Posted 15 October 2023

Help and advice with new boiler!

Hi everyone.
Just wanted some advice regarding a new boiler.

So it's a 3 bed house, electric shower. 13 rads and no trvs
We have a 22 year old system boiler for the central heating which gives trouble every winter and is really inefficient I've been told.

There is a hot water boiler which supply's hot water to the tap in the kitchen and downstairs bathroom and it's packed up.

Had a quote from British gas and they've said to replace /upgrade the old system boiler to a combi and pipe in the kitchen/bathroom tap to it.

Alternatively was Consideeing a boiler upgrade and a hot water tap for the kitchen?

Either way replacing the hot water boiler and a new system boiler doesn't seem the best but any recommendations.
Was thinking of using boxt instead of British gas
Community Updates
New Comment

21 Comments

sorted by
's avatar
  1. paul123edwards's avatar
    Get a local Corgi registered fitter in. Usually there are many about. They will recommend what’s best and quote you for it. From what you have said a combi sounds like the best solution for you and put TRVs in while they are doing it.
    deleted2862047's avatar
    Get a GasSafe engineer not a corgi one.

    Corgi hasn’t been around for 14 years!
  2. IAmATeaf's avatar
    Can you get a hot water tap that supplies hot water like that? I thought something like a quooker was a tap for just below boiling water so you can’t mix it to then use it for example to do the washing or am I being dense?

    I had my boiler and hot water cylinder changed out just a few months ago. Like you I had a 20+ year old boiler which broke down every year. Got a local registered plumber to do all the work. I ended up with a Valliant ecotec plus 630 system boiler and a megaflo indirect hot water cylinder which replaced the old gravity fed copper cylinder.

    My local guy gave me lots of advice, guidance and recommendations. He discussed everything with me, gave me options and prices. So make sure whoever you end up using is willing to do the same.

    Oh and I echo the drop kick BG into touch, their business model seems to be to try and make as much moola as they can from you. (edited)
  3. rimalpatel007's avatar
    Used boxt 18 months ago and great service. Would recommend.
  4. Knill's avatar
    Boxt subcontract. You think you’re getting someone from the company but they send someone who they have never even met without even vetting their work. I could download their app now and be fitting boilers for them in a couple of days.
    Even more scummy is how Bosch is a shareholder in Boxt and so they sell boilers to themselves for far below the value that anybody else in the country could get them for. I’m sure people out there have had good experiences with Boxt but any gas engineer will have negative things to say

    Get a reputable local company or a sole trader In.

    I would agree with what British had want to do, I think it would be rather silly to have a new boiler fitted and then have your only source of hot water downstairs be a Quooker tap. Unless you mean pipe up the boiler to the kitchen but also have a quooker tap? (edited)
  5. dasachmo's avatar
    Author
    Aah as in pipe up the kitchen instead of a quooker tap.

    Quite a lot of posts on here recommending the boiling water taps as more energy efficient and no need for a immersion tank literally for the kitchen tap (as the showers are electric and no baths)
  6. Chiptivo's avatar
    Don't go with British Gas...

    That's my only input here.
  7. dasachmo's avatar
    Author
    Yeah get that. They quoted 7.5k
  8. bargainhunter1's avatar
    Have you considered the Heat pump system?
    They are a bit more affordable now than a few years ago.
  9. dasachmo's avatar
    Author
    I have but think a normal boiler probably best at the moment. Just debating this whole system boiler vs combi. I think because we have a system boiler its probably best to do a like for like replacement and plumb in the remaining 2 taps (the bathroom one is just opposite the system boiler) and keep it simple.
    I think the BG guy said that changing a combi to a system boilers a lot of hassle and you cant have a tank with a combi (edited)
    Deal_searcher's avatar
    The other thing to consider is whether you would be extending in the future and have more radiators or bathrooms or getting rid of the electric shower. If you will a conventional boiler would be better than combi. Combi is not good when multiple taps are on, it loses water pressure. Plus it will cost more to convert to combi than a like for like replacement. Anyone tried the other comparison sites like iheat and heatable?
  10. ZanderKaneUK_'s avatar
    heatgeek.com/fin…ek/ find an engineer on here, many of the registered installers do Gas boilers and Heat pumps. They have also paid to be train to install a correctly sized appliance for the heat loss of your property. In other words they paid to be better educated cannot see many fly by nights doing this?
  11. dasachmo's avatar
    Author
    Thank you!
    Had thee people come around and assess for a new boiler.
    Really strange.
    British gas gave a high quote of 7.5k
    Local company said they won't do it unless we move the boiler to outside of the cupboard because the flue is too close to a bedroom window(no one else said this). Also won't do it unless we change all the heater valves to trvs as that's a reg. Hasn't supplied a quote yet
    Local plumber assessed but said don't change trvs because the systems old and sludge will block everything up... But will need a pump because the gutters too far for drainage (no one else said this)

    I guess you can ask 3 experts and get 4 opinions!
    Deal_searcher's avatar
    It is good to get different opinions. British gas are always the most expensive. You should try and haggle them down. However, if you have a complicated set up it could be worthwhile as their prices are fixed. Trvs are a building reg but unless extending I wouldn't worry too much. I would say Trvs are useful though and doing it with a boiler install is likely to be cheaper. However, I would leave the bathroom without trv as they don't work properly there. In terms of sludge, they should be looking to wash the system out and if required then a power flush which should solve the radiator issue unless you have stainless steel radiators. I guess the others didn't mention the cleaning of system as that is a given and if required they will mention power flush later I presume. The flue can't be too close to a window but this depends on space and where you plan the boiler
  12. dasachmo's avatar
    Author
    Yup. The existing one is by a window but more then 30cm I think.

    Think trv is what I want and I'm sure they should drain the system right.

    Was thinking of boxt as it seems they offer a fixed price and saw the deal for a hive unit but my boilers well away from the router. Could use it instead of our really old system controls I guess? Boxt is charging a good couple of hundred pounds for a hive control unit.
    Deal_searcher's avatar
    Hive would make it more expensive as it is a smart system. I think there is a hub that connects to the router and then a separate thermostat. I was looking at boxt too. Good for getting a good estimate. I have also asked three people to quote so would be interesting to see how it compares to the boxt figure
  13. dasachmo's avatar
    Author
    They actually seem to come out cheaper.
    Plus the fixed price really helps I think.
    It's just you get a panel of local plumbers and you don't know who you'll get but guess that's just luck!
    Deal_searcher's avatar
    I just got one quote and it was ridiculously high. So may have to do something similar pending the other quotes
  14. Deal_searcher's avatar
    So I have just gone for iheat. Let's hope they do a good job. Got fed up of people not turning up to quote.
  15. dasachmo's avatar
    Author
    Let us know how you get on!
  16. Deal_searcher's avatar
    Just to update. The person came on the day. There was good comms and they got my boiler sorted no problem. Have hot water and central heating again
's avatar