Boiler Installation - to DIY or not

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by GaryC, Aug 22, 2004.

  1. GaryC

    GaryC New Member

    Hi

    I am struggling to find to find a plumber to replace my existing boiler with a combi as part of a bathroom renovation (I am doing all of the fitting out myself) .

    As a result I am thinking of fitting it myself and just having the gas connected by a Corgi registered chap (if I can find one).

    Having read the instruction manual online it seems quite straight forward to me. Has anyone else tackled such a project and if so what "gotchas" did you learn on the way? Or is the advise to leave well alone and keep searching for a professional?

    Any advice very welcome.
     
  2. doitall

    doitall New Member

    Sounds quite straight forward to me thats why the plumber spends 3-4 years training and several thousand pounds on work experience and gas training courses.

    Several Gotchas to consider;
    The first when you go to sell the house and you don't have the logbook filled in.

    The second when the house blows up.

    The third when they take the family out in a box.

    While on the subject what do you know about the water regs and certification.
     
  3. limestone cowboy

    limestone cowboy New Member

    I knew this would happen.
     
  4. doitall

    doitall New Member

    What did you know would happen limestone cowboy.

    What should I have said them, I'm always prepaired to listen to an expert.
     
  5. limestone cowboy

    limestone cowboy New Member

    Doitall,
    I knew a plumber would respond with a typical sensational over-reaction. How can you know that his house will blow up and 'they' will take his family out in a box? At best these comments are unhelpful, at worst downright nasty. If you don't think he should do this job, just say so, perhaps with a valid reason. I'm not questioning your knowledge, just your manners.
     
  6. doitall

    doitall New Member

    Perhaps your right.

    The question has been asked a thousand times, and without exception they go ahead and do it anyway.

    According to the letter of the law and the gas safety (installation and use) regulations, if he wants to fit his boiler they can't stop him.

    Only when it all goes t**s up does he have to prove competance, by then its to late the damage has been done.

    If I frightened him off good, at least I can sleep at night.

    [Edited by: Forum Moderator]
     
  7. Tangoman

    Tangoman Well-Known Member

    He's stated that he wants the gas done by a CORGI you dumbwit so he isn't touching the gas.

    To the original poster - you're biggest problem will be finding a CORGI guy who is willing to just hook up the gas. You could ask around - they might want to fit the flue too. I was lucky - m8 of a m8 etc. He wouldn't complete the log book though (at least he hasn't yet) so you've less comeback if anything goes wrong with the boiler - you might be luckier.

    The rest of the work - converting a tank system to combi is pretty straightforward. Take a look at http://www.diydata.com/planning/centralheating/boiler.htm for ideas.

    Tango
     
  8. Stoday

    Stoday New Member

    If it takes a plumber "3-4 years of training and several £k" to learn enough to change a boiler, he must be mentally incompetent.

    Hey, doitall, you can't work on gas, with or without a corgi ticket if you are incompetent!
     
  9. doitall

    doitall New Member

    Nice choice of advise Tangoman.

    Shows exactly why diy and boilers don't go together.

    Perhaps you could explain about the **** design,,what will happen if you connect it as per the drawing, and about the missing safety devices.
     
  10. Tangoman

    Tangoman Well-Known Member

    ??Do it all?

    If you could be understood I might have a chance at answering you! Drawing??
     
  11. bilco

    bilco New Member

    As with Tango...Best to find a corgi (man not dog) before you start, and work out with him/her what exactly you will do etc.

    Hey there are lots of human beings out there...they are not all SOFers
     
  12. Stoday

    Stoday New Member

    Only when it all goes t**s up does he have to prove
    competance


    Oh no!

    We can see what happens because cowboys get caught. A DIYer would not be treated worse than a DIYer. Here's the 'form' for a caught cowboy:

    Corgi finds him, but can't do anything, so advises HSE. HSE man gives him a verbal warning. If cowboy continues his activities, he gets a written warning. If he ignores that he gets an Enforcement Order. If he ignores that he's up against the beak. Gets 4 months in jug.

    In practice, DIYers have nothing to worry about.
     
  13. GaryC

    GaryC New Member

    Gents

    Thanks for the input. I must say that I would not have even asked the question if I where able to find a plumber who would:

    a. Turn up to review the job at the prearranged time (even the same day would be good)

    b. If they do turn up provide a quote when they say they will

    c. Give me a little more confidence in their abilities

    d. Stop trying to pull the wool over my eyes, i.e quoting a boiler costs 200% of actual and an estimate of 5 days to fit

    I am sure that I have simply had bad luck with those I have contacted but I will continue to try - believe me, getting a reliable and trustworthy Corgi registered plumber is the route I want to take.
     
  14. dp

    dp Guest

    Giving quotes, talking to customers, carrying out surveys all cost time and money. Doing these things do not earn the installer anything. Big firms can afford to do this but sole traders have to earn a crust as well. Would you go out to work knowing that at the end of the week, your wage packet will not have the full 40 hours of pay in it?

    Last week I spent 3.5 hours with a householder who is interested in a new boiler. Offsite, I then set about pricing what she wanted, typing the estimate, which was then posted. I have not heard from her since. I am getting more and more disenchanted with the idea of doing estimates for free. I cannot understand why a client feels he has a right to several estimates all for free.

    I would see all this in a different light if all the estimates were to identical spec and customer paid a set fee (like for a house survey)
     
  15. Carlton

    Carlton New Member

    I brought a Raven Heat gas boiler and wasted no time fitting the item, following the instruction was straight forward, there are items that can be purchased from screw fix to enable testing of the installation, from pressure testing , to the presence of gas. But for insurance purpose you require the gas istallation to be tested and certifed by a registered corgi installer, which is the hard part and nearly impossible.

    Goood luck
     
  16. Carlton

    Carlton New Member

    I brought a Raven Heat gas boiler and wasted no time fitting the item, following the instruction was straight forward, there are items that can be purchased from screw fix to enable testing of the installation, from pressure testing , to the presence of gas. But for insurance purpose you require the gas istallation to be tested and certifed by a registered corgi installer, which is the hard part and nearly impossible.

    Goood luck
     
  17. breeze49

    breeze49 New Member

    Hi Gary, i'm a Diyer and fitted my own boiler when i ripped out the old coal fired central heating system. I got a corgi guy to fit the gas so all is well. I have an electrical background and bought a good guide book.
    The only snag i had was lifting the boiler into place but i should have got a friend to help.
    I wonder if you could get a british gas safety inspection certificate to cover you, I think these cost about 30 pounds and I use these on my buy to let properties - They will let you know of any faults and then come back to check the faults have been rectified before issueing the certificate which last for one year. this would give you peace of mind
    pete
     
  18. gabriel

    gabriel New Member

    I usually mount the boiler, fit the boiler water and electrics up, hack the hole in the wall for the flue, dismount the boiler and get my CORGI in to do the final fitting/gas work. It works fine and costs about £140 a pop
     
  19. doitall

    doitall New Member

  20. Tangoman

    Tangoman Well-Known Member

    They aren't designs doitall - they're explanatory pics
    meant to give you an idea of how it all hangs together. A good place to start for a DIYer.
    If you then follow the links on the RHS and go to the design section, it breaks it down into smaller, more fully explained chunks.


    I'll freely admit I know nothing about the top diagram - never needed to - my system is a combi one.
    The bottom one is missing a bypass - that what you mean?

    Tango
     

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