Any honest plumbers out there?

[zazen999]

How far is it from Nottingham to Cornwall?..(A free holiday maybe)..........

Quite a way - but Nottingham to Derby isn't and we will be needing a new boiler at some point so I know where I'm going to get serviced [so to speak].

[Two_Sheds]

Domestic central heatig design is something that neither plumbers or gas engineers are formally taught its something they pick up... they guess at radiator sizes, and pipe up the system with the minimum of 22mm pipe they thought they could get away with

Shocking.

Our installation was a bit of a disaster. Father & son both plumbers (OH's mate). Son did the work but when it started to go wrong, it was his dad who got sent back to take the flack.
He managed to start a pipe leaking through our living room lights; the thermostat wouldn't talk to the boiler; the boiler constantly lost pressure.
After several return visits, they eventually decided that our buried (in concrete) pipework must have the leak. So I had to dig up the foundations? Or just keep topping up the boiler forever? ):

A 7 year old child found the leak that 2 experienced plumbers couldn't locate. She sat down the side of the sofa and said "the carpet's wet" ... well they'd somehow managed to make a tiny hole in the new pipework down the back of the sofa.

Brand new carpet: soaked

On my list of recommended plumbers? Not on your nelly

[chris]

Dug my quotes out.

Logic + 35kW (5 yr warranty - parts+labour) - £2295
Bosch 37kW CDi - £2595

I was tempted by the logic as they're supposed to be good now, but I've heard that bosch will extend warranty to 7 years to compete with logic? I'll probably go with the bosch, as it's proven - even if the waranty is less.

Edit: thermostat quoted for is a Honeywell CM2927

[Potstubsdustbins]

Is he a plumber by any chance?.........

He has worked with me since he was 17. He was doing a B tech at college came with me for the summer hols and went back to a different college to learn the trade. Now he has more qualifications than me. I only win through experience.



Colin

[Potstubsdustbins]

Chris, I presume you haven't had the installation done yet. The Logic is unproven there for my logic says to me let someone else do the proving (why should you do the field trials). Honeywell like Worcester is top kit no worries there.

Some general pointers for everyone. Before allowing people to work in your home check they have public liability insurance (at least 2 million pounds). A lot of guys don't carry it because of the expense. If they have an accident you may not be able to rely on your own household insurance as they wiil have expected you to check the 'professional'.

If its a gas installation. Check they are registered with Gas Safe and check the back of their ID card to ensure they have the necessary qualifications appropriate to the work in hand.

If they are installing central heating boilers they should also have taken the Energy Efficiency assessment. The law says that all gas installation work should be registered on the Gas Safe data base, make sure this is going to happen. Only qualified people can make the registration which will result in a Compliance Certificate being issued by your local authority. You will need this if you ever come to sell your house.

With regards to your manufacturers guarantee. Make sure on commissioning of the boiler the check list at the back of the installation instructions is filled in. If this is not done or the boiler is not on the Gas Safe data base. The manufacturers can walk away from all responsibility.

You know its really quite difficult when trying to explain these things to remember things you do everyday with out having to think about them. So we will let VC proof read for us. LOL

Colin.

[veggiechicken]

Why me, Potty! Am I hypercritical or summat?
For the record I have a Worcester Greenstar gas condensing boiler, fitted 7 years ago - no problems.
I also have a ?12 year old Worcester HeatSlave Combi Oil boiler which has been converted to a system boiler to work with solar thermal panels and a hot water cylinder.
Of course, I could have these boilers' names totally confused but neither have given problems (fingers crossed).
Over the past few years I have become quite familiar with old boilers!!
PS. I like Worcester Bosch!!

[bearded bloke]

I like Worcester Bosch!!

I like Worcester Sauce

[Creemteez]

Pots, you are my TOTAL hero!
A lot of what you said made total sense and related quite closely to what our THIRD plumber said!
We are having to replace a Baxi (approx 30yrs old) boiler with (hopefully) a condensing Combi. (Worcester Bosch is definitely starting to look like the way to go).
Our third plumber asked quite a few of the questions you put ie, Baths/showers, number of people using the system etc.
I'll be very interested to see what his quote is!

[Potstubsdustbins]

CTs I didn't want to pre-empt the situation but just mentioning the pipework made me think he is worth further thought.

As your system is that old did he explain that it would be a low pressure system and the new system would be high pressure. Therefore there maybe issues with the old radiators?

When you get his written quote if you want advice just nudge me.

Colin

[Potstubsdustbins]

VC have you thought it could be I trust you not to be to disparaging.

Colin

[veggiechicken]

VC have you thought it could be I trust you not to be to disparaging.

Colin

Nope!.......

[Creemteez]

Thanks Pots! When we get his quote I will run it by you.
Big kisses!!! xx
(Mr Teez says thanks for the advice too ( but no kisses - sorry!)

[Potstubsdustbins]

Your both more than welcome. There are to many out there trying to make a quick buck and to be honest I don't like their attitude at all.

I am not the cheapest bloke around but again to be honest I usually find the cheapest cut corners and that is the last thing you want in your home.

Colin

[Two_Sheds]

There are to many out there trying to make a quick buck

It's a lucrative profession by all account ...? Plumber/banker/stockbroker

[Farmer_Gyles]

British Gas came up with the eye-watering amount of - wait for it - £7100!!!

British Gas were on Watchdog last week .... their engineers have been recommending new boilers rather than fix minor faults .... the engineers get a little bonus* when the householder signs up for the new boiler

* disclaimer - British Gas stated their engineers don't get a bonus / commission for new boilers etc - the engineers get a small amount of money, but it's not called a bonus or commission ....

There are to many out there trying to make a quick buck and to be honest I don't like their attitude at all.

It makes us all very wary .... it means we end up getting multiple quotes just to help weed out crooks .... and that makes everything much more of a pain to organise .....

I am not the cheapest bloke around but again to be honest I usually find the cheapest cut corners and that is the last thing you want in your home.

It's the same for us web developers .... I don't do cheap because to do so means having to cut corners which leads to poorer results for the customer .... and then they wonder why their website isn't making them any money .... I do the job properly, no cutting corners, and that costs real money ....