Are you feeling confused about boiler installation costs for your home?
If you’re looking to buy a new boiler, but have been quoted a higher price than you were expecting to pay just from looking online, I don’t blame you for feeling a bit puzzled.
In my experience, most people are quoted a price or a rough amount for the cost of a new boiler, before heading straight to Google to check out the same model online – only to find it looks a lot cheaper than the price they were initially quoted.
Of course, it goes without saying that everyone must do their due diligence to get the best value deal – and I understand this is a major concern – which is why I thought writing this blog post might be of some help.
So below, I’m going to give you a better idea of your potential boiler installation costs, including factors that can affect the final price you pay.
Why boiler installation costs aren’t always straightforward
Firstly, I find that when many people go online to look at the price of a new boiler, they fail to take into consideration the cost of VAT, labour, extra parts (flue, condensate etc.) and any other necessary work that needs carried out for their installation.
And some companies don’t always help in clearing that up.
I’ve personally been to see a few clients who originally told me we were too expensive; this was due to the fact that they had seen the cost of a brand new boiler online for £800 – when really, they’d have to pay a lot more to get it installed and working.
Another scenario is when a customer has told me they’ve seen a company advertising boilers supplied and installed from £1,400* – but if you look closely at the asterix, that price doesn’t include the controls and flue.
Why is transparency about boiler costs so important? Well, for a start, I hate the idea of people being misled about the price of a new boiler.
We’ve found that being transparent and explaining all the costs involved upfront – along with factors that can affect them – means that our customers are much happier and don’t have any nasty surprises later down the line.
It can be quite infuriating at times.
However, I’ve found that in most cases, what my customers care most about is value, and the internet is a good starting ground when looking at prices.
I find most people will happily pay a bit extra for a good guarantee, a knowledgeable engineer and a reputable company – as all of these things mean they’ll be getting better value for money in the long run.
A rough guide to boiler installation costs
Below, I’ve put together a rough guide to help you figure out your boiler installation costs.
Of course, the final amount you’ll pay will not only depend on the brand and type of boiler you choose from, but also the unique specifications required for your home.
- Cost of boiler unit – £600 – £2000
- Boiler flue – £80 – £120
- Extension flue pipe (if required) – £40 per metre
- Magnetic central heating filter – £110
- Boiler controls – Anywhere between £70 – £600
- Pipework and fittings (screws, raw plugs, sand, cement, dust sheets) – up to £400
- Rubbish removal from the site by a Sepa registered contractor- £80-£100
On top of this, you’ll also have to add VAT, not to mention there’s the cost of each engineer’s, labour, training, van, tools and overheads for your chosen heating company to cover. Also the company obviously has to make a profit.
Depending on your set-up, there’s also the possibility of running upgraded gas supply pipes and condensate pipes to drains – for example, if you were relocating your boiler – or the cost of coring a new hole for your boiler’s flue.
To give you more of an idea, here’s ‘6 Things You Need to Know About the Cost of a New Boiler’.
Advice from an experienced engineer
If you’re worried about the costs of your new boiler, the best advice I can give you is to arrange 2 – 3 separate quotes, and ensure they are fixed price and fully inclusive before you agree to any work being carried out.
I’d obviously also recommend checking internet prices, but please be aware of what I mentioned above, as so many factors can affect costs. There are so many things you might not normally consider, such as waste disposal (although an engineer should take away your old boiler for you).
Finally, never scrimp on fitting a filter or having the system flushed correctly; it may be a small extra cost in the beginning, but it can snowball in the future to become a much bigger expense.
TIP: You should also be able to get £400 cashback on your old boiler, so definitely ask your chosen engineer if that’s something they can do for you.
Conclusion
I hope you’ve found this blog useful when trying to determine your boiler installation costs – I wish I could give you a more in-depth and accurate price breakdown, but unfortunately these things are so individual that it’s much like buying a car or pair of shoes.
However, if you have any specific questions about the cost of installing your boiler, I’d be very happy to help – simply post a comment below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
