and happy to make sure you know what they are recommending and why.

    If there are still any issues you'd like clarifying, then please come back on here and we'll do our best to help.

    If you'd like to describe your current system further - type of hot cylinder, cold storage, etc etc - along with photos if possible (keep them under 2Meg) then that could help us as well.
     
  8. leesparkykent

    leesparkykent Well-Known Member

    I would get a quote off BG and help-link to put things in to perspective. But ultimately I try to go on recommendation.
     
  9. BarryH

    BarryH Member

    As a bit of a follow up, I went on the Gas Safe Register and after a bit of head scratching I finally listed five of the local engineers shown on there. I called all of these, three of them twice and to date, not a single one has bothered to get back to me.

    I guess they have all the work they can handle.
     
  10. JOMEL

    JOMEL Screwfix Select

    Hi.

    Just out of interest where are you located.
    I had a full upgrade just weeks ago.
    I am in Newcastle.

    Johnny M
     
  11. BarryH

    BarryH Member

    Darkest Derbyshire.
     
  12. Dave does Gas

    Dave does Gas Screwfix Select

    Try Checkatrade you may get a better response as members have to respond or get marked down.
     
  13. JOMEL

    JOMEL Screwfix Select

    Hi,


    Yes I had that situation,
    Only 2 of the places I contacted turned up to check the job out.
    One did not reply.
    One said he would quote but not need to do a site visit GRRRRRR
    I had an Intergas Dutch boiler fitted.
    All those I contacted were on the Intergas registered fitters list on there web site.
    Kevin that did the job, worked non stop I must admit.
    I was well pleased. And the price was fine.
    I was a plumber myself for 15 years but way to old to tackle these jobs now.

    I was going to recommend the guy I used.
    But its a long bike ride to you.

    Johnny M
     
  14. BarryH

    BarryH Member

    Thanks for the help Johnny. Really appreciated.
     
  15. JOMEL

    JOMEL Screwfix Select

    Hi,

    After just circa 10 days of having the Combi fitted as against a storage system the last 36 years.
    I am so pleased I selected a 36kw for the domestic side.
    Just my thoughts with filling the bath.
    I think smaller may well be a sore point.
    I must admit there is endless hot water.
    Some of my neighbours were advised to fit 25kw.
    I think that's to small.



    Johnny M
     
  16. BoilerVirgin

    BoilerVirgin New Member

     
  17. BoilerVirgin

    BoilerVirgin New Member

    Hi Johnny,

    I realise your above post was from about 6 years ago, but assuming that you feel the recommendation is still valid, then I would be interested to receive contact details of the company that you used please. I've read about the crucial part that the standard of installation can play in determining the potential life-span of any boiler and I get the impression that you received good service at a good price.

    I've recently removed to Gosforth as it happens (small world!) and have inherited a Vokera boiler that was somehow still running after almost 14 years according to the inherited service records. However, I think I'm going to have to consign it to Boiler-heaven as it seems to be on its last legs.

    As my username suggests, I am clueless regarding boilers, but as it'll be a (hopefully) long-term investment costing a bonny penny, I thought I'd better carry out some research. That led me to uncovering that an Intergas boiler may end up being a good choice (I'm especially drawn to the 10-yr warranty of their Eco RF range of boilers and slightly less moving parts involved with their overall range of boilers). However trying to find an installer on the intergas website (https://myintergasregistration.co.uk/app/search_installers) proved fruitless upon entering my postcode or indeed just Newcastle (which suggests that there is a problem with the webpage I would assume). Anyway further googling led me to this forum and to your above post, albeit a rather dated one I appreciate.

    There doesn't appear to be anyway to send a private-message to another forum-user here, so I'm hoping that you may be alerted to this reply somehow and may be able to point this fellow Geordie and new South Gosforthian in the right direction please!

    Many thanks/All the Best.
     
  18. Jimbo

    Jimbo Screwfix Select

    Vaillant also do an excellent range of air source heat pumps, which are now costing in against gas since gas has risen even faster than electricity. Obviously no one can predict the future at the moment so how that dynamic changes over time remains to be seen.
     

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